Modal Verbs — Cantonese Grammar

Modal verbs go before the main verb and never change form. The key ones are (wui5wúihwui5) — can / will, (ho2·ji5hó·yíhho2·ji5) — may / can, (jiu3yiujiu3) — want to / must, (soeng2séungsoeng2) — would like to, and (jing1·goi1yīng·gōijing1·goi1) — should.

Negate with (m4m̀hm4): (m4 wui5m̀h wúihm4 wui5) — won't, (m4 ho2·ji5m̀h hó·yíhm4 ho2·ji5) — cannot, (m4 soeng2m̀h séungm4 soeng2) — don't want to.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

97 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 8. A few of them, with the words “Modal Verbs” is about in bold:

我而家想返屋企。
ngo5 ji4·gaa1 soeng2 faan1 uk1·kei2.ngóh yìh·gā séung fāan ūk·kéi.ngo5 ji4·gaa1 soeng2 faan1 uk7·kei2.
I want to go home now.
Lesson 71
你聽日會唔會返嚟？
nei5 ting1·jat6 wui5 m4 wui5 faan1·lai4?néih tīng·yaht wúih m̀h wúih fāan·làih?nei5 ting1·jat9 wui5 m4 wui5 faan1·lai4?
Will you be back tomorrow?
Lesson 258
我有新車之前都要踩單車。
ngo5 jau5 san1 ce1 zi1·cin4 dou1 jiu3 caai2 daan1·ce1.ngóh yáuh sān chē jī·chìhn dōu yiu cháai dāan·chē.ngo5 jau5 san1 tse1 dzi1·tsin4 dou1 jiu3 tsaai2 daan1·tse1.
I have to ride my bike until I get a new car.
Lesson 301

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Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

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