11 ASPECT AND VERBAL PARTICLES

11.1 ASPECT AND THE EXPRESSION OF TIME

老闆	啱啱	出咗	去
Lóuhbáan	ngāam-ngāam	chēut-jó	heui
boss	just-just	out-PFV	go
‘The boss has just gone out.’

11.2 ASPECT MARKERS

11.2.2 PROGRESSIVE: GÁN HÁIDOUH

嗰陣時	呢	棟	樓	仲	起緊
Gójahnsìh	lī	duhng	láu	juhng	héi-gán
that-time	this	CL	flat	still	build-PROG
‘At that time this block of flats was still being built.’

11.2.3 CONTINUOUS: JYUH

我	想	以後	成日	陪住	你
Ngóh	séung	yíhhauh	sèhngyaht	pùih-jyuh	léih
I	want	afterwards	always	accompany-CONT	you
‘From now on I want always to be with you.’ (film)

11.2.4 PERFECTIVE: JÓ

你哋	結咗婚	幾	耐	呀?
Léihdeih	git-jó-fān	géi	loih	a?
you-PL	marry-PFV	now	long	SFP
‘How long have you been married?’

11.2.5 EXPERIENTIAL: GWO

你	食過	醉雞	未	呀?
Léih	sihk-gwo	jeui gai	meih	a?
you	eat-EXP	drunken chicken	not-yet	SFP
‘Have you ever eaten drunken chicken?’

11.2.6 YÁUH AND MÓUH AS AUXILIARIES

我	今日	冇	去街
Ngóh	gām-yaht	móuh	heui-gāai
I	today	not-have	go-street
‘I haven’t been out today.’

11.2.7 DELIMITATIVE: HÁH

我	好	攰	呀，	想	休息吓
Ngóh	hóu	guih	a	séung	yāusīk-háh
I	very	tired	SFP	want	rest-a-bit
‘I’m tired, I need to take a rest.’

11.2.8 INCHOATIVE AND CONTINUATIVE: HÉI-SÉUHNG-LÀIH AND LOHK-HEUI

佢	好	突然	咁	喊	起上嚟
Kéuih	hóu	dahtyìhn	gám	haam	héi-séuhng-làih
s/he	very	sudden	so	cry	rise-up-come
‘She suddenly started crying.’

公司	咁	樣	蝕	落去	唔得	嘅
gūngsī	gám	yéung	siht	lohk-heui	mdāk	ge
company	such	way	lose	continue	not-okay	SFP
‘The company can’t afford to go on losing money like this.’

11.2.9 HABITUAL: HŌI AND GWAAN

佢	睇開	中	醫	嘅
Kéuih	tái-hōi	Jūng	yī	ge
s/he	see-HAB	Chinese	doctor	SFP
‘She usually goes to a Chinese doctor.’ (conv.)

11.3 VERBAL PARTICLES

11.3.1 DIRECTIONAL PARTICLES

等	我	寫	低	個	電話	先
Dáng	ngóh	sé	dāi	go	dihnwá	sìn
let	me	write	down	CL	telephone	SFP
‘Let me write down the telephone number.’

11.3.2 RESULTATIVE PARTICLES

我哋	頭先	行	錯	路
Ngóhdeih	tàuhsīn	hàahng	cho	louh
we	just-now	walk	wrong	road
‘We went the wrong way just now.’

11.3.3 QUANTIFYING PARTICLES

如果	個個	都	走	晒，	邊個	理	我	呀?
Yùhgwó	go-go	dōu	jáu	saai	bīngo	léih	ngóh	a?
if	CL-CL	all	leave	all	who	care	me	SFP
‘If everyone leaves, who will take care of me?’

11.3.4 ADVERSATIVE/HABITUAL CHĀN

佢	扻	親	個	頭
Kéuih	hám	chān	go	tàuh
she	bumpt	PRT	CL	head
‘She bumped her head.’