ngo5 dei6我哋
Jyutpingngo5 dei6
Yalengóh deih
Definition
We or us; the first-person plural pronoun.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Distinguishing between inclusive and exclusive forms is not a feature of Cantonese, so 我哋 covers both 'we' including the listener and 'we' excluding the listener. It functions as both the subject and the object of a sentence without changing form. When indicating possession, it is common to add the particle 嘅 after it, though this is sometimes omitted in very casual speech.
Examples
Shall we go for dim sum tomorrow?
This is a group photo of our family.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 嘅 after 我哋 when it is not necessary, or forget to include it when possession is clearly implied. While it is acceptable to drop 嘅 in rapid speech, including it is safer and more standard for learners.
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.
