The Linking Verb '係' — Cantonese Grammar

(hai6haihhai6) means "to be" and is used to equate or identify: (keoi5 hai6 lou5·si1kéuih haih lóuh·sīkoey5 hai6 lou5·si1) — he is a teacher. It links a subject to a noun, never to an adjective. To say "I'm fine," use (ngo5 hou2 hou2ngóh hóu hóungo5 hou2 hou2) — no (hai6haihhai6) needed.

To negate, place (m4m̀hm4) before it: (keoi5 m4 hai6 hok6·saang1kéuih m̀h haih hohk·sāangkoey5 m4 hai6 hok9·saang1) — he is not a student.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

79 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “The Linking Verb '係'” is about in bold:

呢個係我朋友、Anna。佢係一位學生。
ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 pang4·jau5, Anna. keoi5 hai6 jat1 wai2 hok6·saang1.nī go haih ngóh pàhng·yáuh, Anna. kéuih haih yāt wái hohk·sāang.ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 pang4·jau5, Anna. koey5 hai6 jat7 wai2 hok9·saang1.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
佢俾我嘅第一印象係佢好聰明。
keoi5 bei2 ngo5 ge3 dai6·jat1 jan3·zoeng6 hai6 keoi5 hou2 cung1·ming4.kéuih béi ngóh ge daih·yāt yan·jeuhng haih kéuih hóu chūng·mìhng.koey5 bei2 ngo5 ge3 dai6·jat7 jan3·dzoeng6 hai6 koey5 hou2 tsung1·ming4.
My first impression is that she is very smart.
Lesson 333
你係第一個留意到嘅人！
nei5 hai6 dai6·jat1 go3 lau4·ji3 dou2 ge3 jan4!néih haih daih·yāt go làuh·yi dóu ge yàhn!nei5 hai6 dai6·jat7 go3 lau4·ji3 dou2 ge3 jan4!
You are the first person to notice!
Lesson 337

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Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

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