heoi3 nin4去年
Jyutpingheoi3 nin4
Yaleheui nìhn
Definition
Last year; the year before the current year.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively use 舊年 in daily speech instead of 去年. While 去年 is perfectly understandable, it sounds formal or literary and is typically reserved for written documents or news reports. Using 舊年 helps you sound more natural and integrated into the local rhythm of conversation.
Related words
Common phrases
this day last year
Common mistake
Avoid using 去年 in casual settings, as it can make your Cantonese sound like you are reading from a textbook or a formal speech. Stick to 舊年 for all everyday interactions.
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.
