Cantonese Chinese · Cantonese Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 12
我要呢個。I'll have this one.
Measure words: 一件衫, 一條褲, 一杯茶 — not everything takes 個; 要 for buying and ordering: 我要一杯奶茶，唔該; and tops, trousers, coffee and milk tea.
Dialogue
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呢件衫— This top
- KaYanMike，呢件衫好靚呀！Mike, this top is really nice!
- Mike係呀，我要呢個衫。It is. I'll take this top. (he counts it with 個)
- KaYan呢件衫？好呀。This (件) top? Sure.
- Mike呢件衫幾多錢呀？How much is this top?
- KaYan九十蚊。呢條褲都好靚。Ninety dollars. These trousers are nice too.
- Mike呢條褲幾多錢呀？How much are these trousers?
- KaYan八十蚊。Eighty dollars.
- Mike我要……一件衫。I'll take… one top.
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一杯奶茶— A milk tea
- AhMing你哋要乜嘢呀？What would you like?
- KaYan我要一杯咖啡。I'll have a coffee.
- Mike我要一杯奶茶，唔該。A milk tea for me, please.
- AhMing奶茶？你唔鍾意飲茶喎！Milk tea? But you don't like drinking tea!
- Mike奶茶唔係茶。奶茶係奶茶！Milk tea isn't tea. Milk tea is milk tea!
- AhMing好啦。一杯咖啡，一杯奶茶。Fine. One coffee, one milk tea.
Vocabulary
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- 要
verbto want; to take; I'll have (ordering, buying)
- 件
m.measure word for clothes and items (一件衫 "a top")
- 衫
nountop; shirt; clothes
- 條
m.measure word for long things and trousers (一條褲 "a pair of trousers")
- 褲
nountrousers
- 杯
m.cup; glass (measure word: 一杯咖啡 "a coffee")
- 奶茶
nounmilk tea (Hong Kong-style)
- 咖啡
nouncoffee
New characters
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- 要
to want; to take
- 件
measure word for clothes and items
- 衫
top; clothes
- 條
measure word for long things, trousers
- 褲
trousers
- 杯
cup; glass
- 奶
milk (in 奶茶)
- 咖
first syllable of 咖啡 "coffee" (used for its sound)
- 啡
second syllable of 咖啡 "coffee" (used for its sound)
Grammar
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Measure words: 件, 條, 杯
Explanation
When you count something, or point at it with 呢 "this" or 嗰 "that", the noun needs a measure word. 個 is the most common one, but many things have their own. 件 for clothes and single items: 一件衫 "a top", 呢件衫 "this top". 條 for long things, and for trousers: 一條褲 "a pair of trousers", 呢條褲 "these trousers". 杯 for anything you drink from a cup or glass: 一杯茶 "a cup of tea", 兩杯咖啡 "two coffees". Mike says 呢個衫, with the wrong measure word. Ka-yan says 呢件衫 back to him, and he gets it right from then on.
Examples
- 呢件衫好靚。This top is nice.
- 一條褲八十蚊。A pair of trousers is eighty dollars.
- 兩杯奶茶。Two milk teas.
- 嗰件衫幾多錢呀？How much is that top?
Grammar
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要: "I'll have", "I'll take"
Explanation
要 + a thing: when you order a drink or buy something, say 我要… "I'll have…, I'll take…": 我要一杯咖啡 "I'll have a coffee"; 我要呢件衫 "I'll take this top". Add 唔該 at the end to make it polite: 我要一杯奶茶，唔該 "A milk tea, please." To ask: 你要乜嘢呀? "What would you like?", or 你要唔要咖啡呀? "Would you like a coffee?" If you don't want it: 我唔要 "I don't want it." The 想 of the last chapter is followed by a verb: 我想買橙 "I want to buy oranges". 要 is followed by the thing itself: 我要橙 "I'll have oranges."
Examples
- 我要呢件衫。I'll take this top.
- 你要唔要咖啡呀？Would you like a coffee?
- 我要兩杯奶茶，唔該。Two milk teas, please.
- 我唔要。I don't want it.
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