Time Markers for Verbs in Cantonese

Question 1

Source

Answer 1

https://www.cantoneseclass101.com/blog/2021/07/08/cantonese-tenses/#:~:text=Note%3A%20We%20use%20the%20word%20%E2%80%9C%E6%9C%89%E2%80%9D%20the%20same,after%20the%20verb%20%E5%92%97%20%28zo2%29%20%E2%80%93%20have%20done

Question 2

有 (jau5)

Answer 2

did

placement: right before the verb
Example sentence: 我有返學。
Romanization: ngo5 jau5 faan1 hok6.
Meaning: I did go to school.

Question 3

咗 (zo2)

Answer 3

have done

placement: right after the verb
Example sentence: 我同朋友一齊喺戲院睇咗場戲。
Romanization: ngo5 tung4 pang4 jau5 jat1 cai4 hai2 hei3 jyun2 tai2 zo2 coeng4 hei3.
Meaning: I have watched a movie at the cinema with my friends.

Question 4

過 (gwo3)

Answer 4

tried

placement: right after the verb
Example sentence: 試過但係失敗咗。
Romanization: si3 gwo3 daan6 hai6 sat1 baai6 zo2.
Meaning: (I) tried but failed.

Question 5

完 (jyun4)

Answer 5

did

placement: right after the verb
-Example sentence: 我做完功課喇。
-Romanization: ngo5 zou6 jyun4 gung1 fo3 laa3.
-Meaning: I finished my homework.
-we tend to use “完” to emphasize the completion/end of something

Question 6

晒 (saai3)

Answer 6

completed

placement: right after the verb
-Example sentence: 我做晒啲嘢喇。
-Romanization: ngo5 zou6 saai3 di1 je5 laa3.
-Meaning: I completed all my work.
-we use “晒” to imply the effort involved in finishing the work.

Question 7

啱啱 (aam1 aam1)

Answer 7

just now

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我啱啱同朋友一齊喺戲院睇戲。
Romanization: ngo5 aam1 aam1 tung4 pang4 jau5 jat1 cai4 hai2 hei3 jyun2 tai2 hei3.
Meaning: My friend and I went to the cinema for movies just now.
Interchangeable with tau4 sin1

Question 8

頭先 (tau4 sin1)

Answer 8

just now

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 頭先唔小心撞到你，唔好意思。
Romanization: tau4 sin1 m4 siu2 sam1 zong6 dou2 nei5, m4 hou2 ji3 si3.
Meaning: Sorry for hitting you just now.
Interchangeable with aam1 aam1

Question 9

前排 (cin4 paai2)

Answer 9

a while back

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 前排我識咗個好有趣嘅人。
Romanization: cin4 paai2 ngo5 sik1 zo2 go3 hou2 jau5 ceoi3 ge3 jan4.
Meaning: I met an interesting person a while back.

Question 10

以前 (ji5 cin4)

Answer 10

before

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我以前見過你。
Romanization: ngo5 ji5 cin4 gin3 gwo3 nei5.
Meaning: I saw you (before).
usually refers to things that happened years ago

Question 11

之前 (zi1 cin4)

Answer 11

before

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我之前喺度做野。
Romanization: ngo5 zi1 cin4 hai2 dou6 zou6 je5.
Meaning: I used to work here (before).
tends to be about things that happened a few weeks/months ago.

Question 12

幾個禮拜之前 (gei2 go3 lai5 baai3 zi1 cin4)

Answer 12

a few weeks ago

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 幾個禮拜之前我同一位網上紅人食晚飯。
Romanization: gei2 go3 lai5 baai3 zi1 cin4 ngo5 tung4 jat1 wai2 mong5 soeng6 hung4 jan4 sik6 maan5 faan6.
Meaning: I had dinner with an Internet celebrity a few weeks ago.

Question 13

上個月 (soeng6 go3 jyut6)

Answer 13

last month

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我上個月考咗英文能力檢定試。
Romanization: ngo5 soeng6 go3 jyut6 haau2 zo2 jing1 man4 nang4 lik6 gim2 ding6 si3.
Meaning: I took an English proficiency test last month.

