yow mo yew?
I’m full.
Sick bow.
No MSG thanks.
Mm-yew may jing.
(Mm-yew should really be Mm-yee-oo but Mm-yew will do.)
No chillies.
Mm-yew lart.
More chillies.
Door dee lart.
Some water please.
Soy mm-goy.
(Soy should really be Soy-ee but Soy will do.)
And, when you hear the nice waiter or waitress say “Bay cheen” - it’s time to pay up!
At the Western Doctor
I feel dizzy.
Or tow one. (tow as in towel)
I’ve got the shits.
Or toe sair.
I have a pain here.
Or lido ho tung.
I have a fever.
Or far(t) gun see-you.
I’ve got the flu.
Or gum-mo.
I have a headache.
Or tow tung.
I have a sore throat.
Or how loong tung.
My baby’s coughing all the time.
Or gore sigh-lo sang yart cut.
My baby’s crying all the time.
Or gore sigh-lo sang yart harm.
At the Airport
I’ve lost my bag.
Or mm-geen jaw or gair doy-ee.
I’ve lost my luggage.
Or mm-geen jaw or gair hung lay.
Hopefully, you will then hear some good Samaritan in a uniform of sorts say…
Mutt yeah sick? (What colour?)
Where are the taxis?
Mm-goy, been doe yow dixie darb-ah?
Taxis
Follow that cab.
Gun gore gar dixie.
Can I smoke?
Sick-mm-sick duck yee aah?
Got any music?
Hoy dee yum lock tang ha?
(If your hard-working and generally underpaid Hong Kong cabbie can’t understand you, he will say: May-ah? i.e.: What’s that?)
Faster please.
Fie dee mm-goy.
Slow down please.
Marn dee mm-goy.
Stop here.
Lee-dough/Lido.
Stop here thanks.
Hi nee-dough ting mm-goy.
(A flashier way of saying stop here.)
Stop there thanks.
High gore-dough ting mm-goy.
Turn right.
June yow.
Turn left.
June jaw.
Turn around.
Dew tow.
Please wait a moment.
Dung dung mm-goy.
It’s near …
Gun jew …
It’s opposite …
Doy mean …
This corner please.
June waan mm-goy.
Keep going.
Check hoy.
I’ll show you. (i.e.: You drive, I’ll show you.)
Or die nay hoy.
Star Ferry.
Teen sing ma tow.
(Tow as in tower.)
Sorry, I was here first.
Doy-mm-jew, or seen.
How’s the traffic?
Suck-mm-suck chair?
Where’s the traffic jam?
Been dough suck chair?
How much?
Gay cheen?
Receipt please.
Hoy jerng darn mm-goy.
(It’s polite to ask this next one in case you’ve only got a $500 or $1,000 note in Hong Kong for instance, before the cab sets off.)
Do you have change?
Yow mo duck tzow?
Keep the change.
Mm-say-ee jow.
Further Taxis
The dynamic duo behind Instant! Cantonese, wish to get those who have bought our book to become more involved with the great town of Hong Kong and its underpaid cabbies. For instance, most foreign devils jump into a cab and just say the place to where they want to go. So in Hong Kong, here’s how to say, “Take me to … such and such a place.“
Take me to … Queen’s Road East.
Chair or hoy … Wong how die dough doong.
Take
