Meeting Someone: Learn Cantonese

In this lesson you meet someone new and get through a first conversation in Cantonese. You will say what you are called, ask the other person's 名 (meng2), mention that you are a 學生 (hok6 saang1), and round things off by saying you are glad to meet them. It is the small talk that turns a stranger into a 朋友 (pang4 jau5).

What you'll learn

Say “friend” with 朋友 (pang4 jau5)
Ask and give a name using 叫 (giu3) and 名 (meng2)
Tell someone you are a “student” with 學生 (hok6 saang1)
Say you are “glad” with 高興 (gou1 hing3)
Express getting to know someone with 認識 (jing6 sik1)
Put it together into a natural opening exchange

Time to put it together: meet someone new, introduce yourself, and make a friend.

hok6學saang1生

student

nei5你hou2好，ngo5我hai6係hok6學saang1生

Hello, I'm a student

giu3叫

to be called

nei5你hou2好，ngo5我giu3叫aa3阿ming4明

Hello, I'm called Ah Ming

ming4名

name

ceng2請man6問nei5你giu3叫me1咩ming4名aa3呀

May I ask your name?

pang4朋jau5友

friend

ngo5我dei6哋zou6做pang4朋jau5友laa1啦

Let's be friends

hoi1開sam1心

glad

ngo5我hou2好hoi1開sam1心

I'm very glad

sik1識dou2到

to meet / get to know

hou2好hoi1開sam1心sik1識dou2到nei5你

Nice to meet you

gong2講

to speak, to say

ngo5我ping4平si4時gong2講jing1英man2文

I usually speak English

sik1識

to know how to

ngo5我sik1識gong2講siu2少siu2少gwong2廣dung1東waa2話

I can speak a little Cantonese

waa6話

to say, to tell

keoi5佢waa6話keoi5佢hai6係hok6學saang1生

He says he is a student

Frequently asked questions

How do you introduce yourself in Cantonese?

Start with your name using 叫 (giu3), as in “I am called…”. This lesson builds the full introduction step by step so it feels natural to say out loud.

How do you ask someone's name in Cantonese?

You ask about their 名 (meng2), the word for “name”. Pair it with 叫 (giu3), “to be called”, and you have a polite, everyday way to ask who someone is.

How do you say “nice to meet you” in Cantonese?

Use 高興 (gou1 hing3), “glad”, together with 認識 (jing6 sik1), “to get to know”, to tell someone you are happy to have met them.