Imperatives and Suggestions: 來, 請, 啊, 毋好 and 莫

01

來 — Let's

來 (loilòi) before a verb proposes doing something together. It very often follows the inclusive word for we, which by its nature takes in the person being spoken to.

• 𫣆俚來算看啊：一，二，三，四，五

  enˋ li loi sonˇ konˇ a+ rhid ngi+ samˋ siˇ ngˊên lì lòi son khon å yit ngi̊ sâm si ńg

  Let's count: one, two, three, four, five.

• 遽來！

  giag loikiak lòi

  Come quick!

• 來摎𠊎兜共下跳舞啊！

  loi lauˋ ngai deuˋ kiung+ ha+ tiauˇ vuˊ a+lòi lâu ngài têu khiůng hå thiau vú å

  Come dance with us!

Paired with the verb to go it forms a set expression meaning let's set off, used for proposing an outing.

• 𫣆俚來去。

  enˋ li loi hiˇên lì lòi hi

  Let's go.

• 𫣆俚來去看電影好無？

  enˋ li loi hiˇ konˇ tien+ rhangˊ hoˊ moên lì lòi hi khon thie̊n yáng hó mò

  Shall we go and watch a movie?

02

請 — Please

請 (ciangˊtshiáng) at the head of a sentence marks a request as polite. It is the straightforward way of asking for something without pressing.

• 請大聲講。

  ciangˊ tai+ shangˋ gongˊtshiáng thåi shâng kóng

  Please speak up.

• 請分𠊎一杯咖啡摎一隻三明治。

  ciangˊ bunˋ ngai rhid buiˋ gaˋ biˋ lauˋ rhid zhag samˋ mang chi+tshiáng pûn ngài yit pûi kâ pî lâu yit chak sâm màng chhi̊

  Please give me a coffee and a sandwich.

03

啊 — Making It Warm

啊 (a+å) at the end turns an instruction into a friendly suggestion. The same particle closes a short reply, where it adds a note of willingness.

• 𫣆俚來去海灘啊。

  enˋ li loi hiˇ hoiˊ tanˋ a+ên lì lòi hi hói thân å

  Let's go to the beach.

• 食兜仔水果啊。

  shidˋ deuˋ er shuiˊ goˊ a+shi̍t têu èr shúi kó å

  Have some fruit.

• 好啊。

  hoˊ a+hó å

  OK, sure.

04

毋好 — Don't

A negative order takes 毋好 (m hoˊm̀ hó) before the verb. The ordinary negators cannot be used to give an order — neither 無 (momò) nor 毋 (mm̀) on its own will do it.

• 毋好艱苦。

  m hoˊ ganˋ kuˊm̀ hó kân khú

  Don't be sad.

• 毋好懶尸。

  m hoˊ nanˋ shiˋm̀ hó nân shî

  Don't be lazy.

• 毋好等忒久。

  m hoˊ denˊ ted giuˊm̀ hó tén thet kiú

  Don't wait too long.

There is a second, sharper word for the same job: 莫 (mogˋmo̍k), a flat don't used to stop someone on the spot.

• 莫食該！

  mogˋ shidˋ gaimo̍k shi̍t kài

  Don't eat that!

• 莫戴該頂帽仔。

  mogˋ daiˇ gai dangˊ mo+ ermo̍k tai kài táng mo̊ èr

  Don't wear that hat.