Conjunctions: 摎, 毋過, 抑係, 假使, 因為, 雖然 and 就算

01

摎 — Joining Nouns

摎 (lauˋlâu) links one noun to another, giving and or with. It joins nouns only, and cannot be used to string two clauses together.

• 𠊎有一隻狗摎貓仔。

  ngai rhiuˋ rhid zhag gieuˊ lauˋ ngiauˇ erngài yiû yit chak kiéu lâu ngiau èr

  I have a dog and a cat.

• 𠊎有六個兄弟摎七個姊妹。

  ngai rhiuˋ liug gaiˇ hiungˋ ti+ lauˋ cid gaiˇ ziˊ moiˇngài yiû liuk kai hiûng thi̊ lâu tshit kai tsí moi

  I have six brothers and seven sisters.

• 𠊎會講英語摎韓語。

  ngai voi+ gongˊ rhinˋ ngiˋ lauˋ hon ngiˋngài vo̊i kóng yîn ngî lâu hòn ngî

  I can speak English and Korean.

To join two clauses, they are simply set side by side with nothing between them, and the relation is left to be understood.

02

毋過 — But

毋過 (m goˇm̀ ko) introduces a contrast with what has just been said. It stands at the head of the second clause, exactly where English puts but.

• 佢兜無看著，毋過佢兜聽著了。

  gi deuˋ mo konˇ doˊ m goˇ gi deuˋ tangˇ doˊ leˋkì têu mò khon tó m̀ ko kì têu thang tó lê

  They didn't see it, but they heard it.

• 𠊎公年紀大了，毋過當有活力。

  ngai gungˋ ngien giˊ tai+ leˋ m goˇ dongˋ rhiuˋ fadˋ lidˋngài kûng ngièn kí thåi lê m̀ ko tông yiû fa̍t li̍t

  My grandfather is old, but he's very energetic.

• 毋過這係真个！

  m goˇ liaˊ heˇ zhinˋ gaiˇm̀ ko liá he chîn kai

  But it's true!

03

抑係 — Or

抑係 (rha+ heˇyå he) offers an alternative and belongs above all to questions, where it sets two possibilities against each other. It is built transparently from a first element and the linking verb 係 (heˇhe).

• 好抑係毋好？

  hoˊ rha+ heˇ m hoˊhó yå he m̀ hó

  Good or not good?

• 香草个抑係巧克力个？

  hiongˋ coˊ gaiˇ rha+ heˇ kauˊ kied lidˋ gaiˇhiông tshó kai yå he kháu khiet li̍t kai

  The vanilla one or the chocolate one?

• 抑係美國人？

  rha+ heˇ mi+ gued nginyå he mi̊ koet ngìn

  Or American?

04

假使 — If

假使 (gaˊ siiˊká sṳ́) opens a condition, and the clause that depends on it follows. That second clause very often carries an adverb meaning then, which marks it as the consequence.

• 假使𠊎係你，𠊎就毋會恁樣做。

  gaˊ siiˊ ngai heˇ ngi ngai ciu+ m voi+ anˊ ngiong zoˇká sṳ́ ngài he ngì ngài tshiů m̀ vo̊i án ngiòng tso

  If I were you, I wouldn't do it like that.

• 假使你問一隻問題，你會得著一隻答案。

  gaˊ siiˊ ngi munˇ rhid zhag munˇ ti ngi voi+ ded doˊ rhid zhag dab onˇká sṳ́ ngì mun yit chak mun thì ngì vo̊i tet tó yit chak tap on

  If you ask a question, you will get an answer.

• 假使你摎𠊎講，𠊎就會分你錢了。

  gaˊ siiˊ ngi lauˋ ngai gongˊ ngai ciu+ voi+ bunˋ ngi cien leˋká sṳ́ ngì lâu ngài kóng ngài tshiů vo̊i pûn ngì tshièn lê

  If you had told me, I would have given you the money.

05

因為 and 雖然

因為 (rhinˋ vui+yîn vůi) gives a reason and 雖然 (suiˋ rhansûi yàn) concedes a fact that runs against the main statement. Both stand at the head of their clause, and 雖然 (suiˋ rhansûi yàn) regularly pairs with 毋過 (m goˇm̀ ko) in the clause that follows — a doubling English does not allow, since although and but cannot appear in the same sentence.

• 因為𠊎當懶尸。

  rhinˋ vui+ ngai dongˋ nanˋ shiˋyîn vůi ngài tông nân shî

  Because I'm very lazy.

• 𠊎需要一台車仔，因為𠊎愛駛車仔去上班。

  ngai siˋ rhauˇ rhid toi chaˋ er rhinˋ vui+ ngai oiˇ siiˊ chaˋ er hiˇ shongˋ banˋngài sî yau yit thòi chhâ èr yîn vůi ngài oi sṳ́ chhâ èr hi shông pân

  I need a car, because I have to drive to work.

• 雖然𠊎無學習，毋過𠊎通過了考試。

  suiˋ rhan ngai mo hogˋ sibˋ m goˇ ngai tungˋ goˇ leˋ kauˊ shiˇsûi yàn ngài mò ho̍k si̍p m̀ ko ngài thûng ko lê kháu shi

  Although I did not study, I passed the exam.

06

就算 — Even If

就算 (ciu+ sonˇtshiů son) also opens a clause that gives ground, but where 雖然 (suiˋ rhansûi yàn) concedes something that is so, this one concedes something that merely might be — even if. The clause answering it regularly carries a word meaning still.

• 就算𠊎有當多錢，𠊎也做毋得買車仔。

  ciu+ sonˇ ngai rhiuˋ dongˋ doˋ cien ngai rha+ zoˇ m ded maiˋ chaˋ ertshiů son ngài yiû tông tô tshièn ngài yå tso m̀ tet mâi chhâ èr

  Even though I have a lot of money, I can't buy a car.

• 就算啉咖啡，𠊎還係會睡忒。

  ciu+ sonˇ limˋ gaˋ biˋ ngai han heˇ voi+ shoi+ tedtshiů son lîm kâ pî ngài hàn he vo̊i sho̊i thet

  Even if I drink coffee, I still fall asleep.