m4 dak1 haan4唔得閑唔得闲
Jyutpingm4 dak1 haan4
Yalem̀h dāk hàahn
Definition
Busy, occupied, or not free.
colloquialtimedaily actions
How it's used
This phrase is the standard way to decline an invitation or explain a lack of availability. It is extremely common to hear it used with the particle 㗎 to soften the tone, as a blunt 唔得閑 can sound slightly dismissive or rude depending on the context. When someone asks if you are free, you can simply reply with the affirmative 得閑 or the negative 唔得閑.
Examples
I am not free tonight, I have to work.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 唔得, which means 'cannot' or 'not allowed'. While 唔得閑 refers specifically to a lack of time, 唔得 is used for prohibition or inability to perform an action.
Grammar color guide
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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.