Question 14

舊年 (gau6 nin2)

Answer 14

last year

placement: the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我舊年去咗加拿大。
Romanization: ngo5 gau6 nin2 heoi3 zo2 gaa1 naa4 daai6.
Meaning: I went to Canada last year.

Question 15

喺度 (hai2 dou6)

Answer 15

be / doing

placement: before the verb
Example sentence: 喺度諗緊咩呀？
Romanization: hai2 dou6 nam2 gan2 me1 aa3?
Meaning: What are you thinking about?

Question 16

緊 (gan2)

Answer 16

in progress

placement: after the verb
Example sentence: 我等緊你。
Romanization: ngo5 dang2 gan2 nei5.
Meaning: I am waiting (for you).

Question 17

住 (zyu6)

Answer 17

doing

placement: after the verb
Example sentence: 佢攞住個咪唱歌。
Romanization: keoi5 lo2 zyu6 go3 mai1 coeng3 go1.
Meaning: He is singing while holding a mic.

Question 18

而家 (ji4 gaa1)

Answer 18

now

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 你而家去邊？
Romanization: nei5 ji4 gaa1 heoi3 bin1?
Meaning: Where are you going now?

Question 19

會 (wui5)

Answer 19

will

placement: before the verb
Example sentence: 今個禮拜六我哋會結婚。
Romanization: gam1 go3 lai5 baai3 luk6 ngo5 dei6 wui5 git3 fan1.
Meaning: We will get married this Saturday.

Question 20

到時 (dou3 si4)

Answer 20

then

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 到時再講。
Romanization: dou3 si4 zoi3 gong2.
Meaning: (We) will talk then.

Question 21

陣間 (zan6 gaan1)

Answer 21

later

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 陣間去邊食飯好？
Romanization: zan6 gaan1 heoi3 bin1 sik6 faan6 hou2?
Meaning: Where shall we go for lunch?

Question 22

跟住 (gan1 zyu6)

Answer 22

and then

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 司機，唔該先去旺角，跟住去油麻地。
Romanization: si1 gei1, m4 goi1 sin1 heoi3 wong6 gok3, gan1 zyu6 heoi3 jau4 maa4 dei2.
Meaning: Mr. Driver, please first go to Mongkok and then to Yau Ma Tei.

Question 23

之後 (zi1 hau6)

Answer 23

after

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 聽日之後就要走。
Romanization: ting1 jat6 zi1 hau6 zau6 jiu3 zau2.
Meaning: (I) will have to leave after tomorrow.

Question 24

聽日又到星期一要返工。
ting1 jat6 jau6 dou3 sing1 kei4 jat1 jiu3 faan1 gung1.

Answer 24

Tomorrow is Monday and we gotta go to work again.

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject

Question 25

後日 (hau6 jat6)

Answer 25

the day after tomorrow

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我後日會同朋友出去玩。
Romanization: ngo5 hau6 jat6 wui5 tung4 pang4 jau5 ceot1 heoi3 waan2.
Meaning: I will be hanging out with friends the day after tomorrow.

Question 26

下個禮拜 (haa6 go3 lai5 baai3)

Answer 26

next week

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 下個禮拜就端午節喇。
Romanization: haa6 go3 lai5 baai3 zau6 dyun1 ng5 zit3 laa3.
Meaning: It’s Mid-Autumn Festival next week.

Question 27

下個月 (haa6 go3 jyut6)

Answer 27

next month

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 我下個月會去英國。
Romanization: ngo5 haa6 go3 jyut6 wui5 heoi3 jing1 gwok3.
Meaning: I will be going to the UK next month.

Question 28

出年 (ceot1 nin2)

Answer 28

next year

placement: at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject
Example sentence: 出年我就十八歲喇。
Romanization: ceot1 nin2 ngo5 zau6 sap6 baat3 seoi3 laa3.
Meaning: I will be eighteen next year.