So, you’re learning Cantonese, and you’ve already picked up some basic phrases. Now, you might be wondering, “What’s next?”
Well, let’s talk about something we use daily – Cantonese days and months! As with any language, you must familiarize yourself with how to express time in Cantonese. Why, you ask?
Well, it’s simple – from making plans with friends to scheduling appointments, we constantly discuss days and months in our daily lives.
Hold on a sec, though. You might think, “Aren’t days and months in Cantonese similar to Mandarin or other Chinese dialects?”
While there are similarities, Cantonese has unique nuances that make it stand out. So, ready to learn the ins and outs of days and months in Cantonese?
By the end of this blog post, you’ll not only know the specific terms for days and months in Cantonese but also how to use them in sentences and ask and answer questions about dates.
Days Of The Week In Cantonese
First, let’s discuss the days of the week in Cantonese. Let’s break down each day and learn the structure and meaning behind them.
星期一 (Sing1 Kei4 Jat1) – Monday
The term 星期一 (Sing1 kei4 jat1) represents Monday in Cantonese. The word 星期 (Sing1 kei4) refers to “week,” while 一 (jat1) is the number “one.” So, it’s essentially “week one.”
星期二 (Sing1 Kei4 Ji6) – Tuesday
Similarly, 星期二 (Sing1 kei4 ji6) denotes Tuesday. Here, the number 二 (ji6) stands for “two,” so it translates to “week two.”
星期三 (Sing1 Kei4 Saam1) – Wednesday
Wednesday in Cantonese is 星期三 (Sing1 kei4 saam1). The number 三 (saam1) represents “three,” making it “week three.”
星期四 (Sing1 Kei4 Sei3) – Thursday
For Thursday, you’ll use 星期四 (Sing1 kei4 sei3), with 四 (sei3) being the number “four.” Hence, it means “week four.”
星期五 (Sing1 Kei4 Ng5) – Friday
Friday in Cantonese is 星期五 (Sing1 kei4 ng5). The number 五 (ng5) corresponds to “five,” so the term means “week five.”
星期六 (Sing1 Kei4 Luk6) – Saturday
The term for Saturday is 星期六 (Sing1 kei4 luk6). 六 (luk6) is the number “six,” translating the term to “week six.”
星期日 (Sing1 Kei4 Jat6) Or 星期天 (Sing1 Kei4 Tin1) – Sunday
Lastly, Sunday can be expressed in two ways: 星期日 (Sing1 kei4 jat6) or 星期天 (Sing1 kei4 tin1).
The Chinese character 日 (jat6) and 天 (tin1) both mean “day” or “sun,” so both terms mean “week day” or “week sun.”
Structure And Meaning Of Cantonese Days
As you can see, the structure for days of the week in Cantonese is pretty straightforward.
It consists of 星期 (Sing1 kei4), which means “week,” followed by a number from one to six, or the word for “day” or “sun” for Sunday.
Examples Of Using Days In Sentences
- 我星期一要返工 (Ngo5 sing1 kei4 jat1 jiu3 faan1 gung1) – I have to go to work on Monday.
- 我哋星期五去食晚餐 (Ngo5 dei6 sing1 kei4 ng5 heoi3 sik6 maan5 caan1) – We’re going out for dinner on Friday.
- 星期日係我休息日 (Sing1 kei4 jat6 hai6 ngo5 jau1 sik1 jat6) – Sunday is my rest day.
Asking And Answering Questions About Days
- Question 1: 你星期幾放假? (Nei5 sing1 kei4 gei2 fong3 gaa3?) – On which day of the week are you off?
- Answer 1: 我星期六放假 (Ngo5 sing1 kei4 luk6 fong3 gaa3) – I’m off on Saturday.
- Question 2: 今日星期幾? (Gam1 jat6 sing1 kei4 gei2?) – What day is it today?
- Answer 2: 今日星期四 (Gam1 jat6 sing1 kei4 sei3) – Today is Thursday.
