taam4 lyun2 oi3談戀愛谈恋爱
Jyutpingtaam4 lyun2 oi3
Yaletàahm lyún oi
Definition
To be in a romantic relationship; to date someone.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
While 談戀愛 is understood in Cantonese, it sounds formal or literary and is rarely used in daily speech. Native speakers almost exclusively use 拍拖 to describe the act of dating or being in a relationship. Using 談戀愛 can make you sound like you are reading from a textbook or a script.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 談戀愛 in casual conversation as it sounds stiff and unnatural. Stick to 拍拖 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.
