In this lesson, the grammar of particle（助詞） 啊 [aa3] in Cantonese will be introduced. Particle 啊 [aa3] is used to soften a sentence; it can be used to soften interrogative sentences（疑問句）, imperative sentences（祈使句）and descriptive sentences（陳述句）. Since particle 啊 [aa3] can be used in all kind of sentences, it is the particle with highest frequency in Cantonese.
Comparing with a sentence without any particle, a sentence with particle sounds more natural. If you cannot find the right particle to use in a sentence, consider using particle 啊 [aa3] in that sentence.
Table of contents
Grammar of using particle 啊 [aa3] in an imperative sentence in Cantonese
Based on the grammar of particle 啊 [aa3] in Cantonese, it can be used to soften an imperative sentence.
m4 hou2 cou4 aa3
唔好嘈啊。
Stop talking. (Literal meaning: Don’t be noisy)
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Auxiliary verb | Verb | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 唔 | 好 | 嘈 | 啊 |
nei5 dei6 m4 hou2 king1 gai2 aa3
你哋唔好傾偈啊。
You should stop chatting.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Adverb | Auxiliary verb | Verb | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你哋 | 唔 | 好 | 傾偈 | 啊 |
teng1 syu1 aa3
聽書啊。
Focus on the lesson.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 聽 | 書 | 啊 |
tai2 ce1 aa3
睇車啊。
Watch the road.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 睇 | 車 | 啊 |
nei5 dei6 jiu3 kau3 on1 cyun4 daai2 aa3
你哋要扣安全帶啊。
You should buckle your seatbelt.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你哋 | 要 | 扣安全帶 | 啊 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 扣 | 安全帶 |
sik6 je5 zi1 cin4 jiu3 sai2 sau2 aa3
食嘢之前要洗手啊。
You should wash your hands before eating.
| Type of sentence structure | Subject-predicative | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 食嘢之前 | 要洗手 | 啊 |
Predicate of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Auxiliary verb | Clause |
| Words in sentence | / | 要 | 洗手 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 洗 | 手 |
Paai4 deoi2 aa3
排隊啊。
Line up.
| Type of sentence structure | Subject-predicative | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 排隊- | 啊 |
m4 hou2 sik6 sau2 zi2 aa3
唔好食手指啊。
Don’t lick your finger.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Auxiliary verb | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 唔 | 好 | 食手指 | 啊 |
zou6 gung1 fo3 aa3
做功課啊。
Do your homework.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 做 | 功課 | 啊 |
Grammar of using particle 啊 [aa3] in an interrogative sentence in Cantonese
Based on the grammar of particle 啊 [aa3] in Cantonese, it can also be used on all types of interrogative sentence（疑問句）except yes-no question（是非問句）.
nei5 ting1 jat6 soeng2 m4 soeng2 jat1 cai4 sik6 faan6 aa3
你聽日想唔想一齊食飯啊？
Do you want to eat together tomorrow?
Composite sentences | |||
| Type of composite sentence | Compound sentences | ||
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 | Particle |
| True value | True | True | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你聽日想（一齊食飯） | （你聽日）唔想一齊食飯 | 啊 |
Sentence 1 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 聽日 | 想 | （一齊食飯） |
Object 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 | / | 一齊 | 食 | 飯 |
Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Noun; Adverb | Auxiliary verb | Clause |
| Words in sentence | （你） | （聽日）; 唔 | 想 | 一齊食飯 |
Object 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 | / | 一齊 | 食 | 飯 |
nei5 soeng2 heoi3 hon4 gwok3 ding6 heoi3 jat6 bun2 aa3
你想去韓國定去日本啊？
Do you want to go to Korea or Japan?
Composite sentences | |||
| Type of composite sentence | Compound sentences | ||
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 | Particle |
| True value | True | True | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你想去韓國 | 定去日本 | 啊 |
Sentence 1 of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 想 | 去韓國 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Cognate object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 去 | 韓國 |
| Sentence 2 of that sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Conjunction | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | Conjunction | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause |
| Words in sentence | 定 | （你） | （想） | 去日本 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Cognate object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 去 | 日本 |
nei5 dim2 gaai2 m4 sik6 coi3 aa3
你點解唔食菜啊？
Why don’t you eat vegetable?
