![U4L6 Cantonese grammar 吓 [haa5]](https://www.howtostudycantonese.com/wp-content/uploads/吓-in-Cantonese-grammar.jpg)
In this lesson, the grammar of 吓 [haa5] in Cantonese will be introduced. 吓 [haa5] is a predicative suffix（謂詞詞尾）that indicates an action has been done for a very short period of time, to a small extent or in a low frequency. It is commonly used in imperative sentence（祈使句）and interrogative sentence（疑問句）to downplay the suggestion or the question.
Table of contents
Usage 1 of 吓 [haa5] in Cantonese grammar
吓 [haa5] can be used in imperative sentence（祈使句）to downplay a suggestion, in order to encourage the listener to comply. It is more natural to use particle（助詞）啦 [laa1] with 吓, and this particle will be introduced in a future lesson.
nei5 si3 haa5 sik6 lau4 lin4 laa1
你試吓食榴槤啦。
Try eating a little bit of durian.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 試 | 吓 | 食榴槤 | 啦 |
nei5 hok6 haa5 gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2 laa1
你學吓講廣東話啦。
Learn to speak a little bit of Cantonese.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 學 | 吓 | 講廣東話 | 啦 |
nei5 wan1 haa5 syu1 laa1
你溫吓書啦。
Study a bit.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 溫 | 吓 | 書 | 啦 |
吓 [haa5] can also be used in an interrogative sentence（疑問句）to downplay a question, in order to make the listener comfortable enough to answer.
m4 goi1，ngo5 soeng2 man6 haa5 ci3 so2 hai2 bin1 dou6 aa3
唔該，我想問吓廁所喺邊度啊？
Excuse me, may I ask where is the toilet?
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particles |
| Part of speech | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause | Particles |
| Words in sentence | 我 | 想 | 問吓廁所喺邊度 | 呀 |
Object of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Predicative suffix | Clause |
| Words in sentence | / | 問 | 吓 | 廁所喺邊度 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | 廁所 | 喺 | 邊度 |
Object of that sentence | |
| Type of sentence structure | Subordination |
| Modifier | 邊 |
| Head | 度 |
Usage 2 of 吓 [haa5] in Cantonese grammar
You can also use 吓 [haa5] with adverb（副詞）就 [zau6] to indicate that something unexpected and surprising happens after something has been done for a short period of time, to a small extent or in a low frequency.
This usage has to be used in form of complex sentences（偏正句）, which the sentence containing 吓 has to be followed by another sentence. Under that structure, the first half containing 吓 is to indicate the time for the second half to take place; it is similar to what you have learnt previously in Unit 2 Lesson 7 that uses 時候 [si4 hau6] as the subject to indicate the time for the rest of the sentence to take place.
To a small extent
go2 go3 sai3 lou6 bei2 jan4 waa6 haa5 zau6 haam3
嗰個細佬畀人話吓就喊。
That kid cries after he has been scolded lightly.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | Unknown | True |
| Words in sentence | 嗰個細佬畀人話吓 | 就喊 |
Sentence 1 of the sentence | |||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative expression in series | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate 1 | Object 1 | Predicate 2 | Predicative suffix |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix |
| Words in sentence | 嗰個細佬 | 畀 | 人 | 話 | 吓 |
Subject of that sentence | |
| Type of sentence structure | Subordination |
| Modifier | 嗰個 |
| Head | 細佬 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Subject-predicative | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Verb |
| Words in sentence | / | 就 | 喊 |
go2 go3 hou2 zi6 daai6 ge3 jan4 bei2 jan4 zaan3 haa5 zau6 m4 sik1 zyun1 cung4 jan4
嗰個好自大嘅人畀人讚吓就唔識尊重人。
That arrogant guy forgets how to respect people once he has been praised.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | Unknown | True |
| Words in sentence | 嗰個好自大嘅人畀人讚吓 | 就唔識尊重人 |
Sentence 1 of that sentence | |||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative expression in series | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate 1 | Object 1 | Predicate 2 | Predicative suffix |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix |
| Words in sentence | 嗰個好自大嘅人 | 畀 | 人 | 讚 | 吓 |
Subject of that sentence | |
| Type of sentence structure | Subordination |
| Modifier | 嗰個好自大 |
| Head | 人 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Auxiliary verb | Clause |
| Words in sentence | / | 唔 | 識 | 尊重人 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 尊重 | 人 |
For a short period of time
keoi5 mong6 haa5 bun2 syu1 zau6 heoi3 haau2 si3
佢望吓本書就去考試。
He attends the exam after he read the book for a while.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | Unknown | True |
| Words in sentence | 佢望吓本書 | 就去考試 |
Sentence 1 of the sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Noun |
| Words in sentence | 佢 | 望 | 吓 | 本書 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 就 | 去 | 考試 |
keoi5 faan1 haa5 gung1 zau6 waa6 gui6
佢返吓工就話攰。
He said he was tired after he has worked for a while.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | Unknown | True |
| Words in sentence | 佢返吓工 | 就話攰 |
Sentence 1 of the sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Noun |
| Words in sentence | 佢 | 返 | 吓 | 工 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Verb | Adjective |
| Words in sentence | / | 就 | 話 | 攰 |
In a very low frequency
keoi5 sik6 haa5 faan6 zau6 waa6 baau2
佢食吓飯就話飽。
He said he is full after eating a little bit of his meal.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | Unknown | True |
| Words in sentence | 佢食吓飯 | 就話飽 |
Sentence 1 of the sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Noun |
| Words in sentence | 佢 | 食 | 吓 | 飯 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Verb | Adjective |
| Words in sentence | / | 就 | 話 | 飽 |
ngo5 jam2 haa5 zau2 zau6 zeoi3 zo2
我飲吓酒就醉咗。
I got drunk after drinking a little bit of alcohol.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | Unknown | True |
| Words in sentence | 我飲吓酒 | 就醉咗 |
Sentence 1 of the sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Predicative suffix | Noun |
| Words in sentence | 我 | 飲 | 吓 | 酒 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Predicative suffix |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Adjective | Predicative suffix |
| Words in sentence | / | 就 | 醉 | 咗 |
Reference
That’s it for this lesson on the grammar of 吓 [haa5] in Cantonese! If you appreciate our work, sign up now and give us a LikeCoin by clicking the LikeCoin button below 5 times. It will empower us to create more useful contents for you in the future!
