gaa1 haa5家下
Jyutpinggaa1 haa5
Yalegā háh
Definition
Now; at this moment.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Carries a slightly more informal and emphatic tone than the standard 依家. It often implies a contrast between the current situation and a previous expectation or state. Speakers frequently use it to anchor a statement to the immediate present when they want to highlight urgency or a change in circumstances.
Examples
It is already very late now, why are you still not going home?
I am not free, I have to rush to finish work right now.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this in formal writing or professional settings, as it is strictly colloquial. Beginners often confuse it with 依家, which is more neutral and versatile in both speech and casual writing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
