Adjectives as Attributes — Cantonese Grammar

When an adjective is used to directly describe a noun that follows it, the particle (ge3gege3) is placed between them. This is the most common way to form descriptive phrases.

Think of this structure as saying the noun "possesses" the quality of the adjective. This is logical, as (ge3gege3) is also the primary particle used to show possession (like 's in English).

The basic formula is: Adjective + (ge3gege3) + Noun.

呢個係一個紅色嘅蘋果。
ni1 go3 hai6 jat1·go3 hung4·sik1 ge3 ping4·gwo2.nī go haih yāt·go hùhng·sīk ge pìhng·gwó.ni1 go3 hai6 jat7·go3 hung4·sik7 ge3 ping4·gwo2.
This is a red apple.
佢係一個好叻嘅學生。
keoi5 hai6 jat1·go3 hou2·lek1 ge3 hok6·saang1.kéuih haih yāt·go hóu·lēk ge hohk·sāang.koey5 hai6 jat7·go3 hou2·lek7 ge3 hok9·saang1.
He is a very smart student.
我鍾意睇得意嘅戲。
ngo5 zung1·ji3 tai2 dak1·ji3 ge3 hei3.ngóh jūng·yi tái dāk·yi ge hei.ngo5 dzung1·ji3 tai2 dak7·ji3 ge3 hei3.
I like to watch funny movies.

When the Adjective Follows the Noun

The structure above is used when the adjective comes before the noun it describes. If you are making a statement about a noun, the adjective typically comes after the noun. In this case, you do not place (ge3gege3) between them.

Compare these two structures:

- Attributive (before the noun): (hou2 gwai3 ge3 din6 waa2hóu gwai ge dihn wáhou2 gwai3 ge3 din6 waa2) - a very expensive phone

- Predicative (making a statement): (bou6 din6 waa2 hou2 gwai3bouh dihn wá hóu gwaibou6 din6 waa2 hou2 gwai3) - The phone is very expensive

我買咗一件好靚嘅衫。
ngo5 maai5 zo2 jat1 gin6 hou2·leng3 ge3 saam1.ngóh máaih jó yāt gihn hóu·leng ge sāam.ngo5 maai5 dzo2 jat7 gin6 hou2·leu3 ge3 saam1.
I bought a very beautiful shirt.
嗰件衫好靚。
go2 gin6 saam1 hou2·leng3.gó gihn sāam hóu·leng.go2 gin6 saam1 hou2·leu3.
That shirt is very beautiful.

Omitting 嘅 with Short Adjectives

With some very common, single-syllable adjectives, it is natural to omit (ge3gege3). While including (ge3gege3) is not grammatically wrong, omitting it often sounds more fluent and is very common in daily speech.

This typically happens with adjectives like:

(hou2hóuhou2) - good
(waai6waaihwaai6) - bad
(daai6daaihdaai6) - big
(sai3saisai3) - small
(san1sānsan1) - new
(gau6gauhgau6) - old
(leng3lengleu3) - pretty; good-looking

佢係一個好人。
keoi5 hai6 jat1·go3 hou2·jan4.kéuih haih yāt·go hóu·yàhn.koey5 hai6 jat7·go3 hou2·jan4.
He is a good person.
我唔見咗本書。
ngo5 m4·gin3 zo2 bun2 syu1.ngóh m̀h·gin jó bún syū.ngo5 m4·gin3 dzo2 bun2 sy1.
I lost the new book.
呢間係細房。
ni1 gaan1 hai6 sai3·fong4.nī gāan haih sai·fòhng.ni1 gaan1 hai6 sai3·fong4.
This is the small room.

However, if the adjective is modified by an adverb like (hou2hóuhou2) (very) or (gei2géigei2) (quite), the (ge3gege3) is usually kept.

佢住喺一間好大嘅屋。
keoi5 zyu6 hai2 jat1 gaan1 hou2·daai6 ge3 uk1.kéuih jyuh hái yāt gāan hóu·daaih ge ūk.koey5 dzy6 hai2 jat7 gaan1 hou2·daai6 ge3 uk7.
He lives in a very big house.
呢個係一個幾好嘅方法。
ni1 go3 hai6 jat1·go3 gei2·hou2 ge3 fong1·faat3.nī go haih yāt·go géi·hóu ge fōng·faat.ni1 go3 hai6 jat7·go3 gei2·hou2 ge3 fong1·faat8.
This is a pretty good method.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

32 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 49. A few of them, with the words “Adjectives as Attributes” is about in bold:

佢有一架又慢又平嘅車。
keoi5 jau5 jat1 gaa3 jau6 maan6 jau6 peng4·ge3 ce1.kéuih yáuh yāt ga yauh maahn yauh pèhng·ge chē.koey5 jau5 jat7 gaa3 jau6 maan6 jau6 peu4·ge3 tse1.
She has a slow, cheap car.
Lesson 110
我好鍾意寒冷嘅天氣。我最鍾意雪同冰㗎嘞。
ngo5 hou2 zung1·ji3 hon4·laang5·ge3 tin1·hei3. ngo5 zeoi3 zung1·ji3 syut3 tung4 bing1 gaa3 laak3.ngóh hóu jūng·yi hòhn·láahng·ge tīn·hei. ngóh jeui jūng·yi syut tùhng bīng ga laak.ngo5 hou2 dzung1·ji3 hon4·laang5·ge3 tin1·hei3. ngo5 dzoey3 dzung1·ji3 syt8 tung4 bing1 gaa3 laak8.
I love cold weather. I love snow and ice.
Lesson 295
學識新嘅語言係好困難。
hok6 sik1 san1·ge3 jyu5·jin4 hai6 hou2 kwan3·naan4.hohk sīk sān·ge yúh·yìhn haih hóu kwan·nàahn.hok9 sik7 san1·ge3 jy5·jin4 hai6 hou2 kwan3·naan4.
Learning a new language is very hard.
Lesson 499

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