咗 and 過
Use 咗 to show a completed action in context and 過 to show prior life experience.
Examples
CantoneseTranslation
我睇咗嗰篇文章，仲去過香港島。Ngo5 tai2 zo2 go2 pin1 man4zoeng1, zung6 heoi3 gwo3 Hoeng1gong2 dou2.
I read that article, and I have also been to Hong Kong Island.
佢買咗兩張票。Keoi5 maai5 zo2 loeng5 zoeng1 piu3.
He bought two tickets.
你食過榴槤未？Nei5 sik6 gwo3 lau4lin4 mei6?
Have you ever eaten durian?
Pattern
verb + 咗 / verb + 過
How it works
Use 咗 to show a completed action in context and 過 to show prior life experience. This pattern typically appears as verb + 咗 / verb + 過 and becomes easier when you meet it again in short, readable examples.
What to notice
- 咗 usually marks completion in the current context.
- 過 usually points to life experience rather than one bounded finished event.
Why it matters
See how Cantonese marks completion, experience, and ongoing action.
Use in context
These particles matter because Cantonese meaning relies heavily on aspect markers instead of verb conjugation.