From making plans with friends to scheduling appointments, we constantly discuss days and months in our daily lives.
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 Cantonese days and months and how to use them?
Table of Contents
Cantonese Days and Months
Let’s break down each day and learn the structure and meaning behind them. You may even learn more about Cantonese numbers by knowing this pattern.
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Days Of The Week
First, let’s discuss the days of the week in Cantonese. 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.
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 星期一 | Sing1 Kei4 Jat1 |
| Tuesday | 星期二 | Sing1 Kei4 Ji6 |
| Wednesday | 星期三 | Sing1 Kei4 Saam1 |
| Thursday | 星期四 | Sing1 Kei4 Sei3 |
| Friday | 星期五 | Sing1 Kei4 Ng5 |
| Saturday | 星期六 | Sing1 Kei4 Luk6 |
| Sunday | 星期日 | Sing1 Kei4 Jat6 |
| Sunday | 星期天 | Sing1 Kei4 Tin1 |
星期一 (Sing1 Kei4 Jat1)
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)
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 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)
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 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)
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)
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.”
Cantonese Days In Sentences
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.
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I have to go to work on Monday | 我星期一要返工 | Ngo5 sing1 kei4 jat1 jiu3 faan1 gung1 |
| We’re going out for dinner on Friday | 我哋星期五去食晚餐 | Ngo5 dei6 sing1 kei4 ng5 heoi3 sik6 maan5 caan1 |
| Sunday is my rest day. | 星期日係我休息日 | Sing1 kei4 jat6 hai6 ngo5 jau1 sik1 jat6 |
| On which day of the week are you off? | 你星期幾放假? | Nei5 sing1 kei4 gei2 fong3 gaa3? |
| I’m off on Saturday | 我星期六放假 | Ngo5 sing1 kei4 luk6 fong3 gaa3 |
| What day is it today? | 今日星期幾? | Gam1 jat6 sing1 kei4 gei2? |
| Today is Thursday | 今日星期四 | Gam1 jat6 sing1 kei4 sei3 |
Months Of The Year In Cantonese
Learning to express months in Cantonese is as important as days, especially when making plans, celebrating holidays, or discussing birthdays in Cantonese.
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| January | 一月 | Jat1 Jyut6 |
| February | 二月 | Ji6 Jyut6 |
| March | 三月 | Saam1 Jyut6 |
| April | 四月 | Sei3 Jyut6 |
| May | 五月 | Ng5 Jyut6 |
| June | 六月 | Luk6 Jyut6 |
| July | 七月 | Cat1 Jyut6 |
| August | 八月 | Baat3 Jyut6 |
| September | 九月 | Gau2 Jyut6 |
| October | 十月 | Sap6 Jyut6 |
| November | 十一月 | Sap6 Jat1 Jyut6 |
| December | 十二月 | Sap6 Ji6 Jyut6 |
一月 (Jat1 Jyut6)
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)
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)
For March, you’ll use 三月 (Saam1 jyut6). The number 三 (saam1) represents “three,” making it “month three.”
四月 (Sei3 Jyut6)
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 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)
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 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 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)
For September, you’ll use 九月 (Gau2 jyut6). The number 九 (gau2) represents “nine,” making it “month nine.”
十月 (Sap6 Jyut6)
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 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)
Finally, December in Cantonese is 十二月 (Sap6 ji6 jyut6). The numbers 十二 (sap6 ji6) represent “twelve,” which makes it “month twelve.”
Cantonese Months In Sentences
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.”
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| My birthday is in May | 我喺五月生日 | Ngo5 hai2 ng5 jyut6 saang1 jat6 |
| Christmas is celebrated in December. | 聖誕節係十二月慶祝 | Sing3 daan3 zit3 hai6 sap6 ji6 jyut6 hing3 zuk1 |
| The weather in March is usually cold | 三月嘅天氣通常凍 | Saam1 jyut6 ge3 tin1 hei3 tung1 soeng4 dung3 |
| In which month is your birthday? | 你幾月生日? | Nei5 gei2 jyut6 saang1 jat6? |
| In which month does spring begin? | 立春係幾月? | Lap6 ceon1 hai6 gei2 jyut6? |
Cantonese Days And Month Format
Now that you’ve mastered the Cantonese days and months, now we will learn the format, the importance of specific characters, and how to use them in sentences and questions.
This skill is crucial when arranging appointments, celebrating important Cantonese holidays, discussing events, or sharing memorable moments.
Cantonese Date Format: Year, Month, Day
In Cantonese, the standard date format is Year – Month – 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) 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
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Today is May 3, 2023 | 今日係二零二三年五月三號 | Gam1 jat6 hai6 ji6 ling4 ji6 saam1 nin4 ng5 jyut6 saam1 hou6 |
| They got married on December 25, 2022 | 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 |
| We will meet on May 10, 2023 | 三月嘅天氣通常凍 | Saam1 jyut6 ge3 tin1 hei3 tung1 soeng4 dung3 |
| In which month is your birthday? | 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 |
| When is this event happening (which month and day)? | 呢個活動係幾月幾號? | Ni1 go3 wut6 dung6 hai6 gei2 jyut6 gei2 hou6? |
Frequently Asked Questions About Cantonese Days And Months
What Are The Differences Between Cantonese And Mandarin Days And Months?
Although they share the same written form, their spoken form differs.
While Cantonese uses 星期 (sing1 kei4) for “week,” Mandarin prefers using 周 (zhōu) or 星期 (xīngqī).
How Do You Say Month And Days Of The Week In Cantonese?
In Cantonese, The word for “month” is 月 (yuet), the word for “week” is 星期 (sing kei).
What Is The Date Format In Cantones?
In Cantonese, the typical date format follows the year-month-day structure.
Learn Cantonese Days And Months With Ling!
And there you have it – your comprehensive vocabulary-related guide to Cantonese days and months! Why not continue your Cantonese learning journey with the Ling app?
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