| 唔該 | 俾 | 杯 | 水 | 我 |
| Mgōi | béi | būi | séui | ngóh |
| please | give | cup | water | me |
| ‘May I have a glass of water, please?’ | ||||
| A: | 仲 | 要唔要 | 茶 | 呀? |
| Juhng | yiu-m̀h-yiu | chàh | a? | |
| still | want-not-want | tea | SFP | |
| ‘Would you like more tea?’ | ||||
| B: | 唔 | 要 | 喇， | 唔該 |
| M̀h | yiu | la | mgōi | |
| not | want | SFP | thanks | |
| ‘No thanks.’ | ||||
| A: | 呢 | 隻 | 錶 | 送 | 俾 | 你 | 嘅 |
| Lī | jek | bīu | sung | béi | léih | ge | |
| this | CL | watch | send | give | you | SFP | |
| ‘This watch is (a gift) for you.’ | |||||||
| B: | 嘩! | 好 | 靚 | 呀， | 多謝 | 晒 |
| Wa! | Hóu | leng | a | dōjeh | saai | |
| Wow | so | pretty | SFP | thank-you | all | |
| ‘Wow, it’s so pretty. Thank you very much.’ | ||||||
| 對唔住 | 我 | 唔係 | 有 | 心 | 嘅 |
| Deui-mjyuh | ngóh | mhaih | yáuh | sām | ge |
| Sorry | I | not-be | have | heart | SFP |
| ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.’ (do it on purpose) | |||||
| 唔 | 緊要 |
| Mh | gányiu |
| not | important |
| ‘Never mind’ | |
| 唔好意思， | 我哋 | 爆 | 晒 | 喇 |
| Mhóuyisi | ngóhdeih | baau | saai | la |
| sorry | we | explode | all | SFP |
| ‘Sorry, our tables are all full.’ (used in restaurants) | ||||
| A: | 李 | 太， | 我 | 嚟咗 | 香港 | 咁 | 耐 | 都 | 未 | 食過 | 咁 | 好食 | 嘅 | 餸! |
| Léih | Táai | ngóh | làih-jó | Hēunggóng | gam | loih | dōu | meih | sihk-gwo | gam | hóu-sihk | ge | sung! | |
| Lee | Mrs | I | come-PFV | Hong Kong | so | long | still | not-yet | eat-EXP | so | good-eat | LP | food | |
| ‘Mrs Lee, I’ve never had such good food since I’ve been in Hong Kong!’ | ||||||||||||||
| B: | 多謝， | 你 | 太 | 客氣 | 喇! |
| Dōjeh | léih | taai | haakhei | la! | |
| thank-you | you | too | polite | SFP | |
| ‘Thank you, but you’re too kind.’ | |||||
| (等) | 我 | 嚟 | 同 | 你地 | 介紹 |
| (Dáng) | ngóh | làih | tùhng | léihdeih | gaaisiuh |
| let | I | come | for | you | introduce |
| ‘Let me introduce you to each other.’ | |||||
| 請 | 問 | 你 | 貴 | 姓 | 呀? |
| Chéng | mahn | léih | gwai | sing | a? |
| request | ask | your | honourable | name | SFP |
| ‘May I ask what your name is?’ | |||||
| 陳生 Chàhn Sāang ‘Mr Chan’ |
| 王太 Wòhng táai ‘Mrs Wong’ |
| 譚醫生 Tàahm yīsāng ‘Dr Tam’ (doctor) |
| 劉小姐 Làuh síujé ‘Miss Lau’ |
| 各 | 位， | 歡迎 | 你哋 |
| Gok | wái | fūnyìhng | léihdeih |
| each | person | welcome | you |
| ‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome.’ | |||
| 阿媽 a-mā ‘mother’ (also màhmā māmìh) |
