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A2 · Lesson 12

Festivals & Celebrations

節日慶祝
What you will learn

Discover the festivals and celebrations that make Hong Kong vibrant. Learn vocabulary and expressions for Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, birthdays, and other special occasions.

Dialogue

Conversation

A
新年快樂！恭喜發財！
Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity!
B
恭喜發財！你今年點樣過年呀？
Wishing you prosperity! How are you celebrating New Year this year?
A
我哋一家人會食團年飯，跟住去睇煙花。
Our whole family will have reunion dinner, then go watch fireworks.
B
好正呀！我都好鍾意睇煙花。你派唔派利是呀？
Awesome! I love watching fireworks too. Will you be giving red packets?
A
梗係啦，已經準備咗好多利是。你中秋節會做啲咩？
Of course, I have already prepared lots of red packets. What will you do for Mid-Autumn Festival?
B
我哋通常去公園賞月同食月餅。
We usually go to the park to admire the moon and eat mooncakes.
A
今年端午節你會唔會去睇龍舟比賽？
Will you go watch the dragon boat races this Dragon Boat Festival?
B
一定去！我同朋友約咗喺赤柱睇，順便食糉。
Definitely! My friends and I planned to watch at Stanley, and eat rice dumplings too.
Vocabulary

Key Words & Phrases

新年
New Year
恭喜發財
wishing you prosperity
團年飯
reunion dinner
利是
red packet / lucky money
煙花
fireworks
中秋節
Mid-Autumn Festival
月餅
mooncake
賞月
admire the moon
端午節
Dragon Boat Festival
龍舟
dragon boat
糉
rice dumpling (zongzi)
生日快樂
happy birthday
Grammar

Language Patterns

點樣 + verb (how to / in what way)

點樣 (dim2 joeng2) means "how" or "in what way". Use it to ask about the manner of doing something. Very common in conversation.
你點樣慶祝生日？
nei5 dim2 joeng2 hing3 zuk1 saang1 jat6?
How do you celebrate your birthday?
你點樣過聖誕？
nei5 dim2 joeng2 gwo3 sing3 daan3?
How do you spend Christmas?

梗係 (of course)

梗係 (gang2 hai6) means "of course" or "naturally". It is a very colloquial and emphatic way to express certainty. Often followed by 啦.
梗係要去啦！
gang2 hai6 jiu3 heoi3 laa1!
Of course we have to go!
梗係鍾意啦。
gang2 hai6 zung1 ji3 laa1.
Of course I like it.

verb + 咗 ... 跟住 + verb (did X then did Y)

Use verb+咗 for the first completed action, then 跟住 (gan1 zyu6) meaning "then" or "afterwards" to chain the next action. Great for narrating sequences.
食咗飯跟住去睇戲。
sik6 zo2 faan6 gan1 zyu6 heoi3 tai2 hei3.
Had dinner then went to watch a movie.
買咗嘢跟住返屋企。
maai5 zo2 je5 gan1 zyu6 faan1 uk1 kei2.
Bought things then went home.

順便 (while at it / conveniently)

順便 (seon6 bin6) means "while you are at it" or "conveniently also". Used when adding a secondary action to a primary plan.
去超市順便買啲生果。
heoi3 ciu1 si5 seon6 bin6 maai5 di1 saang1 gwo2.
Go to the supermarket and grab some fruit while at it.
出街順便幫我寄信。
ceot1 gaai1 seon6 bin6 bong1 ngo5 gei3 seon3.
When you go out, mail this letter for me too.
Practice

Test Your Knowledge

Fill_blank · Question 1
___！恭喜發財！ (Happy New Year)
  • 新年快樂
  • 生日快樂
  • 中秋節
  • 聖誕快樂
Answer
新年快樂
Translate · Question 2
How do you celebrate Chinese New Year?
Answer
你點樣過新年呀？
Choice · Question 3
What is a 利是?
  • red packet with money
  • mooncake
  • rice dumpling
  • dragon boat
Answer
red packet with money
Fill_blank · Question 4
我哋去公園賞月同食 ___。 (mooncakes)
  • 月餅
  • 糉
  • 叉燒包
  • 蝦餃
Answer
月餅
Translate · Question 5
We had reunion dinner then went to watch fireworks.
Answer
我哋食咗團年飯跟住去睇煙花。

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