dik1 si4 hau6的時候的时候
Jyutpingdik1 si4 hau6
Yaledīk sìh hauh
Definition
When, during, or at the time of an event.
colloquialtime
How it's used
While 的時候 is standard in written Chinese, Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 嘅時候 in spoken contexts. The 嘅 acts as a possessive or attributive marker linking the preceding action or state to the time frame. It is essential to include 嘅 to sound natural, as omitting it makes the phrase sound like a direct translation from Mandarin.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 的時候 in speech, which sounds stiff or unnatural. Always replace the 的 with 嘅 to match the spoken register.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