| 阿爸 a-bàh ‘father’ (also bàhbā dēdìh; colloquially lóuhdauh ‘Dad’) |
| Paternal | Maternal | |
| grandfather | 阿爺 a-yèh | 阿公 a-gūng |
| grandmother | 阿嫲 a-màh | 阿婆 a-pòh |
| uncle: old | 阿伯 a-baak | (大)舅父 (daaih)-kaufú |
| uncle’s wife | 伯娘 baak-lèuhng | 舅母 kau-móuh |
| uncle: young | 阿叔 a-sūk | (細)舅父 (sai)-kaufú |
| uncle’s wife | 阿嬸 a-sám | 舅母 kau-móuh |
| aunt: old | 姑媽 gū-mā | 姨媽 yìh-mā |
| aunt’s husband | 姑丈 gū-jéung | 姨丈 yìh-jéung |
| aunt: young | 姑姐 gū-jē | 阿姨 a-yī |
| aunt’s husband | 姑丈 gū-jéung | 姨丈yìh-jéung |
| Brother | Sister | Paternal cousin (uncle’s children only) | Maternal cousin (also paternal aunt’s children) | |
| elder | 哥哥 gòh-gō | 家姐 gā-jē | 堂阿哥 tòhng-a-gō (m.) | 表哥 bíu-gō (m.) |
| 姐姐 jèh-jē | 堂家姐 tòhng-gājē (f.) | 表姐 bíu-jé (f.) | ||
| younger | 細佬 sai-lóu | 妹妹 mùih-múi | 堂弟 tòhng-dái | 表弟 bíu-dái (m.) |
| 細妹 sai-múi | or 堂細佬tòhng-sailóu (m.) | 表妹 bíu-múi (f.) | ||
| 堂妹 tòhng-múi (f.) | ||||
| 你 | 快 | 啲 | 娶 | 翻 | 個 | 老婆 | 啦 |
| Léih | faai | dī | chéui | fāan | go | lóuh-pòh | lā |
| you | quick | bit | marry | PRT | CL | wife | SFP |
| ‘Hurry up and get yourself a wife.’ | |||||||
| 阿英 | 嫁咗 | 個 | 有錢 | 老公 |
| A-Yīng | ga-jó | go | yáuh-chín | lóuh-gūng |
| Ah-Ying | marry-PFV | CL | have-money | husband |
| ‘Ying has married a rich husband.’ | ||||
| 王 | 太 | 聽日 | 娶 | 新抱 |
| Wòhng | Táai | tīngyaht | chéui | sānpóuh/sāmpóuh |
| Wong | Mrs | tomorrow | acquire | daughter-in-law |
| ‘Mrs Wong is getting a daughter-in-law tomorrow.’ | ||||
| Neutral | |
| husband’s father | 老爺 lóuh-yèh |
| husband’s mother | 奶奶 làaih-láai |
| wife’s father | 外父 ngoih-fú |
| wife’s mother | 外母 ngoih-móu |
| 我 | 個 | 大 | 仔 |
| ngóh | go | daaih | jái |
| my | CL | big | son |
| ‘my elder son’ | |||
| 佢 | 個 | 細 | 女 |
| kéuih | go | sai | léui |
| her | CL | small | daughter |
| ‘her younger daughter’ | |||
| Son’s child | Daughter’s child | |
| grandson | 孫 syūn | 外孫 ngoih-syūn |
| granddaughter | 孫女 syūnléui | 外孫女 ngoih-syūnléui |
| Brother’s child | Sister’s child | |
| nephew | 侄 ját or 侄仔 jaht-jái | 姨甥(仔) yìh-sāng(-jái) |
| niece | 姪女 jaht-léui | 姨甥女 yìh-sāngléui |
| 兩公婆 léuhng gūng-pó ‘husband and wife’ |
| 兩父子 léuhng fuhjí ‘father and son’ |
| 兩兄妹 léuhng hīngmúi ‘brother and (younger) sister’ |
| 兩爺孫 léuhng yèhsyūn ‘grandpa and grandchild’ |
| 兩婆媳 léuhng pòh-sīk ‘mother-in-law and daughter-in-law’ |
| 最近 | 點 | 呀? |
| Jeuigahn | dím | a? |
| recently | how | SFP |
| ‘How’ve you been?’ | ||
