Indicating Results with '到'

01

Successful Sensory Perception

A very common use of 到 (dou2dóudou2) is with verbs of perception. It shows that you not only tried to perceive something, but you actually succeeded.

Compare the action verb alone with the verb plus 到 (dou2dóudou2):

• 睇 (tai2táitai2) means to look, while 睇到 (tai2 dou2tái dóutai2 dou2) means to see (and register it).
• 聽 (teng1tēngteu1) means to listen, while 聽到 (teng1 dou2tēng dóuteu1 dou2) means to hear (and register it).
• 聞 (man4màhnman4) means to sniff, while 聞到 (man4 dou2màhn dóuman4 dou2) means to smell (and perceive the scent).

• 我睇到你呀！

  ngo5 tai2·dou2 nei5·aa3!ngóh tái·dóu néih·a!ngo5 tai2·dou2 nei5·aa3!

  I can see you!

• 你聽唔聽到電話響呀？

  nei5 teng1 m4 teng1·dou2 din6·waa2 hoeng2 aa3?néih tēng m̀h tēng·dóu dihn·wá héung a?nei5 teu1 m4 teu1·dou2 din6·waa2 hoeng2 aa3?

  Can you hear the phone ringing?

• 我聞到好香嘅咖啡味。

  ngo5 man4·dou2 hou2·hoeng1 ge3 gaa3·fe1 mei6.ngóh màhn·dóu hóu·hēung ge ga·fē meih.ngo5 man4·dou2 hou2·hoeng1 ge3 gaa3·fe1 mei6.

  I smell the nice aroma of coffee.

02

Achieving a Goal

Beyond the senses, 到 (dou2dóudou2) can be used with many other action verbs to indicate that a goal was reached. This is common with verbs related to finding, getting, or obtaining something.

• 搵 (wan2wánwan2) means to look for, while 搵到 (wan2 dou2wán dóuwan2 dou2) means to find.
• 買 (maai5máaihmaai5) means to buy (the action), while 買到 (maai5 dou2máaih dóumaai5 dou2) means to succeed in buying.
• 攞 (lo2lólo2) means to take/get, while 攞到 (lo2 dou2ló dóulo2 dou2) means to succeed in getting.

• 我終於搵到我嘅鎖匙。

  ngo5 zung1·jyu1 wan2·dou2 ngo5 ge3 so2·si4.ngóh jūng·yū wán·dóu ngóh ge só·sìh.ngo5 dzung1·jy1 wan2·dou2 ngo5 ge3 so2·si4.

  I finally found my keys.

• 演唱會啲飛好難買到。

  jin2·coeng3 wui2 di1 fei1 hou2·naan4 maai5·dou2.yín·cheung wúi dī fēi hóu·nàahn máaih·dóu.jin2·tsoeng3 wui2 di1 fei1 hou2·naan4 maai5·dou2.

  The concert tickets are very hard to (successfully) buy.

• 你攞到個位未呀？

  nei5 lo2·dou2 go3 wai2 mei6·aa3?néih ló·dóu go wái meih·a?nei5 lo2·dou2 go3 wai2 mei6·aa3?

  Did you manage to get a seat?

03

The Negative Form: Verb + 唔到

To express that you tried to do something but failed to achieve the result, you place 唔 (m4m̀hm4) between the verb and 到 (dou2dóudou2). The structure is: Verb + 唔 (m4m̀hm4) + 到 (dou2dóudou2).

This is different from simply negating the verb with 冇 (mou5móuhmou5).

• 我冇睇 (ngo5 mou5 tai2ngóh móuh táingo5 mou5 tai2) means I didn't look (the action was not performed).
• 我睇唔到 (ngo5 tai2 m4 dou2ngóh tái m̀h dóungo5 tai2 m4 dou2) means I looked but couldn't see (the action was performed, but without success).

• 太黑喇，我睇唔到路。

  taai3·haak1 laa3, ngo5 tai2 m4 dou2 lou6.taai·hāak la, ngóh tái m̀h dóu louh.taai3·haak7 laa3, ngo5 tai2 m4 dou2 lou6.

  It's too dark, I can't see the road.

• 我搵唔到我個電話。

  ngo5 wan2 m4 dou2 ngo5 go3 din6·waa2.ngóh wán m̀h dóu ngóh go dihn·wá.ngo5 wan2 m4 dou2 ngo5 go3 din6·waa2.

  I can't find my phone.

• 對唔住，我聽唔到你講咩。

  deoi3 m4 zyu6, ngo5 teng1 m4 dou2 nei5 gong2 me1.deui m̀h jyuh, ngóh tēng m̀h dóu néih góng mē.doey3 m4 dzy6, ngo5 teu1 m4 dou2 nei5 gong2 me1.

  Sorry, I couldn't hear what you said.

04

'到' Meaning 'Until' or 'To Arrive'

Separately, 到 (dou2dóudou2) can also function as a verb meaning to arrive or as a preposition meaning until a certain time or place. The context makes the meaning clear.

As a verb, to arrive:

• 我哋到咗機場喇。

  ngo5·dei6 dou3 zo2 gei1·coeng4 laa3.ngóh·deih dou jó gēi·chèuhng la.ngo5·dei6 dou3 dzo2 gei1·tsoeng4 laa3.

  We have arrived at the airport.

As a preposition, until:

• 我哋由朝早玩到夜晚。

  ngo5·dei6 jau4 ziu1·zou2 waan2·dou3 je6·maan5.ngóh·deih yàuh jīu·jóu wáan·dou yeh·máahn.ngo5·dei6 jau4 dziu1·dzou2 waan2·dou3 je6·maan5.

  We played from morning until night.

• 請你等我到五點。

  cing2 nei5 dang2 ngo5 dou3 ńgh dim2.chíng néih dáng ngóh dou nǵh dím.tsing2 nei5 dang2 ngo5 dou3 ńgh dim2.

  Please wait for me until five o'clock.