zam2 mo1怎麼怎么
Jyutpingzam2 mo1
Yalejám mō
Definition
How; why
- how; in what way
- why; how come
colloquialcommunicationdaily actions
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively use 點樣 instead of 怎麼 in spoken Cantonese. Using 怎麼 sounds like a direct translation from Mandarin and can make your speech sound unnatural or overly formal. It is common to drop the 樣 and just use 點 in casual, fast-paced conversation.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 怎麼 because they see it in written Chinese, but it is not part of the authentic Cantonese lexicon. Stick to 點樣 to sound like a local.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