| 早晨 | jóu | sàhn |
| early | morning | |
| ‘good morning’ | ||
| 早唞 | jóu | táu |
| early | rest | |
| ‘good night’ | ||
| 再見 | joi | gin |
| again | see | |
| ‘goodbye’ (formal; many speakers use 拜拜 bāai-baai) | ||
| 食咗 | 飯 | 未 | 呀? |
| Sihk-jó | faahn | meih | a? |
| eat-PFV | rice | not-yet | SFP |
| ‘How are you?’ (lit. ‘Have you eaten yet?’) | |||
| 生日快樂! | Sāangyaht | faailohk! |
| birthday | happiness | |
| ‘Happy Birthday!’ | ||
| 恭喜發財! | Gūnghéi | faat | chòih! |
| congratulations | make | wealth | |
| ‘Have a prosperous year!’ | |||
| 身體健康! | Sāntái | gihnhōng! |
| body | healthy | |
| ‘Wishing you good health.’ (addressed to elderly people) | ||
| 大家咁話 | Daaihgā | gám | wah |
| everyone | so | say | |
| ‘The same to you, too.’ | |||
| 請 | 問 | 劉 | 醫生 | 喺唔喺度 | 呀? |
| Chéng | mahn | Làuh | yīsāng | hái-m̀h-háidouh | a? |
| request | ask | Lau | doctor | here-not-here | SFP |
| ‘Is Dr Lau there, please?’ | |||||
| 佢 | 行 | 開咗 | 喎 |
| Kéuih | hàahng | hōi-jō | wo |
| s/he | walk | away-PFV | SFP |
| ‘He just stepped out.’ | |||
| 佢 | 唔 | 喺度 | 喎， | 可唔可以 | 留低 | 電話 | 呀? |
| Kéuih | m̀h | háidouh | wo | hó-m̀h-hóyíh | làuhdāi | dihnwá | a? |
| s/he | not | here | SFP | can-not-can | leave | telephone | SFP |
| ‘She is not here. Could you leave your number?’ | |||||||
| 我 | 轉頭 | 覆 | 翻 | 你 | 吖 |
| Ngóh | jyun-tàuh | fūk | fāan | léih | ā |
| I | turn-head | reply | back | you | SFP |
| ‘I’ll call you back in a moment.’ | |||||
| 對唔住， | 有 | 電話 | 入 | 嚟， | 唔該 | 你 | 等等 |
| Deui-mjyuh | yáuh | dihn-wá | yahp | làih | mgōi | léih | dáng-dáng |
| sorry | have | phone | enter | come | please | you | wait-wait |
| ‘Sorry, a call is coming in. Hold on a moment, please.’ | |||||||
| 對唔住， | 打 | 錯 | 喎 |
| Deui-mjyuh | dá | cho | wo |
| sorry | dial | wrong | SFP |
| ‘Sorry, (you got the) wrong number.’ | |||
| 人人 | 都 | 望 | 升呢 |
| Yàhn-yàhn | dōu | mohng | sīng-lē |
| person-person | all | hope | rise-level |
| ‘Everyone hopes to be upgraded.’ | |||
| 個 | 主持 | 突然 | 爆粗， | 全場 | O晒嘴 |
| Go | jyúchìh | dahtyìhn | bauchōu | chyùhn-chèuhng | ōu-saai-jéui |
| CL | MC | suddenly | swear | whole-audience | O-all-mouth |
| ‘The MC suddenly let out an expletive and the entire audience was shocked.’ | |||||
| 一 | 陣 | text | 翻 | 個 | message | 俾 | 你 |
| yāt | ján | text | fāan | go | message | béi | léih |
| one | moment | text | back | CL | message | to | you |
| ‘I’ll text you back a message in a moment.’ | |||||||