nei5 mun4您們您们
Jyutpingnei5 mun4
Yalenéih mùhn
Definition
You; the plural form of the second-person pronoun.
writtenpeople
How it's used
Using 您们 is extremely rare in spoken Cantonese, as it is a direct import from Mandarin. Native speakers almost exclusively use 佢哋 for third-person plural and 呢度啲人 or just 你哋 for second-person plural. You will mostly encounter this form in formal written correspondence or when someone is trying to sound overly polite or distant.
Examples
Where would you all like to go for dinner today?
I really miss all of you.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 您们 because they are taught it is the polite form of you, but in Cantonese, it sounds unnatural and overly formal. Stick to 你哋 for all plural you contexts to sound like a local.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
