How to Say "Hello" in Cantonese

Greeting Others

Use néih hóu (nay hoh) to say "hello" in most situations. Néih hóu is the common way to say "hello" in Cantonese, and is used as a general greeting. You can also vary your greeting depending on the time of the day. Jóusàhn (yoh sun) means "good morning," and is used generally before noon. After noon, you can also say ńgh ōn (nnn ohn), which means "good afternoon." Máahn ōn (mmm ohn) means "good evening," and is used as a greeting after sunset.Tip: If someone says jóusàhn, ńgh ōn, or máahn ōn to you, it's polite to repeat the greeting back to them in return.

Say wái (why-ee) if you're answering the phone. As in many languages, the way you answer the phone in Cantonese differs from how you would say "hello" to someone in person. This word also means "hello," but is used solely when you're talking on the phone. Keep in mind you can also say néih hóu when answering the phone, and the person calling will understand what you're saying. In Hong Kong, wái is also used as a general, casual greeting. EXPERT TIP Godspeed Chen Godspeed Chen Native Chinese Speaker & Translator Godspeed Chen is a Professional Translator from China. He has been working in translation and localization for over 15 years. Godspeed Chen Godspeed Chen Native Chinese Speaker & Translator Expert Variation: One way to greet someone in the evening is to say, ‘Good night’ 早抖 (jóutáu). You can also tell them, ‘Goodbye’ 再見 (joigin) 拜拜 (bāaibaai).

Add néih hóu ma (nay hoh mah) to ask after the person's well-being. This phrase is similar to asking "How are you?" in English. To say this phrase with the correct tones, lower your pitch on the last word, rather than raising it as you would when asking a question in English. The common reply to néih hóu ma is hóu hóu (hoh hoh) – similar to saying "fine" in English.

Try sik jor fahn mei ah (sihk johr fahn may ah) in Hong Kong. This phrase literally means "Have you eaten yet?" It's a common way to ask after someone's well-being in Hong Kong, rather than saying néih hóu ma. Because eating well is an important part of Chinese culture, this phrase is seen as the equivalent to showing concern for someone's well-being. For example, you might say "Néih hóu, sik jor fahn mei ah?" You're literally saying "Hello, have you eaten yet?" However, this is the equivalent to saying "Hi, how are you?" in English. Answer this question literally, referring back to the most recent meal. If you have eaten, reply sik jor. If you haven't eaten yet, reply mei sik. For example, if someone asks this question in mid-afternoon, they're referring to lunch, not breakfast.

Introducing Yourself

Use ngóh giujouh (noh gee-yew-toh) to tell someone your name. If you're introducing yourself for the first time, say ngóh giujouh followed by your name. You might follow up with néih giu mātyéh méng a (nay yuu tohmat-yeh mehng ah) to ask the other person their name. Another way to ask the person their name is néih dím chìngfù a (nay ding fing-fuu ah). This formulation is generally more casual.Tip: After exchanging names, you might say hóu hòisàm yihngsīk néih (how how-sahm yay-seek nay), which means "pleased to meet you."

Tell the person where you're from. Use the phrase ngóh haih ... yàhn (noh high-ee yahn) to tell people where you're from. There's no need to worry about translating the name of your home country to Cantonese. For example, if you were from the United States, you could say ngóh haih United States yàhn. If you want to ask the other person where they're from, say néih haih bīndouh yàhn a (noh high-ee been-dow yahn ah).

Ask the person if they speak English. You're already about a third of the way through a conversation, but if you're just learning Cantonese, this may be as far as you can go. If you want to continue to converse in English, ask neih sīkm̀hsīk góng yìngmán a (nay seek-mh-seek gohng yeeng-mahn ah). If you want to practice Cantonese, you might say tùhng ngóh góng gwóngdùngwá (toon noh goh gohn-doo-wah), which means "speak to me in Cantonese."

Mind your manners when speaking to others. As in any other culture, words such as "please" and "thank you" are important when speaking to someone in Cantonese. Especially if you are just beginning to learn the language, being polite will go a long way. The word m̀hgòi (mmm-goy) means "thank you," "excuse me," and "please." If someone says m̀hgòi to you, you should reply m̀hsái haakhei (mmm-sai hahk-hay), which means "you're welcome." If someone gives you a gift, the correct word of thanks is dòjeh (sounds like door-chair).