The vowels can be long or short. Long vowels occur in open syllables, where there are no endings. Short vowels occur in syllables which end in nasals (-m, -n or -ng) or stops (-p, -t or -k).

In some dialects there is a vowel which we represent as ii, which does not occur in standard English. It is a retroflex i, the closest sound is almost like ir in "shir" when saying English 'sure'. In the Hong Kong dialect, these sounds become -i or -u.

In Chinese linguistics, syllables are traditionally divided into an "initial" (the consonant at the beginning of the syllable) and a "final" (the vowel and the consonant after it if there is one).

Tones vary substantially by dialect. The tone changes known as sandhi do occur, but are less complex than many other Chinese languages.

Apart from tonal differences, there are small variations in pronunciations from place to place. The following details some of the more commonly found differences, which may be helpful to the user when hearing other speakers from different areas.

h is sometimes pronounced as s, especially when there is a vowel -i- in the syllable. E.g. 兄 hiung1 may be pronounced siung1.

au is sometimes pronounced as o. E.g. 好 hau3 / ho3

ai is sometimes pronounced as e E.g. 雞 gai1 / ge1

Some Hakka dialects has the -u- medial, so you may hear words like 光 gong1 pronounced as guong1 (gwong1).

Hello.

. (Neh Ho )

Hello. (informal)

. ( )

How are you?

 ? ( Ne How Mau)

Fine, thank you.

. (Simungi )

What is your name?

 ? (Nyah Miang Hair )

My name is ______ .

______ . ( Ngah Miang Hair .)

Nice to meet you.

. ( How Seek Ne)

Please.

. ( )

Thank you.

do1 cia4 . ( )

You're welcome.

. ( )

Yes.

. ( )

No.

. ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention)

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

. ( )

I'm sorry.

. ( )

Goodbye

. ( )

Goodbye (informal)

. ( )

I can't speak Hakka [well].

[ ]. ( [ ])

Do you speak English?

 ? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

 ? (Neh Wooi You Nyin Kong Yin Mun Mau?)

Help!

 ! ( !)

Look out!

 ! ( !)

Good morning.

. ( )

Good evening.

. ( )

Good night.

. ( )

Good night (to sleep)

. ( )

I don't understand.

. ( )

Where is the toilet?

 ? ( ?)

Leave me alone.

. ( .)

Don't touch me!

 ! ( !)

I'll call the police.

. ( .)

Police!

 ! ( !)

Stop! Thief!

 ! ! ( ! !)

I need your help.

. ( .)

It's an emergency.

. ( .)

I'm lost.

. ( .)

I lost my bag.

. ( .)

I lost my wallet.

. ( .)

I'm sick.

. ( .)

I've been injured.

. ( .)

I need a doctor.

. ( .)

Can I use your phone?

 ? ( ?)

1

一 yit5

2

二 ngi4

3

三 sam1

4

四 si4

5

五 ng3

6

六 luk5

7

七 cit5

8

八 bat5

9

九 giu3

10

十 sip6

11

十一 sip6 yit5

12

十二 sip6 yit5

13

十三 sip6 sam1

14

十四 sip6 si4

15

十五 sip6 ng3

16

十六 sip6 luk5

17

十七 sip6 cit5

18

十八 sip6 bat5

19

十九 sip6 giu3

20

二十 ngi4 sip6

21

二十一 ngi4 sip6 yit5

22

二十二 ngi3 sip6 ngi4

23

二十三 ngi3 sip6 sam1

30

三十 sam1 sip6

40

四十 si4 sip6

50

五十 ng3 sip6

60

六十 luk5 sip6

70

七十 cit5 sip6

80

八十 bat5 sip6

90

九十 giu3 sip6

100

一百 yit5 bak5

200

二百 ngi4 bak5

300

三百 sam1 bak 5

1000

一千 yit5 cien1

2000

二千 ngi4 cien1

10,000

一萬 yit5 van4

100,000

十萬 sip6 van4

1,000,000

一百萬 yit5 bak5 van4

10,000,000

一千萬 yit5 cien1 van

100,000,000

一億 yit4 yit6

1,000,000,000

十億 sip6 yit6

10,000,000,000

一百億 yit5 bak5 yit6

100,000,000,000

一千億 yit5 cien1 yit6

1,000,000,000,000

一兆 yit5 cau4

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

_____號 hau4

half

半 ban4

less

少 sau3

more

多 do1

now

今下 gin1 ha4

late

遲 ci2

early

早 zau3

morning

朝頭早 zau1 teu2 zau3

afternoon

下晝 ha1 zu4

evening

暗晡晨 am4 bu1 sin2

night

夜晚晨 ya4 man1 sin2

dawn

日頭一起 ngit5 teu2 yit5 hi3

dusk

日頭落光 ngit5 teu2 lok6 gong1

black

( )woo sek

Where does this train/bus go?

