Cantonese Chinese · Cantonese Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 14

可唔可以試吓？Can I try it on?

ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 si3 haa5

Asking permission: 可唔可以試吓呀?; verb + 吓 "have a go": 試吓; sizes: 大碼, 細碼; colors: 紅色, 黑色, 白色; and changed tone: in 今年, 黃太, 燒賣 a syllable rises.

Dialogue

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大碼？細碼？— Large or small?

Mike小siu2姐ze2，呢ni1件gin6衫saam1可ho2唔m4可ho2以ji5試si3吓haa5呀aa3？Excuse me, miss — can I try this top on?
SiuZe可ho2以ji5呀aa3。你nei5要jiu3大daai6碼maa5呀aa3？Of course. Do you need a large?
Mike唔m4係hai6，細sai3碼maa5，唔m4該goi1。No, a small, please.
Mike細sai3碼maa5太taai3細sai3喇laa3。The small is too small.
SiuZe試si3吓haa5大daai6碼maa5啦laa1。Try a large, then.
Mike大daai6碼maa5好hou2啲di1。我ngo5要jiu3呢ni1件gin6，大daai6碼maa5！The large is better. I'll take this one — large!

Dialogue

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乜嘢顏色？— What color?

KaYanMike，你nei5鍾zung1意ji3乜mat1嘢je5顏ngaan4色sik1呀aa3？Mike, what colors do you like?
Mike黑hak1色sik1同tung4埋maai4白baak6色sik1。Black and white.
KaYan你nei5嘅ge3衫saam1都dou1係hai6黑hak1色sik1同tung4埋maai4白baak6色sik1！試si3吓haa5紅hung4色sik1啦laa1！Your clothes are all black and white! Try red!
Mike紅hung4色sik1？好hou2啦laa1，我ngo5試si3吓haa5。Red? All right, I'll give it a try.
KaYan好hou2靚leng3呀aa3！你nei5好hou2靚leng3仔zai2！It looks great! You look so handsome!
Mike係hai6咩me1？……我ngo5要jiu3黑hak1色sik1。Really? …I'll have the black.

Vocabulary

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小siu2姐ze2: nounMiss (also how you address a young woman serving you)
可ho2以ji5: verbcan; may (可唔可以…？ "may I…?")
試si3: verbto try; to try on
吓haa5: particle"a bit, have a go" after a verb (試吓 "give it a try")
碼maa5: nounsize (大碼 "large", 細碼 "small")
大daai6: adjectivebig; large
細sai3: adjectivesmall
顏ngaan4色sik1: nouncolor
紅hung4色sik1: nounred
黑hak1色sik1: nounblack
白baak6色sik1: nounwhite
咩me1: particleparticle of surprise (係咩？ "really?")

New characters

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小siu2: small (in 小姐)
可ho2: can (in 可以)
以ji5: second syllable of 可以 "can"
試si3: to try
吓haa5: "a bit" after a verb (試吓)
碼maa5: size; number (in 號碼)
顏ngaan4: face; color (in 顏色)
色sik1: color (紅色, 黑色 …)
紅hung4: red
黑hak1: black
白baak6: white
咩me1: particle of surprise (係咩？)

Grammar

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May I? 可以 and 可唔可以…?

Explanation

可以 goes before a verb and means "may" or "can": 你可以試吓大碼 "you can try a large". To ask permission: 可唔可以 + verb? 可以 has two syllables, so only the first is repeated around 唔, just like 鍾唔鍾意 in chapter 10: 可唔可以試吓呀? "May I try it?" The answer: 可以呀 "sure". If not: 唔可以 "you can't". 呀 at the end makes the question gentler: 呢件衫可唔可以試吓呀? "Can I try this top on?"

Examples

我ngo5可ho2唔m4可ho2以ji5試si3吓haa5呀aa3？May I try it?
可ho2以ji5呀aa3。Sure.
你nei5可ho2以ji5試si3吓haa5大daai6碼maa5。You can try a large.
唔m4可ho2以ji5。You can't.

Grammar

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Have a go: verb + 吓 (試吓)

Explanation

吓 haa5 after a verb means doing it a little, for a moment: 試吓 "give it a try". With 吓 the sentence sounds lighter and friendlier, as if saying "go on, try it, no pressure". To suggest it to someone, add 啦: 試吓大碼啦! "Try a large!", 試吓紅色啦! "Try red!" For yourself: 我試吓 "I'll give it a try". It goes together with the first lesson: 可唔可以試吓呀? "May I try it?"

Examples

試si3吓haa5啦laa1！Give it a try!
你nei5試si3吓haa5紅hung4色sik1啦laa1。Try the red.
好hou2，我ngo5試si3吓haa5。OK, I'll give it a try.
試si3吓haa5呢ni1件gin6衫saam1。Try this top.

pronunciation

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