Conjunctions: 佮, 毋過, 抑是 and 若…就

01

佮 Joins Nouns, Not Clauses

佮 (kahkahkah4) means and — but only between nouns. This is the mistake English speakers make most: you cannot use it to join two statements the way English uses and.

• 這个查埔人佮查某人佇咧食物件。

  tsit ê tsa-poo-lâng kah tsa-bóo-lâng tī-leh tsia̍h mi̍h-kiānnchit ê cha-po͘-lâng kah cha-bó͘-lâng tī-leh chia̍h mi̍h-kiāⁿtsit4 e5 tsa1-poo1-lang5 kah4 tsa1-boo2-lang5 ti7-leh4 tsiah8 mih8-kiann7

  The man and the woman are eating.

• 遮有蘋果、弓蕉佮柳丁。

  tsia ū phōng-kó king-tsio kah liú-tingchia ū phōng-kó keng-chio kah liú-tengtsia1 u7 phong7-ko2 king1-tsio1 kah4 liu2-ting1

  Here there are apples, bananas and oranges.

It also means with, which is how it turns up in the standard greeting.

• 真歡喜佮你熟似。

  tsin huann-hí kah lí si̍k-sāichin hoaⁿ-hí kah lí se̍k-sāitsin1 huann1-hi2 kah4 li2 sik8-sai7

  Very pleased to meet you.

02

Joining Statements

To put two statements together, Taiwanese usually just places them side by side with no connecting word at all. Where a contrast is needed, 毋過 (m̄-kohm̄-kohm7-koh4) but does the work.

• 我想欲烘雞卵糕，毋過我無雞卵。

  guá siūnn-beh hong ke-nn̄g-ko m̄-koh guá bô ke-nn̄ggóa siūⁿ-beh hong ke-nn̄g-ko m̄-koh góa bô ke-nn̄ggua2 siunn7-beh4 hong1 ke1-nng7-ko1 m7-koh4 gua2 bo5 ke1-nng7

  I want to bake a cake, but I have no eggs.

• 𪜶無看著，毋過有聽著。

  in bô khuànn --tio̍h m̄-koh ū thiann --tio̍hin bô khoàⁿ --tio̍h m̄-koh ū thiaⁿ --tio̍hin1 bo5 khuann3 --tioh8 m7-koh4 u7 thiann1 --tioh8

  They didn't see it, but they did hear it.

03

Or, and Because

抑是 (ia̍h-sīia̍h-sīiah8-si7) is or, and 因為 (in-uīin-ūiin1-ui7) is because.

• 好抑是毋好？

  hó ia̍h-sī m̄-hóhó ia̍h-sī m̄-hóho2 iah8-si7 m7-ho2

  Good, or not good?

04

若 … 就: If, Then

Conditionals are built as a pair. 若 (nānāna7) if opens the first clause and 就 (tōtōto7) then usually appears in the second — a scaffold English can drop but Taiwanese tends to keep.

• 你若共我講，我就會予你錢矣。

  lí nā kā guá kóng guá tō ē hōo lí tsînn --ahlí nā kā góa kóng góa tō ē hō͘ lí chîⁿ --ahli2 na7 ka7 gua2 kong2 gua2 to7 e7 hoo7 li2 tsinn5 --ah4

  If you tell me, I'll give you the money.

• 你若需要鬥相共，敲電話予我。

  lí nā su-iàu tàu-sann-kāng khà tiān-uē hōo guálí nā su-iàu tàu-saⁿ-kāng khà tiān-ōe hō͘ góali2 na7 su1-iau3 tau3-sann1-kang7 kha3 tian7-ue7 hoo7 gua2

  If you need help, give me a call.

才 (tsiahchiahtsiah4) is a tighter relative of 就 (tōtōto7), meaning only then — it makes the second event conditional on the first.