Learn

Please & Excuse Me

Polite requests and getting attention

5words
25XP
6–10min

Need to get someone's attention or ask for something politely? These phrases will help!

m4唔goi1該ze3借ze3借

Excuse me (to pass through)

m4唔goi1該ze3借ze3借，ngo5我jiu3要ceot1出heoi3去

Excuse me, I need to get through

dang2等jat1一dang2等

Wait a moment

dang2等jat1一dang2等，ngo5我zau6就lai4嚟

Wait a moment, I'm coming

唔該借借 literally means “excuse me, borrow borrow”. You're borrowing a path through! 等一等 repeats 等 for emphasis, like saying “wait just a sec”.

  • m4 goi1 ze3 ze3唔該借借excuse me (pass through)
  • dang2 jat1 dang2等一等wait a moment
ceng2請man6問

May I ask... / Excuse me...

ceng2請man6問，gong2港tit3鐵zaam6站hai2喺bin1邊dou6度？

Excuse me, where is the MTR station?

bong1幫bong1幫sau2手

Help me please

m4唔goi1該，ho2可ji5以bong1幫bong1幫sau2手maa3嗎？

Excuse me, can you help me?

Cultural tip: 唔該 is the Swiss Army knife of Cantonese. It works as “please”, “thank you”, and “excuse me”. You already learned it for thanking, but here it also starts polite requests.

  • m4 goi1唔該please / thank you / excuse me
m4唔goi1該nei5你

Please (directed at someone)

m4唔goi1該nei5你bong1幫ngo5我lo2攞go2嗰go3個

Please help me get that one