lei4 m4 dak1 cit3嚟唔得切
Jyutpinglei4 m4 dak1 cit3
Yalelèih m̀h dāk chit
Definition
Unable to make it on time; to not have enough time to arrive.
colloquialtimedaily actions
How it's used
This phrase is a classic example of a potential complement construction where the suffix 唔得切 indicates that the action of arriving cannot be completed within the available time frame. It is almost exclusively used for urgent or scheduled situations where punctuality is expected. You will often hear it paired with 應該 or 恐怕 to soften the blow of being late.
Examples
I am stuck in traffic right now, I probably won't make it on time.
Related words
Common phrases
probably won't make it on time
definitely won't make it on time
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 嚟唔切, which is a slightly more concise version of the same meaning. While both are interchangeable, 嚟唔得切 emphasizes the inability to achieve the result of arriving in time more explicitly.
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.