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Adverb | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 點解; 唔 | 食 | 菜 | 啊 |
ni1 go3 leng3 zai2 hai6 bin1 go3 aa3
呢個靚仔係邊個啊？
Who is this handsome boy?
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Linking verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 呢個靚仔 | 係 | 邊個 | 啊 |
Subject of that sentence | |
| Type of sentence structure | Subordination |
| Modifier | 呢個 |
| Head | 靚仔 |
nei5 zou6 mat1 m4 faan1 gung1 aa3
你做乜唔返工啊？
Why don’t you go to work?
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Adverb | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 你 | 做乜; 唔 | 返 | 工 | 啊 |
Grammar of using particle 啊 [aa3] in descriptive sentences
On top of imperative and interrogative sentences, particle 啊 [aa3] can also be used to soften a descriptive sentences.
hai6 aa3
係啊。
Yes.
| Type of sentence structure | Subject-predicative | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 係 | 啊 |
m4 hai6 aa3
唔係啊。
No.
| Type of sentence structure | Subject-predicative | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Verb | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 唔 | 係 | 啊 |
m4 goi1 saai3 aa3
唔該晒啊。
Thank you.
| Type of sentence structure | Subject-predicative | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Predicative suffix | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 唔該 | 晒 | 啊 |
ngo5 kei4 sat6 hou2 zung1 ji3 nei5 aa3
我其實好中意你啊。
Actually I really like you.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Adverb; Adverb | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 我 | 其實; 好 | 中意 | 你 | 啊 |
ting1 jat6 hai6 sing1 kei4 luk6 aa3
聽日係星期六啊。
Tomorrow is Saturday.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Linking verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 聽日 | 係 | 星期六 | 啊 |
ngo5 ji1 gaa1 zou6 gan2 je5，m4 dak1 haan4 aa3
我依家做𡁵嘢，唔得閒啊。
Because I am working now, I am not free.
Composite sentences | ||
| Type of composite sentence | Complex sentences | |
| Components | Sentence 1 | Sentence 2 |
| True value | True | False |
| Words in sentence | 我依家做𡁵嘢 | 唔得閒啊 |
Sentence 1 of the sentence | |||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Predicative suffix | Object |
| Part of speech | Noun | Adverb | Verb | Predicative suffix | Noun |
| Words in sentence | 我 | 依家 | 做 | 𡁵 | 嘢 |
Sentence 2 of the sentence | ||||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Particle |
| Part of speech | / | Adverb | Adjective | Particle |
| Words in sentence | / | 唔 | 得閒 | 啊 |
keoi5 faan1 gan2 gung1 aa3
佢返𡁵工啊。
He is working now.
| 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 | 佢 | 返 | 𡁵 | 工 | 啊 |
ngo5 go3 pang4 jau5 hai6 lou5 si1 aa3
我個朋友係老師啊。
My friend is a teacher.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Verb | Noun | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 我個朋友 | 係 | 老師 | 啊 |
ngo5 soeng2 hok6 hou2 gwong2 dung1 waa2 aa3
我想學好廣東話啊。
I want to learn Cantonese well.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | |||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 我 | 想 | 學好廣東話 | 啊 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Clause | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 學好 | 廣東話 |
Predicate of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-complement | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Complement |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Adjective |
| Words in sentence | / | 學 | 好 |
ngo5 gam1 maan1 soeng2 jam2 zau2 jam2 dou3 zeoi3 aa3
我今晚想飲酒飲到醉啊。
I want to drink until drunk tonight.
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Adverbial | Predicate | Object | Particle |
| Part of speech | Noun | Noun | Auxiliary verb | Clause | Particle |
| Words in sentence | 我 | 今晚 | 想 | 飲酒飲到醉 | 啊 |
Object of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-complement | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Complement |
| Part of speech | / | Clause | Clause |
| Words in sentence | / | 飲酒 | 飲到醉 |
Predicate of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-object | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Object |
| Part of speech | / | Verb | Noun |
| Words in sentence | / | 飲 | 酒 |
Complement of that sentence | |||
| Type of sentence structure | Predicative-complement | ||
| Functions in sentence | Subject | Predicate | Complement |
| Part of speech | / | Verb; / | Adjective |
| Words in sentence | / | 飲; 到 | 醉 |
Reference
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