go2 zan6嗰陣嗰阵
Jyutpinggo2 zan6
Yalegó jahn
Definition
At that time; then; when something happens.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Use this to refer to a specific point in the past or future, functioning as a temporal marker. It is interchangeable with 嗰陣時, which is slightly more emphatic or formal in rhythm. Unlike Mandarin, it is exclusively used for time and cannot be used to mean 'that place'.
Examples
I was just a kid back then and didn't know anything.
What were you doing at that time? Why didn't you answer the phone?
Related words
Common phrases
at that time
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 嗰度, which refers to a location. Learners often mistakenly use 嗰陣 to mean 'there' because they associate it with the demonstrative 嗰.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
