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EVERYDAY CANTONESE

Cantonese greetings and polite phrases for beginners

A few short greetings and courtesy phrases make everyday interactions easier. The useful distinction is not just what each phrase means in English, but the moment in which you would use it.

Choose the greeting that fits

你好 is a straightforward hello. 早晨 is a morning greeting you might hear at work, school, or a shop. 拜拜 is a casual goodbye. Listening to each as a complete phrase helps you recognise its sound when someone says it back.

You do not have to open every conversation with a formal greeting. In casual speech, people may go directly to the question or situation. These three give you useful options when a greeting does fit.

Two useful ways to say thank you

唔該 is used for service, small help, attention, and polite requests. 多謝 is the better choice for a gift, a compliment, a larger favour, or a more heartfelt thank-you. English often uses the same words for both situations, so the distinction is worth practising.

At a restaurant, 唔該 can introduce a request. If a friend gives you a present, 多謝 fits the thanks. Tie each phrase to its situation instead of treating them as interchangeable sounds.

Apologise at the right strength

唔好意思 works for a light interruption, a small bump, or getting someone's attention. 對唔住 is a stronger apology after a meaningful mistake or harm. Keeping both on hand makes a short reply more appropriate.

For your first practice, put one greeting and one courtesy phrase together. Then switch the setting and decide whether you need 唔該, 多謝, or an apology.

More greetings and courtesy

The guide above is a starting exchange. These other recorded phrases help when the conversation takes a different turn.