()

Where is the train/bus to _____?

()

Does this train/bus stop in _____?

()

When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

()

When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

()

Do you have any rooms available?

( )

How much is a room for one person/two people?

( )

Does the room come with...

( )

...bedsheets?

( )

...a bathroom?

(baa fong )

...a telephone?

( )

...a TV?

( )

May I see the room first?

( )

Do you have anything quieter?

( )

...bigger?

( )

...cleaner?

( )

...cheaper?

( )

OK, I'll take it.

( )

I will stay for _____ night(s).

( )

Can you suggest another hotel?

( )

Do you have a safe?

( )

...lockers?

( )

Is breakfast/supper included?

( )

What time is breakfast/supper?

( )

Please clean my room.

( )

Can you wake me at _____?

( )

I want to check out.

( )

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?

( )

Do you accept British pounds?

( )

Do you accept euros?

( )

Do you accept credit cards?

( )

Can you change money for me?

( )

Where can I get money changed?

( )

Can you change a traveler's check for me?

( )

Where can I get a traveler's check changed?

( )

What is the exchange rate?

( )

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?

( )

A table for one person/two people, please.

( )

Can I look at the menu, please?

( )

Can I look in the kitchen?

( )

Is there a house specialty?

( )

Is there a local specialty?

( )

I'm a vegetarian.

( )

I don't eat pork.

( )

I don't eat beef.

( )

I only eat kosher food.

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)

( )

fixed-price meal

( )

a la carte

( )

breakfast

( )

lunch

( )

tea (meal)

( )

supper

( )

I want _____.

( )

I want a dish containing _____.

( )

chicken

(gai )

beef

(ngu nuk )

fish

( )

ham

( )

sausage

( )

cheese

( )

eggs

( )

salad

( )

(fresh) vegetables

( )

(fresh) fruit

( )

bread

( )

toast

( )

noodles

( )

rice

( )

beans

( )

May I have a glass of _____?

( )

May I have a cup of _____?

( )

May I have a bottle of _____?

( )

coffee

( )

tea (drink)

( )

juice

( )

(bubbly) water

( )

(still) water

( )

beer

( )

red/white wine

( )

May I have some _____?

( )

salt

( )

black pepper

( )

butter

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished.

( )

It was delicious.

( )

Please clear the plates.

( )

The check, please.

( )

Do you serve alcohol?

( )

Is there table service?

( )

A beer/two beers, please.

( )

A glass of red/white wine, please.

( )

A pint, please.

( )

A bottle, please.

( )

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.

( )

whiskey

( )

vodka

( )

rum

( )

water

( )

club soda

( )

tonic water

( )

orange juice

( )

Coke (soda)

( )

Do you have any bar snacks?

( )

One more, please.

( )

Another round, please.

( )

When is closing time?

( )

Cheers!

( )

Do you have this in my size?

( )

How much is this?

( )

That's too expensive.

( )

Would you take _____?

( )

expensive

( )

cheap

( )

I can't afford it.

( )

I don't want it.

( )

You're cheating me.

( )

I'm not interested.

(..)

OK, I'll take it.

( )

Can I have a bag?

( )

Do you ship (overseas)?

( )

I need...

( )

...toothpaste.

( )

...a toothbrush.

( )

...tampons.

. ( )

...soap.

( )

...shampoo.

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)

( )

...cold medicine.

( )

...stomach medicine.

... ( )

...a razor.

( )

...an umbrella.

( )

...sunblock lotion.

( )

...a postcard.

( )

...postage stamps.

( )

...batteries.

( )

...writing paper.

( )

...a pen.

( )

...English-language books.

( )

...English-language magazines.

( )

...an English-language newspaper.

( )

...an English-English dictionary.

( )

I want to rent a car.

( )

Can I get insurance?

( )

stop (on a street sign)

( )

one way

( )

yield

( )

no parking

( )

speed limit

( )

gas (petrol) station

( )

petrol

( )

diesel

( )

I haven't done anything wrong.

( )

It was a misunderstanding.

( )

Where are you taking me?

( )

Am I under arrest?

( )

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.

( )

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer.

( )

Can I just pay a fine now?

( )