Getting Around — First Steps

What you will learn

Navigate Hong Kong by MTR, bus, and taxi. Ask for and give directions in Cantonese.

Ask how to get somewhere
Understand basic directions (left, right, straight)
Use transport vocabulary (MTR, bus, taxi)
Buy tickets and ask about stops

Dialogue

Conversation

A

唔好意思，請問點去尖沙咀鐘樓呀？

m4 hou2 ji3 si1, cing2 man6 dim2 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2 zung1 lau2 aa3?

Excuse me, how do I get to the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower?

B

你行直行，過兩個街口就到喇。

nei5 haang4 zik6 haang4, gwo3 loeng5 go3 gaai1 hau2 zau6 dou3 laa3.

Walk straight ahead, past two intersections and you are there.

A

大概要行幾耐呀？

daai6 koi3 jiu3 haang4 gei2 noi6 aa3?

About how long to walk?

B

五分鐘左右。

ng5 fan1 zung1 zo2 jau6.

About five minutes.

A

如果我想搭地鐵去旺角呢？

jyu4 gwo2 ngo5 soeng2 daap3 dei6 tit3 heoi3 wong6 gok3 ne1?

What if I want to take the MTR to Mong Kok?

B

你行去尖沙咀站，搭紅色嘅荃灣線，三個站就到。

nei5 haang4 heoi3 zim1 saa1 zeoi2 zaam6, daap3 hung4 sik1 ge3 cyun4 waan1 sin3, saam1 go3 zaam6 zau6 dou3.

Walk to TST station, take the red Tsuen Wan line, three stops.

A

車費幾錢呀？

ce1 fai3 gei2 cin2 aa3?

How much is the fare?

B

用八達通大概六蚊幾。

jung6 baat3 daat6 tung1 daai6 koi3 luk6 man1 gei2.

About six-something dollars with Octopus card.

Vocabulary

Key Words & Phrases

行

haang4

to walk

搭

daap3

to take (transport)

去

heoi3

to go

到

dou3

to arrive / to reach

左

zo2

left

右

jau6

right

直行

zik6 haang4

go straight

站

zaam6

station / stop

地鐵

dei6 tit3

MTR / subway

巴士

baa1 si2

bus

的士

dik1 si2

taxi

八達通

baat3 daat6 tung1

Octopus card

Grammar

Language Patterns

Asking for directions: 點去 + place

Use 點去 (dim2 heoi3) meaning how to go to ask for directions. Add 請問 (cing2 man6) at the start for politeness.

請問點去中環？

cing2 man6 dim2 heoi3 zung1 waan4?

How do I get to Central?

點去機場呀？

dim2 heoi3 gei1 coeng4 aa3?

How do I get to the airport?

Giving directions: 轉左/轉右/直行

Use 轉左 (zyun3 zo2) for turn left, 轉右 (zyun3 jau6) for turn right, and 直行 (zik6 haang4) for go straight.

轉左再直行。

zyun3 zo2 zoi3 zik6 haang4.

Turn left then go straight.

過馬路之後轉右。

gwo3 maa5 lou6 zi1 hau6 zyun3 jau6.

After crossing the road, turn right.

Transport: 搭 + vehicle

Use 搭 (daap3) as the verb for taking any form of transport. Follow with the vehicle type.

搭地鐵去旺角。

daap3 dei6 tit3 heoi3 wong6 gok3.

Take the MTR to Mong Kok.

搭的士快啲。

daap3 dik1 si2 faai3 di1.

Taking a taxi is faster.

Counting stops: number + 個站

Use number + 個站 (go3 zaam6) to say how many stops on transit. 就到 (zau6 dou3) means then you arrive.

三個站就到。

saam1 go3 zaam6 zau6 dou3.

Three stops and you are there.

下一個站落車。

haa6 jat1 go3 zaam6 lok6 ce1.

Get off at the next stop.

Practice

Test Your Knowledge

Translate · Question 1

How do you say "How do I get to Central?" in Cantonese?

Answer

點去中環？(dim2 heoi3 zung1 waan4?)

Fill_blank · Question 2

你行去尖沙咀 ___，搭紅色嘅線。(Walk to TST ___, take the red line.)

Answer

站 (zaam6)

Choose · Question 3

What does 搭 mean in the context of transport?

to walk
to drive
to take / ride
to wait

Answer

to take / ride

Translate · Question 4

Say "Turn left then go straight" in Cantonese.

Answer

轉左再直行 (zyun3 zo2 zoi3 zik6 haang4)

Translate · Question 5

Translate: 三個站就到。

Answer

Three stops and you are there.

Navigate Hong Kong by MTR, bus, and taxi. Ask for and give directions in Cantonese.

Conversation

Key Words & Phrases

Language Patterns

Asking for directions: 點去 + place

Giving directions: 轉左/轉右/直行

Transport: 搭 + vehicle

Counting stops: number + 個站

Test Your Knowledge

Finished this lesson?