gam2 ngaam1咁啱
Jyutpinggam2 ngaam1
Yalegám ngāam
Definition
By chance, coincidentally, or fortuitously without prior planning.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Use this to describe events that occur without prior planning or expectation. It often carries a sense of surprise or serendipity, highlighting how a situation aligns perfectly with another event. It is frequently used to explain why someone is in a certain place or doing a certain thing at a specific time.
Examples
I went downstairs to buy something and happened to run into him.
Do you happen to be free today?
Related words
Common phrases
happened to bump into
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe deliberate actions or planned events, as it specifically emphasizes the accidental or coincidental nature of an occurrence. It is not a direct translation for the English word happen in all contexts, such as when asking what is happening right now.
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.