Months Of The Year In Cantonese
Now that you’ve mastered the days of the week in Cantonese, let’s move on to the months of the year.
Learning to express months in Cantonese is as important as days, especially when making plans, celebrating holidays, or discussing birthdays in Cantonese.
一月 (Jat1 Jyut6) – January
The term 一月 (Jat1 jyut6) represents January in Cantonese. The word 一 (jat1) is the number “one,” and 月 (jyut6) means “month.” So, it essentially translates to “month one.”
二月 (Ji6 Jyut6) – February
Similarly, 二月 (Ji6 jyut6) denotes February. Here, the number 二 (ji6) stands for “two,” so it translates to “month two.”
三月 (Saam1 Jyut6) – March
For March, you’ll use 三月 (Saam1 jyut6). The number 三 (saam1) represents “three,” making it “month three.”
四月 (Sei3 Jyut6) – April
April in Cantonese is 四月 (Sei3 jyut6). The number 四 (sei3) corresponds to “four,” so the term means “month four.”
五月 (Ng5 Jyut6) – May
May is expressed as 五月 (Ng5 jyut6) in Cantonese. The number 五 (ng5) is the number “five,” translating the term to “month five.”
六月 (Luk6 Jyut6) – June
The term for June is 六月 (Luk6 jyut6). 六 (luk6) is the number “six,” translating the term to “month six.”
七月 (Cat1 Jyut6) – July
July in Cantonese is 七月 (Cat1 jyut6). The number 七 (cat1) stands for “seven,” so it translates to “month seven.”
八月 (Baat3 Jyut6) – August
August is expressed as 八月 (Baat3 jyut6) in Cantonese. The number 八 (baat3) corresponds to “eight,” so the term means “month eight.”
九月 (Gau2 Jyut6) – September
For September, you’ll use 九月 (Gau2 jyut6). The number 九 (gau2) represents “nine,” making it “month nine.”
十月 (Sap6 Jyut6) – October
October in Cantonese is 十月 (Sap6 jyut6). The number 十 (sap6) corresponds to “ten,” so the term means “month ten.”
十一月 (Sap6 Jat1 Jyut6) – November
November is expressed as 十一月 (Sap6 jat1 jyut6) in Cantonese. The numbers 十一 (sap6 jat1) stand for “eleven,” translating the term to “month eleven.”
十二月 (Sap6 Ji6 Jyut6) – December
Finally, December in Cantonese is 十二月 (Sap6 ji6 jyut6). The numbers 十二 (sap6 ji6) represent “twelve,” which makes it “month twelve.”
Structure And Meaning Of Cantonese Months
Isn’t it fascinating how to state months in Cantonese?
Each term has a number indicating the month’s order in the modern calendar year, immediately followed by 月 (jyut6), signifying “month.”
This effortless structure ensures that recalling and comprehending Cantonese months becomes second nature.
Examples Of Using Months In Sentences
- 我喺五月生日 (Ngo5 hai2 ng5 jyut6 saang1 jat6) – My birthday is in May.
- 聖誕節係十二月慶祝 (Sing3 daan3 zit3 hai6 sap6 ji6 jyut6 hing3 zuk1) – Christmas is celebrated in December.
- 三月嘅天氣通常凍 (Saam1 jyut6 ge3 tin1 hei3 tung1 soeng4 dung3) – The weather in March is usually cold.
Asking And Answering Questions About Months
- Question 1: 你幾月生日? (Nei5 gei2 jyut6 saang1 jat6?) – In which month is your birthday?
- Answer 1: 我十月生日 (Ngo5 sap6 jyut6 saang1 jat6) – My birthday is in October.
- Question 1: 立春係幾月? (Lap6 ceon1 hai6 gei2 jyut6?) – In which month does spring begin?
- Answer 2: 立春係二月 (Lap6 ceon1 hai6 ji6 jyut6) – Spring begins in February.
