Basic Course: Lesson 20 Dialogue

The basic grammatical pattern for lessons 18 and 19 is the use of 得 ak to modify verbs. This lesson takes a few new words and builds on those previous lessons by looking at question structure.

1	A: 請問該間係唔係美國陸軍語言學校呀？	Tīng mùn kwọi gan hài m̈-hài Mị-Gwōk Lùk-Gun Ngụi-Ngün Hòk-Hàu* a?
	B: 係呀，該間係美國陸軍語言學校。	Hài a, kwọi gan hài Mị-Gwōk Lùk-Gun Ngụi-Ngün Hòk-Hàu*.
	A: 黃先生，唔好意思。令你等嗲該久。	Wöng Lhing-Sang, m̈-hō yi-lhu. Lìng ni āng-e kwọi gīu.
	B: 唔緊要，唔緊要。我來嗲冇幾久喲。	M̈-gīn-yiau, m̈-gīn-yiau. Ngoi löi-a mo-gī-gīu yiak.
2	A: 佢講唔講得快呀？	Kui gōng m̈-gōng-ak fai a?
	B: 快，佢講得快。	Fai, kui gōng-ak fai.
3	A: 佢講唔講得清楚呢？	Kui gōng m̈-gōng-ak ting-chō nē?
	B: 唔清楚，佢唔講得清楚。	M̈-ting-chō, kui m̈-gōng-ak ting-chō.
4	A: 你行唔行得快呀？	Ni häng m̈-häng-ak fai a?
	B: 快，我行得快。	Fai, ngoi häng-ak fai.
5	A: 佢吃唔吃得多呢？	Kui hiak m̈-hiak-ak u nē?
	B: 唔多，佢唔吃得多。	M̈-u, kui m̈-hiak-ak u.
6	A: 你起身起唔起得早呀？	Ni hī sin hī m̈-hī-ak dō a?
	B: 早，我起身起得早。	Dō, ngoi hī sin hī-ak dō.
7	A: 佢講說話講唔講得清楚呀？	Kui gōng sut-wà gōng m̈-gōng-ak ting-chō a?
	B: 唔清楚，佢講說話唔講得清楚。	M̈-ting-chō, kiu gōng sut-wà m̈-gōng-ak ting-chō.
8	A: 你着衫着唔着得快呀？	Ni jiak sạm jiak m̈-jiak-ak fai a?
	B: 快，我着衫着得快。	Fai, ngoi jiak sạm jiak-ak fai.
9	A: 佢飲酒飲唔飲得多。	Kui ngīm dīu ngīm m̈-ngīm-ak u nē?
	B: 唔多，佢飲酒唔飲得多。	M̈-u, kui ngīm dīu m̈-ngīm-ak u.
10	A: 對唔住，對唔住，黃先生，我來遲嗲。	Ui m̈-jì, ui m̈-jì, Wöng Lhing-Sang, ngoi löi chï e.
	B: 唔緊要，唔緊要，我亦係正話來喲。	M̈-gīn-yiau, m̈-gīn-yiau, ngoi yìak-hài jing-wà löi yìak.

This lesson brings together the V 唔 V formula used to ask yes-or-no questions (see lesson 11) along with the adverbial 得 ak structure covered in the previous two lessons.

V 唔 V 得 + Adj

When the verb appears without an object, then the above structure is used, combining the V 唔 V formula and adding 得 ak to the last verb. Here are two examples from the dialogue:

佢講唔講得清楚呢？
Kui gōng m̈-gōng-ak ting-chō nē?
“Does he speak clearly?”

佢吃唔吃得多呢？
Kui hiak m̈-hiak-ak u nē?
“Does he eat a lot?”

The appropriate “yes” or “no” response is to reply with the adjective, thus 清楚 ting-chō for “yes (he speaks clearly)” or 唔清楚 m̈-ting-chō for “no (he doesn’t speak clearly).”

V + Object + V 唔 V 得 + Adj

As discussed in the previous lesson, things get messy when the verb is followed by an object (e.g. “speak Taishanese” or “do business”). In order to add 得 to the verb, the verb is repeated after the object. Now you have two verbs in the sentence—on which do you choose to apply the V 唔 V structure from lesson 11?

You choose the second. This means you will have a sentence with the verb repeated three times! It’s pretty cool (or crazy, depending on your perspective). Here are a couple examples from the dialogue:

佢起身起唔起得早呀？
Kui hī sin hī m̈-hī-ak dō a?
“Does he wake up early?”

你着衫着唔着得快呀？
Ni jiak sạm jiak m̈-jiak-ak fai a?
“Do you get dressed quickly?”

The proper response, as in the previous set of examples, is to reply with the adjective to indicate “yes” or “no.”

Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts or questions in the comments section—especially if you notice a typo or error!