Modal Verbs: 做得, 會, 愛 and 需要

01

做得 — Can, May

做得 (zoˇ dedtso tet) covers both being able to do something and being allowed to. It is the everyday word for can, and paired with 無 (momò) at the end it makes the ordinary polite request.

• 你做得看著𠊎無？

  ngi zoˇ ded konˇ doˊ ngai mongì tso tet khon tó ngài mò

  Can you see me?

• 你做得打開這隻罐仔無？

  ngi zoˇ ded daˊ koiˋ liaˊ zhag gonˇ er mongì tso tet tá khôi liá chak kon èr mò

  Can you open this bottle?

• 你做得降低兜仔無？

  ngi zoˇ ded gongˇ daiˋ deuˋ er mongì tso tet kong tâi têu èr mò

  Can you lower it a little?

Its negative is 做毋得 (zoˇ m dedtso m̀ tet), which also stands on its own as a flat refusal — that cannot be done.

• 噢，做毋得！

  oˊ zoˇ m dedó tso m̀ tet

  Oh, that's not possible!

02

會 — Knowing How

會 (voi+vo̊i) is ability of the learned kind — a skill acquired by practice, such as speaking a language or playing an instrument. It does not cover permission, and it does not cover being physically able on one occasion.

• 你兜會講麼个語言？

  ngi deuˋ voi+ gongˊ maˋ gaiˇ ngiˋ ngienngì têu vo̊i kóng mâ kai ngî ngièn

  What languages can you speak?

• 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.

• 佢會彈鋼琴。

  gi voi+ tan gongˇ kimkì vo̊i thàn kong khìm

  She can play the piano.

03

會 — Will, Would

The same 會 (voi+vo̊i) placed before a verb says that something will happen or is likely to. Hakka has no future tense, so this is one of the two ways a future event is expressed, and it leans towards prediction rather than intention.

• 有成時一切都會出差錯。

  rhiuˋ shang shi rhid cied du+ voi+ chud caˋ coˇyiû shàng shì yit tshiet tů vo̊i chhut tshâ tsho

  Sometimes everything goes wrong.

• 肉會臭火𤊶了。

  ngiug voi+ chiuˇ foˊ lad leˋngiuk vo̊i chhiu fó lat lê

  The meat is going to burn.

• 𠊎還係會睡忒。

  ngai han heˇ voi+ shoi+ tedngài hàn he vo̊i sho̊i thet

  I'll still fall asleep.

Its negative, 毋會 (m voi+m̀ vo̊i), therefore covers both cannot and will not.

04

愛 — Needing and Intending

愛 (oiˇoi) before a verb expresses necessity or a settled intention — have to, be going to. Where 會 (voi+vo̊i) predicts, 愛 (oiˇoi) commits.

• 𠊎愛轉了。

  ngai oiˇ zhonˊ leˋngài oi chón lê

  I have to go home now.

• 𠊎愛去一下便所。

  ngai oiˇ hiˇ rhid ha+ pien+ soˊngài oi hi yit hå phie̊n só

  I need to go to the bathroom.

• 毋會，𠊎个醫生講𠊎愛休息一隻禮拜。

  m voi+ ngai gaiˇ rhiˋ senˋ gongˊ ngai oiˇ hiuˋ sid rhid zhag liˋ baiˇm̀ vo̊i ngài kai yî sên kóng ngài oi hiû sit yit chak lî pai

  No, my doctor says I need to rest for a week.

Its negative is 毋使 (m siiˊm̀ sṳ́), no need to, which removes an obligation rather than denying a fact.

05

需要 — Needing

需要 (siˋ rhauˇsî yau) is a heavier to need, and unlike the others it takes a noun as readily as a verb. It states a requirement rather than an intention.

• 𫣆俚需要談談啊。

  enˋ li siˋ rhauˇ tam tam a+ên lì sî yau thàm thàm å

  We need to talk.