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When something is wrong

Return a faulty item, say something is broken or wrong, complain, and ask to have it fixed

5words
20XP
6–10min
Practice this lesson

Learn the Cantonese for Broken, To return, to refund, Not right, wrong, To complain, To fix, to make. This lesson gives you each word with a clear example and romanization, plus audio so you can hear exactly how it sounds.

What you'll learn

  • Broken: 壞咗 (waai6 zo2)
  • To return, to refund: 退 (teoi3)
  • Not right, wrong: 唔啱 (m4 ngaam1)
  • To complain: 投訴 (tau4 sou3)
  • To fix, to make: 整 (zing2)

At the market you learned to pick, taste-test, and haggle. But sometimes a purchase goes wrong: the fruit is bad, the change is short, or the phone you bought stops working. Now let's learn how to sort it out.

waai6zo2

Broken

ngo5bou6sau2gei1kam4jat6maai5gam1jat6zau6waai6zo2

I bought my phone yesterday, and today it is already broken.

teoi3退

To return, to refund

ni1bou6din6si6waai6zo2m4goi1bong1ngo5teoi3退faan1

This TV is broken, could you please help me return it.

m4ngaam1

Not right, wrong

nei5bei2siu2zo2cin2ngo5ni1go3sou2m4ngaam1

You gave me too little money, this amount is not right.

tau4sou3

To complain

keoi5fuk6mou6taai3dou6hou2caa1ngo5soeng2tau4sou3

Their service attitude is really bad, so I want to complain.

zing2

To fix, to make

m4goi1nei5bong1ngo5zing2faan1bou6din6waa2

Please help me fix the phone.

Frequently asked questions

Is the When something is wrong lesson free?

Yes. This Cantonese lesson is free to read online, with romanization and meanings for every word. In the YumCha app, your first lesson is free to try, and vocabulary practice, flashcards, and the dictionary stay free. A subscription unlocks the full interactive lesson path.

Which words does When something is wrong teach in Cantonese?

This lesson covers Broken, To return, to refund, Not right, wrong, To complain, To fix, to make.

What romanization is used?

Both Jyutping and Yale, and you can switch between them. The romanization sits above every word, so you always know the pronunciation.

Do I need to read Chinese characters to start?

No. Romanization sits above every character and audio plays each word, so you can start speaking from your first lesson.