Verb-not-verb questions
Cantonese often forms a yes-no question by repeating the verb with 唔 in the middle.
Examples
CantoneseTranslation
你要唔要飲茶？Nei5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 jam2 caa4?
Do you want to drink tea?
你去唔去呀？Nei5 heoi3 m4 heoi3 aa3?
Are you going?
食唔食甜品？Sik6 m4 sik6 tim4ban2?
Will you eat dessert?
Pattern
verb + 唔 + same verb
How it works
Cantonese often forms a yes-no question by repeating the verb with 唔 in the middle. This pattern typically appears as verb + 唔 + same verb and becomes easier when you meet it again in short, readable examples.
What to notice
- The question is built inside the verb phrase itself.
- This pattern is extremely common in speech and casual dialogue.
Why it matters
Handle more natural spoken questions and choices.
Use in context
This is a classic spoken Cantonese pattern and a very important bridge beyond simple particle questions.