nei5你
Jyutpingnei5
Yalenéih
Definition
You; the second-person singular pronoun.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Unlike formal written Chinese, Cantonese speakers often drop the pronoun when the context makes it clear who is being addressed. Using 你 too frequently in a sentence can sound unnatural or overly emphatic, similar to how English speakers might avoid repeating 'you' in every clause. In casual speech, it is common to hear the plural form 你哋 when addressing a single person in a very polite or indirect way, though this is less standard.
Examples
Have you eaten yet?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 你 as a direct translation for 'one' or 'you' in general statements, such as 'You should exercise more.' In Cantonese, it is more natural to use the generic 人 or omit the subject entirely when giving general advice.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
