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More adjectives

Fast, slow, expensive, cheap

6words
15XP
6–11min
Practice this lesson

Building on the basics, this Cantonese lesson adds six more describing words you will use all the time: 快 (faai3) and 慢 (maan6) for speed, 貴 (gwai3) and 平 (peng4) for price, and 多 (do1) and 少 (siu2) for quantity. Together they let you talk about how fast something is, how much it costs, and how much of it there is.

What you'll learn

  • Say “fast” with 快 (faai3) and “slow” with 慢 (maan6)
  • Describe a price as “expensive” using 貴 (gwai3)
  • Call something “cheap” with 平 (peng4)
  • Talk about quantity with “many” 多 (do1) and “few” 少 (siu2)
  • Comment on speed when talking about transport or service
  • Combine these adjectives with words you already know

More useful adjectives for everyday descriptions!

faai3

fast

daap6gong2tit3hou2faai3

Taking the MTR is very fast

maan6

slow

daap6baa1si2hou2maan6

Taking the bus is very slow

gwai3

expensive

ni1gaan1caan1teng1hou2gwai3

This restaurant is very expensive

peng4

cheap

bin6便lei6dim3ge3seoi2hou2peng4

The water at the convenience store is very cheap

do1

many / much

gam1jat6jan4hou2do1

There are many people today

siu2

few / little

ziu1zou2jan4hou2siu2

There are few people in the morning

Frequently asked questions

How do you say expensive and cheap in Cantonese?

Expensive is 貴 (gwai3) and cheap is 平 (peng4). These two come up constantly when shopping, so they are well worth memorising early.

How do you say fast in Cantonese?

Fast is 快 (faai3) and its opposite, slow, is 慢 (maan6). You can use them to describe anything from walking pace to how quickly a meal arrives.

What is the difference between 多 and 少 in Cantonese?

多 (do1) means many or much, while 少 (siu2) means few or little. They describe quantity and pair neatly as opposites in a sentence.