THE SHORT ANSWER
“I do not feel well” is 我唔舒服 (ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6). Start with this general statement, then add the detail you actually need to communicate. For example, 我喉嚨好痛 says your throat is very sore, and 我個肚唔舒服 says your stomach feels unwell.
FOLLOW THE STEPS
Keep it short
- Say how you feel我唔舒服ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6
I do not feel well.
- Add one detail我喉嚨好痛ngo5 hau4 lung4 hou2 tung3
My throat is very sore.
- Ask about a clinic附近有冇診所呀fu6 gan6 jau5 mou5 can2 so2 aa3
Is there a clinic nearby?
Begin with 我唔舒服
我 means “I”, and 唔舒服 describes feeling unwell or uncomfortable. The complete line lets a colleague, friend or receptionist know that something is wrong without making you name the cause. Play the saved example, then say the short line as one connected thought.
The phrase is deliberately broad. It does not tell the listener which part of your body is affected, how long it has been happening or how severe it feels. If you can add one relevant detail, the next part of the conversation becomes easier.
Add one detail you can say accurately
The next two lines make the statement more specific without guessing at a diagnosis. 我喉嚨好痛 names a very sore throat. 我個肚唔舒服 identifies the stomach as the area that feels unwell. The different ending matters: describing pain and describing discomfort are not always the same claim.
Choose the line that matches what you intend to say, rather than selecting whichever sentence sounds more familiar. If you only know the general statement, use it and ask for help explaining further. A language exercise should not tempt you to invent a symptom just to complete the conversation.
| Cantonese | Jyutping | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 唔舒服 | m4 syu1 fuk6 | unwell or uncomfortable |
| 喉嚨 | hau4 lung4 | throat |
| 肚 | tou5 | stomach or belly |
| 痛 | tung3 | painful / hurt |
A LITTLE PRACTICE
Try it
Read the explanation
附近有冇診所呀 · fu6 gan6 jau5 mou5 can2 so2 aa3
附近 refers to nearby; 診所 is a clinic.
Recognise a question about when it started
痛咗幾耐呀 asks how long it has been hurting. It is a follow-up to a description of pain, not another way to ask which part of your body hurts. In the recorded answer 由尋晚開始, the speaker says it started last night.
Listen to the question and answer as a pair. On the first replay, identify what information is being requested. On the second, listen for 尋晚 in the answer. Do not copy “last night” if a different time is true for you; this is a model of the exchange rather than a claim about your situation.
Ask for the place you need
附近有冇診所呀 asks whether there is a clinic nearby. 藥房喺邊度 asks where the pharmacy is. The first question checks for a nearby place; the second asks for its location. Recognising 診所 and 藥房 helps you follow the answer without treating the two places as the same word.
A real reply may include a direction, floor or street you do not recognise. Use the existing repetition and slowing-down requests if you lose the answer. You can also keep the short Cantonese line visible when asking for help. The goal is a clear exchange, not performing a perfect paragraph from memory.
可唔可以講多次呀？
ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 gong2 do1 ci3 aa3
can you say it again?
Tap play to hear the saved app recording.
可唔可以講慢啲呀？
ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 gong2 maan6 di1 aa3
can you speak a little more slowly?
Tap play to hear the saved app recording.
TAKE IT WITH YOU
Take it into a conversation
You want to say that you feel unwell, make clear that your throat is sore, and ask whether there is a clinic nearby. Which three recorded lines fit?
See one possible answer
我唔舒服 (ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6), 我喉嚨好痛 (ngo5 hau4 lung4 hou2 tung3), and 附近有冇診所呀 (fu6 gan6 jau5 mou5 can2 so2 aa3). Practise each separately before putting the three ideas together.
Keep these in mind
- 我唔舒服 is a general statement that you feel unwell.
- A specific detail helps the listener understand what you are describing.
- 幾耐 asks about duration; 喺邊度 asks about location.
- Practise the language without treating example symptoms or times as your own.