10 ADVERBIAL CONSTRUCTIONS

10.1  ADVERBS MODIFYING THE VERB PHRASE

10.1.1  DĀK

佢住得舒舒服服,唔會搬嘅喇
Kéuihjyuhdāksyū-syū-fuhk-fuhkm̀hwúihbūngela
s/heliveADVcomfortable-comfortablenotwillmoveSFPSFP
‘She’s living nice and comfortably, she won’t move.’

10.1.2  GÁM

佢好嬲咁收咗線
Kéuihhóulāugámsāu-jósin
s/heverymadthusclose-PFVline
‘He put the phone down furiously.’

10.1.3  GAM AND GAM JAIH

我猛咁搵都搵唔倒
Ngóhmáahnggamwándōuwánm̀hdóu
Icrazythussearchalsosearchnotsucceed
‘I’ve looked for it like crazy and still can’t find it.’

10.1.4  REDUPLICATED ADVERBS

你偷偷哋整嘢食呀?
Léihtāu-tāu-déijíngyéhsihkàh?
yousteal-steal-ishmakethingseatSFP
‘You’ve been secretly preparing food, have you?’

10.2  COMPARISON OF ADVERBS

佢哋做得越快越好
Kéuihdeihjouhdākyuhtfaaiyuhthóu
TheydoADVmorefastmoregood
‘The faster they can do it the better.’

10.3  SENTENCE ADVERBS: MODIFYING THE SENTENCE

10.3.1  POSITION OF SENTENCE ADVERBS

我哋好彩冇買到間屋
Ngóhdeihhóuchóimóuhmáaihdougāanūk
wegoodlucknot-havebuyPRTCLhouse
‘Fortunately we didn’t buy the house.’

10.3.2  ADVERBS OF QUANTITY

你橫掂要出去,不如順便幫我寄埋啲信
Léihwàahngdihmyiuchēutheuibātyùhseuhnbínbōngngóhgeimàaihdīseun
youanywayneedoutgoratheron-the-wayhelpmesendPRTCLletter
‘You have to go out anyway, you might as well post the letters for me.’

10.3.3  ADVERBS OF TIME

我嗰陣時仲未考倒車牌
Ngóhgójahnsíjuhngmeihháaudóuchē-pàaih
Ithat-timestillnot-yetpassSFPvehicle-license
‘At that time I still hadn’t got my driving license.’

10.3.4  ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

通常都係用呢個辦法
Tūngsèuhngdōuhaihyuhnglīgobaahnfaat
usuallyallisusethisCLdo-manner
‘It’s usually done this way.’

10.4  ADVERBIAL PHRASES

我前一排撞倒佢
Ngóhchìhnyātpàaihjohngdóukéuih
IbeforeawhilebumpPRThim
‘I ran into him a while ago.’

10.4.1  VIEWPOINT ADVERBS

長線嚟睇,買樓可以保值
Chèuhngsinlàihtáimáaihláuhóyíhbóujihk
longtermcomeseebuyflatcanpreservevalue
‘From a long-term point of view, buying a flat can be a good investment.’