The Linking Verb 係 (heˇ)

01

What Can Follow It

The word after 係 (heˇhe) is always a noun or a noun phrase. A countable noun normally arrives with a number and a classifier — 一 (rhidyit) 個 (gaiˇkai) — where English is content with a bare a. Dropping the classifier is one of the first things that marks a sentence out as foreign.

• 佢係一個先生。

  gi heˇ rhid gaiˇ sinˋ sangˋkì he yit kai sîn sâng

  He is a teacher.

• 𠊎係一個英文先生。

  ngai heˇ rhid gaiˇ rhinˋ vun sinˋ sangˋngài he yit kai yîn vùn sîn sâng

  I am an English teacher.

The subject can equally be a demonstrative standing on its own, which is how something is introduced or pointed out for the first time.

• 這係𠊎个電腦。

  liaˊ heˇ ngai gaiˇ tien+ noˊliá he ngài kai thie̊n nó

  This is my computer.

• 該係麼个？

  gai heˇ maˋ gaiˇkài he mâ kai

  What is that?

02

Never Before an Adjective

係 (heˇhe) identifies; it does not describe. An adjective in Hakka is a complete predicate in its own right and takes no linking verb at all — it simply follows the subject. What it does normally take is a degree adverb such as 當 (dongˋtông) in front of it, and that adverb is what an English ear mistakes for the missing is.

• 天時當冷。

  tienˋ shi dongˋ langˋthiên shì tông lâng

  The weather is very cold.

• 厥爸當後生。

  gia baˋ dongˋ heu+ sangˋkià pâ tông he̊u sâng

  His father is very young.

• 這水當冷。

  liaˊ shuiˊ dongˋ langˋliá shúi tông lâng

  This water is very cold.

Putting 係 (heˇhe) in front of an adjective is the commonest beginner error. The rule is worth stating plainly: where the English has is followed by an adjective, Hakka has no verb at all.

03

The Negative

The negative is 毋 (mm̀) placed directly before 係 (heˇhe), giving 毋係 (m heˇm̀ he) is not. The pairing is fixed: 無 (momò), which negates most other verbs, is never used with 係 (heˇhe).

• 佢毋係先生。

  gi m heˇ sinˋ sangˋkì m̀ he sîn sâng

  She is not a teacher.

• 該毋係野生動物。

  gai m heˇ rhaˋ sangˋ tung+ vudˋkài m̀ he yâ sâng thůng vu̍t

  That is not a wild animal.

04

Asking and Answering

A statement becomes a question when 無 (momò) is added at the very end. Nothing is inverted and nothing is inserted at the front, so question and statement share the same shape.

• 這係若叔無？

  liaˊ heˇ ngia shug moliá he ngià shuk mò

  Is this your uncle?

There is no word for yes or no to answer with. The reply repeats the verb — 係 (heˇhe) to agree, 毋係 (m heˇm̀ he) to disagree — which is why both turn up so often at the head of an answer.

• 毋係，該係𠊎姨。

  m heˇ gai heˇ ngai rhim̀ he kài he ngài yì

  No, that's my aunt.