Expressing Dates In Cantonese
Now that you’ve mastered the Cantonese days and months, then the time has come to learn how to express complete dates in the language.
This skill is crucial when arranging appointments, discussing events, or sharing memorable moments.
So, let’s analyze Cantonese dates and learn the format, the importance of specific characters, and how to use them in sentences and questions.
Cantonese Date Format: Year, Month, Day
In Cantonese, the standard date format is Year, Month, and Day.
This order might differ from what you’re used to, but it’s easy to understand once you get the hang of it.
For example, if you want to express the date May 3, 2023, you’d say 二零二三年五月三日 (Ji6 ling4 ji6 saam1 nin4 ng5 jyut6 saam1 jat6), which literally translates to “2023 year May three day.”
Importance Of The Chinese Character 號 (Hou6)
The Chinese character 號 (hou6) plays a significant role when expressing dates in Cantonese.
It indicates the day of the month and is usually placed after the day number.
For example, May 3 would be 五月三號 (ng5 jyut6 saam1 hou6) in Cantonese, literally “May three number.”
Examples Of Using Dates In Sentences
- 今日係二零二三年五月三號 (Gam1 jat6 hai6 ji6 ling4 ji6 saam1 nin4 ng5 jyut6 saam1 hou6) – Today is May 3, 2023.
- 佢哋結婚喺二零二二年十二月廿五號 (Keoi5 dei6 git3 fan1 hai2 ji6 ling4 ji6 ji6 nin4 sap6 ji6 jyut6 jaa6 ng5 hou6) – They got married on December 25, 2022.
- 我哋會見面喺二零二三年五月十號 (Ngo5 dei6 wui5 gin3 min6 hai2 ji6 ling4 ji6 saam1 nin4 ng5 jyut6 sap6 hou6) – We will meet on May 10, 2023.
Asking And Answering Questions About Dates
When asking about specific dates in Cantonese, you can use the phrase 幾號 (gei2 hou6). That means “which number” or “which day.” For example:
- Question: 呢個活動係幾月幾號? (Ni1 go3 wut6 dung6 hai6 gei2 jyut6 gei2 hou6?) – When is this event happening (which month and day)?
- Answer: 呢個活動係五月十五號 (Ni1 go3 wut6 dung6 hai6 ng5 jyut6 sap6 ng5 hou6) – This event is on May 15.
Common Mistakes And Misconceptions
So, you’ve got the basics of Cantonese days and months down. But what about the common mistakes and misconceptions that can confuse language learners?
Let’s tackle some potential pitfalls in this section and set you on the path to mastery.
Differences Between Cantonese And Mandarin Days And Months
It’s essential to be aware that Cantonese and Mandarin are distinct languages with unique characteristics.
Although they share the same written form, their spoken form differs.
For example, while Cantonese uses 星期 (sing1 kei4) for “week,” Mandarin prefers using 周 (zhōu) or 星期 (xīngqī).
So, when learning days and months in Cantonese, ensure not to mix up vocabulary or pronunciation with Mandarin.
Avoiding Confusion With Similar-Sounding Words
Cantonese may be different from your own native language because it’s a tonal language.
This means that words with the same pronunciation but different tones can have entirely different meanings.
So, paying attention to tones is essential, especially when discussing days and months.
For example, 六 (luk6) means “six” and is used for June (六月) and Saturday (星期六), but 綠 (luk6) with the same tone means “green.”
To avoid confusion, always double-check the context and practice your Cantonese pronunciation and tones diligently.
Learn Cantonese Days And Months With Ling!
And there you have it – your comprehensive vocabulary-related guide to Cantonese days and months!
Armed with this knowledge, you can make meaningful connections, explore new places, and confidently navigate life in Cantonese-speaking regions.
Why not continue your Cantonese learning journey with the Ling app?
It offers a plethora of languages and the most updated language-learning content through interactive games and quizzes.
So, what are you waiting for? Level up your Cantonese skills and immerse yourself in the engaging world of language learning.
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