m4 hai6唔係唔系
Jyutpingm4 hai6
Yalem̀h haih
Definition
To not be; is not; are not; am not.
colloquialdaily actionscommunication
How it's used
Use 唔係 to negate nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases, but avoid using it to negate verbs or adjectives. For verbs and adjectives, use 唔 followed by the verb or adjective directly instead. It functions as the standard way to express negation for identity or classification in daily speech.
Examples
He is not my good friend.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 唔係 to negate verbs, such as saying 唔係食飯 instead of 唔食飯. Remember that 唔係 is specifically for equating or identifying things, not for negating actions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
