Focus Particle '係'

01

Basic Meaning: 'To Be'

In its most fundamental role, 係 (hai6haihhai6) links a subject to a noun or a description, just like "to be" in English.

• 我係香港人。

  ngo5 hai6 hoeng1·gong2 jan4.ngóh haih hēung·góng yàhn.ngo5 hai6 hoeng1·gong2 jan4.

  I am a Hongkonger.

• 呢度係圖書館。

  ni1·dou6 hai6 tou4·syu1 gun2.nī·douh haih tòuh·syū gún.ni1·dou6 hai6 tou4·sy1 gun2.

  This is a library.

• 佢係我朋友。

  keoi5 hai6 ngo5 pang4·jau5.kéuih haih ngóh pàhng·yáuh.koey5 hai6 ngo5 pang4·jau5.

  He is my friend.

02

Emphasizing Information in Statements

When used for emphasis, 係 (hai6haihhai6) is placed directly before the word or phrase you want to highlight. This structure is often translated into English as "It is... that...". It singles out one piece of information as the most important part of the sentence.

Consider the difference:

• Neutral statement: 我聽日去機場。 (ngo5 ting1 jat6 heoi3 gei1 coeng4.ngóh tīng yaht heui gēi chèuhng.ngo5 ting1 jat9 hoey3 gei1 tsoeng4.) - I'm going to the airport tomorrow.
• Emphatic statement: 我係聽日去機場嘅。 (ngo5 hai6 ting1 jat6 heoi3 gei1 coeng4 ge3.ngóh haih tīng yaht heui gēi chèuhng ge.ngo5 hai6 ting1 jat9 hoey3 gei1 tsoeng4 ge3.) - It is tomorrow that I'm going to the airport.

In the second sentence, the focus is specifically on the time, "tomorrow", perhaps to correct a misunderstanding or simply to stress the point.

This structure can be used to emphasize different parts of a sentence:

• 係我買呢本書嘅。

  hai6 ngo5 maai5 ni1 bun2·syu1 ge3.haih ngóh máaih nī bún·syū ge.hai6 ngo5 maai5 ni1 bun2·sy1 ge3.

  It was me who bought this book.

• 我哋係喺銅鑼灣食飯嘅。

  ngo5·dei6 hai6 hai2 tung4·lo4 waan1 sik6·faan6 ge3.ngóh·deih haih hái tùhng·lòh wāan sihk·faahn ge.ngo5·dei6 hai6 hai2 tung4·lo4 waan1 sik9·faan6 ge3.

  It was in Causeway Bay that we ate dinner.

03

The '係...嘅' and '係...㗎' Frame

When 係 (hai6haihhai6) is used for focus, the sentence almost always ends with a final particle.

• Use 嘅 (ge3gege3) for declarative statements.
• Use 㗎 (gaa3gagaa3) for questions or statements with a tone of explanation or obviousness.

This 係...嘅/㗎 (hai6...ge3·gaa3haih...ge·gahai6...ge3·gaa3) combination creates a frame that encloses the main clause, with the emphasized element immediately following 係 (hai6haihhai6).

For questions, this structure is used to ask about a specific, focused piece of information.

• 你係幾時返嚟㗎？

  nei5 hai6 gei2·si4 faan1·lai4 gaa3?néih haih géi·sìh fāan·làih ga?nei5 hai6 gei2·si4 faan1·lai4 gaa3?

  When is it that you are coming back?

• 你係咪同陳小姐一齊去㗎？

  nei5 hai6·mai6 tung4 can4·siu2·ze2 jat1·cai4 heoi3 gaa3?néih haih·maih tùhng chàhn·síu·jé yāt·chàih heui ga?nei5 hai6·mai6 tung4 tsan4·siu2·dze2 jat7·tsai4 hoey3 gaa3?

  Is it with Miss Chan that you're going?

04

Using '係' to Correct or Contradict

A very common use of the focus particle 係 (hai6haihhai6) is to correct misinformation or contradict a previous statement. In these cases, you first negate the wrong information with 唔係 (m4 hai6m̀h haihm4 hai6) and then state the correct information using 係 (hai6haihhai6).

• 我唔係坐地鐵，我係坐巴士返屋企嘅。

  ngo5 m4·hai6 zo6 dei6·tit3, ngo5 hai6 co5 baa1·si2 faan1 uk1·kei2 ge3.ngóh m̀h·haih joh deih·tit, ngóh haih chóh bā·sí fāan ūk·kéi ge.ngo5 m4·hai6 dzo6 dei6·tit8, ngo5 hai6 tso5 baa1·si2 faan1 uk7·kei2 ge3.

  I'm not taking the MTR, I'm taking the bus home.

• 佢唔係鍾意飲咖啡，佢係鍾意飲奶茶㗎。

  keoi5 m4·hai6 zung1·ji3 jam2 gaa3·fe1, keoi5 hai6 zung1·ji3 jam2·naai5·caa4 gaa3.kéuih m̀h·haih jūng·yi yám ga·fē, kéuih haih jūng·yi yám·náaih·chàh ga.koey5 m4·hai6 dzung1·ji3 jam2 gaa3·fe1, koey5 hai6 dzung1·ji3 jam2·naai5·tsaa4 gaa3.

  He doesn't like coffee, he likes milk tea.