100 essential Cantonese words and phrases for beginners

Having the right vocabulary from the start makes all the difference. These 100 words and phrases are the ones you will actually use in daily life, whether chatting with family, ordering food in Hong Kong, or navigating a Cantonese speaking neighbourhood. Every word includes Jyutping romanization so you know exactly how to pronounce it.

Greetings and basics

• 你好 (nei5 hou2): hello
• 早晨 (zou2 san4): good morning
• 多謝 (do1 ze6): thank you (for gifts)
• 唔該 (m4 goi1): thank you (for services) / excuse me
• 唔好意思 (m4 hou2 ji3 si1): sorry
• 再見 (zoi3 gin3): goodbye
• 拜拜 (baai1 baai3): bye bye
• 係 (hai6): yes / is
• 唔係 (m4 hai6): no / is not
• 好 (hou2): good / very

Pronouns and people

• 我 (ngo5): I / me
• 你 (nei5): you
• 佢 (keoi5): he / she / it
• 我哋 (ngo5 dei6): we / us
• 你哋 (nei5 dei6): you (plural)
• 佢哋 (keoi5 dei6): they / them
• 朋友 (pang4 jau5): friend
• 家人 (gaa1 jan4): family
• 老公 (lou5 gung1): husband
• 老婆 (lou5 po4): wife

Numbers

• 一 (jat1): one
• 二 (ji6): two
• 三 (saam1): three
• 四 (sei3): four
• 五 (ng5): five
• 六 (luk6): six
• 七 (cat1): seven
• 八 (baat3): eight
• 九 (gau2): nine
• 十 (sap6): ten
• 百 (baak3): hundred

Food and drink

• 食 (sik6): eat
• 飲 (jam2): drink
• 水 (seoi2): water
• 茶 (caa4): tea
• 奶茶 (naai5 caa4): milk tea
• 咖啡 (gaa3 fe1): coffee
• 飯 (faan6): rice / meal
• 麵 (min6): noodles
• 雞 (gai1): chicken
• 魚 (jyu2): fish
• 蛋 (daan2): egg
• 菜 (coi3): vegetables
• 生果 (saang1 gwo2): fruit
• 好食 (hou2 sik6): delicious
• 買單 (maai5 daan1): bill please

Getting around

• 去 (heoi3): go
• 嚟 (lai4): come
• 行 (haang4): walk
• 坐 (co5): sit / take (transport)
• 邊度 (bin1 dou6): where
• 呢度 (ni1 dou6): here
• 嗰度 (go2 dou6): there
• 左 (zo2): left
• 右 (jau6): right
• 直行 (zik6 haang4): go straight
• 地鐵 (dei6 tit3): MTR / subway
• 巴士 (baa1 si2): bus
• 的士 (dik1 si2): taxi

Time

• 今日 (gam1 jat6): today
• 聽日 (ting1 jat6): tomorrow
• 尋日 (cam4 jat6): yesterday
• 而家 (ji4 gaa1): now
• 朝早 (ziu1 zou2): morning
• 下晝 (haa6 zau3): afternoon
• 夜晚 (je6 maan5): evening / night
• 幾點 (gei2 dim2): what time?

Common verbs

• 做 (zou6): do / make
• 睇 (tai2): look / watch / read
• 聽 (teng1): listen
• 講 (gong2): speak / say
• 知 (zi1): know
• 要 (jiu3): want / need
• 鍾意 (zung1 ji3): like
• 買 (maai5): buy
• 畀 (bei2): give
• 學 (hok6): learn / study

Useful phrases

• 幾多錢 (gei2 do1 cin2): how much?
• 我唔識聽 (ngo5 m4 sik1 teng1): I don't understand
• 你識唔識講英文 (nei5 sik1 m4 sik1 gong2 jing1 man2): do you speak English?
• 慢慢嚟 (maan6 maan2 lai4): take your time / slowly
• 冇問題 (mou5 man6 tai4): no problem
• 等一陣 (dang2 jat1 zan6): wait a moment
• 我學緊廣東話 (ngo5 hok6 gan2 gwong2 dung1 waa2): I'm learning Cantonese
• 點樣講 (dim2 joeng2 gong2): how do you say...?
• 加油 (gaa1 jau2): keep it up! (encouragement)

Adjectives and descriptions

• 大 (daai6): big
• 細 (sai3): small
• 多 (do1): many / much
• 少 (siu2): few / little
• 快 (faai3): fast
• 慢 (maan6): slow
• 靚 (leng3): pretty / beautiful
• 平 (peng4): cheap
• 貴 (gwai3): expensive

These 100 words and phrases cover roughly 70% of everyday Cantonese conversations. Focus on the categories most relevant to your life first, then expand from there. YumCha's structured curriculum teaches these essentials in context with native audio and spaced repetition, so each word moves from recognition to active recall naturally.