Completed Action with '咗' — Cantonese Grammar

The particle (zo2jódzo2) is an aspect marker placed directly after a verb to indicate that an action has been completed. Its use often corresponds to the English simple past tense (e.g., "I did") or the present perfect tense (e.g., "I have done"), particularly when the result of the action is still relevant to the present moment.

我食咗喇。
ngo5 sik6 zo2 laa3.ngóh sihk jó la.ngo5 sik9 dzo2 laa3.
I've eaten.
佢買咗本書。
keoi5 maai5 zo2 bun2 syu1.kéuih máaih jó bún syū.koey5 maai5 dzo2 bun2 sy1.
He/She bought a book.

Sentence Structure

The standard word order for a simple affirmative sentence using (zo2jódzo2) is:

Subject + Verb + 咗 (zo2) + Object

This structure is fixed, with (zo2jódzo2) always following the main action verb.

我飲咗杯茶。
ngo5 jam2 zo2 bui1 caa4.ngóh yám jó būi chàh.ngo5 jam2 dzo2 bui1 tsaa4.
I drank a cup of tea.
佢哋睇咗嗰套戲。
keoi5·dei6 tai2 zo2 go2 tou3 hei3.kéuih·deih tái jó gó tou hei.koey5·dei6 tai2 dzo2 go2 tou3 hei3.
They watched that movie.

Asking Questions with '咗未呀'

To ask if an action has been completed yet, you can add (mei6 aa3meih amei6 aa3) to the end of the sentence. The phrase (zo2 mei6 aa3jó meih adzo2 mei6 aa3) functions like the English "have you... yet?".

你做咗功課未呀？
nei5 zou6 zo2 gung1·fo3 mei6·aa3?néih jouh jó gūng·fo meih·a?nei5 dzou6 dzo2 gung1·fo3 mei6·aa3?
Have you done the homework yet?
佢走咗未呀？
keoi5 zau2 zo2 mei6·aa3?kéuih jáu jó meih·a?koey5 dzau2 dzo2 mei6·aa3?
Has he/she left yet?

Negative Form: Using '未' or '冇'

To state that an action has not been completed, you do not use (zo2jódzo2). Instead, you place the negative marker (mei6meihmei6) (not yet) or (mou5móuhmou5) (did not) before the verb. The particle (zo2jódzo2) is omitted in negative sentences.

Subject + 未 (mei6) / 冇 (mou5) + Verb + Object

我未食飯。
ngo5 mei6 sik6·faan6.ngóh meih sihk·faahn.ngo5 mei6 sik9·faan6.
I haven't eaten yet.
佢冇嚟。
keoi5 mou5 lai4.kéuih móuh làih.koey5 mou5 lai4.
He/She didn't come.

Distinction from '過' (gwo3)

While both (zo2jódzo2) and (gwo3gwogwo3) relate to past actions, they have different meanings.

- (zo2jódzo2) marks the completion of a specific action, often a recent one.

- (gwo3gwogwo3) indicates that an action has been experienced at least once at some point in the past.

Compare the following:

我去咗日本。
ngo5 heoi3 zo2 jat6·bun2.ngóh heui jó yaht·bún.ngo5 hoey3 dzo2 jat9·bun2.
I went to Japan. (This refers to a specific, completed trip, perhaps one I just returned from.)
我去過日本。
ngo5 heoi3 gwo3 jat6·bun2.ngóh heui gwo yaht·bún.ngo5 hoey3 gwo3 jat9·bun2.
I have been to Japan before. (This refers to the experience of having visited Japan at some time in my life.)

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

40 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 40. A few of them, with the words “Completed Action with '咗'” is about in bold:

我買咗一打雞蛋同埋一條朱古力bar俾你添。
ngo5 maai5 zo2 jat1 daa1 gai1·daan2 tung4·maai4 jat1 tiu4 zyu1·gu1·lik1 baa1 bei2 nei5 tim1.ngóh máaih jó yāt dā gāi·dáan tùhng·màaih yāt tìuh jyū·gū·līk bā béi néih tīm.ngo5 maai5 dzo2 jat7 daa1 gai1·daan2 tung4·maai4 jat7 tiu4 dzy1·gu1·lik7 baa1 bei2 nei5 tim1.
I bought a dozen eggs and a candy bar for you too.
Lesson 47
我去咗商場。
ngo5 heoi3 zo2 soeng1·coeng4.ngóh heui jó sēung·chèuhng.ngo5 hoey3 dzo2 soeng1·tsoeng4.
I went to the shopping mall.
Lesson 172
我阿爸送咗份禮物俾我阿媽。
ngo5 aa3·baa4 sung3 zo2 fan6 lai5·mat6 bei2 ngo5 aa3·maa1.ngóh a·bàh sung jó fahn láih·maht béi ngóh a·mā.ngo5 aa3·baa4 sung3 dzo2 fan6 lai5·mat9 bei2 ngo5 aa3·maa1.
My father bought a present for my mother.
Lesson 225

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