Comparative

Cantonese Lesson 17 (Comparative and Shopping)

Duration: 30 mins

This 17th lesson teaches the comparative form in Cantonese. In addition, I am including a vocabulary list about shopping and eating at a restaurant. I will try to give examples using both vocabulary and grammar. That way it will be easy for you to see the words when they are separate and when they are in a sentence. Going through the whole page should take about 30 min. Make sure to read the pronunciation and hear the audio as well. If you have any question about this course, please email me directly at Cantonese Classes.

Comparative

This lesson includes not only the comparative form but the superlative and the diminutive forms as well. That way you make comparisons, but also you can say what is better and what is worse.

Below is a list of 20 comparative forms that you might come across or use very often. The table contains 3 columns (English, Cantonese, and Audio). Make sure you repeat each word after hearing it by either clicking on the audio button or by reading the pronunciation. That should help with memorization as well as improving your pronunciation.

Comparative Form in Cantonese

Comparative Cantonese Audio
As... as似....一樣
ci5 ....jat1 joeng6 
Taller比...高
bei2 ...gou1 
Shorter比...矮/短
bei2 ...ngai2 / dyun2 
Younger比...後生
bei2 ...hau6 saang1 
Older比...老
bei2 ...lou5 
As tall as 似...一樣高
ci5 ...jat1 joeng6 gou1 
Taller than高過
gou1 gwo3 
Shorter than矮過
ngai2 gwo3 
More beautiful靚過
leng3 gwo3 
Less beautiful無咁靚
mou4 gam3 leng3 
Most beautiful最靚
zeoi3 leng3 
Happy開心
hoi1 sam1 
Happier開心啲
hoi1 sam1 di1 
Happiest最開心
zeoi3 hoi1 sam1 
You are happy你好開心
nei5 hou2 hoi1 sam1 
You are as happy as Maya你好似XXX一樣咁開心
nei5 hou2 ci5 XXX jat1 joeng6 gam3 hoi1 sam1 
You are happier than Maya你比XXX開心啲
nei5 bei2 XXX hoi1 sam1 di1 
You are the happiest你最開心
nei5 zeoi3 hoi1 sam1 
Good
hou2 
Better好啲
hou2 di1 
Best最好
zeoi3 hou2 
Bad
waai6 
Worse差啲
caa1 di1 
Worst最差
zeoi3 caa1 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact me using the Cantonese contact form on the header above.

Vocabulary List about Shopping

Below is a list of 18 words related to shopping such as in the supermarket. If you can memorize them by heart, you will be able to buy many food necessities from the supermarket or the shopping mall without a problem.

Shopping List in Cantonese

Shopping Cantonese Audio
Can you take less?可唔可以平啲?
ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 ping4 di1 ?
Do you accept credit cards?你收唔收信用卡?
nei5 sau1 m4 sau1 seon3 jung6 kaa1 ?
How much is this?呢個幾多錢?
ne1 go3 gei2 do1 cin2 ?
I'm just looking我只係隨便睇吓
ngo5 zi2 hai6 ceoi4 bin6 tai2 haak3 
Only cash please!我地只收現金!
ngo5 dei6 zi2 sau1 jin6 gam1 !
This is too expensive呢樣好貴
ne1 joeng6 hou2 gwai3 
Cafe咖啡店
gaa1 fe1 dim3 
Cash現金
jin6 gam1 
Cheap便宜/平
bin6 ji4 / ping4 
Check支票
zi1 piu3 
Cinema戲院
hei3 jyun2 
Credit card信用咭
seon3 jung6 kaat1 
Expensive
gwai3 
Gas station油站
jau4 zaam6 
Museum博物館
bok3 mat6 gun2 
Parking泊車位
paak3 ce1 wai2 
Pharmacy藥房
joek6 fong4 
Supermarket超級市場
ciu1 kap1 si5 coeng4 

Vocabulary List about Restaurants

Below is a list of 30 words related to eating at a restaurant. Obviously, they will come in handy if you invite someone out to dinner or order something off the menu without a problem.

Restaurant Terms in Cantonese

Restaurant Cantonese Audio
I'm vegetarian我係食齋嘅
ngo5 hai6 sik6 zaai1 ge3 
It is very delicious!好好味
hou2 hou2 mei6 
May we have the check please!唔該埋單
m4 goi1 maai4 daan1 
The bill please!唔該埋單
m4 goi1 maai4 daan1 
Waiter / waitress!伙記
fo2 gei3 
What do you recommend? (to eat)你建議食咩好?
nei5 gin3 ji5 sik6 me1 hou2 ?
What's the name of this dish?呢碟餸叫咩名?
ne1 dip6 sung3 giu3 me1 ming4 ?
Where is there a good restaurant?邊度有好嘅餐廳?
bin1 dou6 jau5 hou2 ge3 caan1 teng1 ?
A cup of一杯(一茶杯)
jat1 bui1 (jat1 caa4 bui1 )
A glass of一杯(一水杯)
jat1 bui1 (jat1 seoi2 bui1 )
Black pepper黑椒
hak1 ziu1 
Bread麵包
min6 baau1 
Dessert甜品
tim4 ban2 
Food食物
sik6 mat6 
Fork
caa1 
Knife
dou1 
Menu餐牌
caan1 paai4 
Napkin餐巾
caan1 gan1 
Plate
dip6 
Salad沙律
saa1 leot6 
Salt
jim4 
Salty
haam4 
Soup
tong1 
Spicy
laat6 
Spoon匙羹
si4 gang1 
Sweet
tim4 
Table
toi4 
Tip (money for the waiter)時間(日子/月份)
si4 gaan1 (jat6 zi2 /jyut6 fan6 )
Water
seoi2 

Fun Facts

Language Quote: ❝Learning a foreign language not only reveals how other societies think and feel, what they have experienced and value, and how they express themselves, it also provides a cultural mirror in which we can more clearly see our own society.❞ ?Chancellor Edward Lee Gorsuch

Congratulations! You finished your 17th lesson in Cantonese about the comparative form, shopping and eating at a restaurant. Are you ready for the next lesson? We recommend Cantonese Lesson 18. You can also simply click on one of the links below or go back to our Learn Cantonese homepage.