Directions

1. 地鐵站喺邊度？

   dei6 tit3 zaam6 hai2 bin1 dou6?

   Where is the MTR station?

   Usage

   Used to ask the location of an MTR station

   Grammar Note

   hai2 (喺) is the Cantonese locative verb/preposition, equivalent to Mandarin zài (在)

2. 轉左。

   zyun3 zo2.

   Turn left.

   Usage

   Used to instruct someone to turn left

   Grammar Note

   In Cantonese, verb + direction gives directional commands; zyun3 (轉) is "turn"

3. 轉右。

   zyun3 jau6.

   Turn right.

   Usage

   Used to instruct someone to turn right

   Grammar Note

   zo2 (左) and jau6 (右) are directional words sharing characters with Mandarin

4. 直行落去。

   zik6 haang4 lok6 heoi3.

   Go straight ahead.

   Usage

   Used to direct someone to go straight

   Grammar Note

   lohk-heui (落去) is a directional complement meaning "continue downward/forward"

5. 由呢度去有幾遠？

   jau4 ni1 dou6 heoi3 jau5 gei2 jyun5?

   How far is it from here?

   Usage

   Used to ask how far away a destination is

   Grammar Note

   gei2 (幾) is a Cantonese interrogative adverb meaning "how much/many"

6. 我迷路喇，可唔可以幫我呀？

   ngo5 mai4 lou6 laa3, ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 bong1 ngo5 aa3?

   I'm lost. Can you help me?

   Usage

   Used when lost and asking for help

   Grammar Note

   laa3 (喇) is a Cantonese sentence-final particle indicating change of state or completion

7. 搭幾號巴士去機場？

   daap3 gei2 hou6 baa1 si2 heoi3 gei1 coeng4?

   Which bus number goes to the airport?

   Usage

   Used to ask which bus number goes to the airport

   Grammar Note

   daap (搭) is the Cantonese verb for boarding transport, meaning "to take/ride"

8. 附近有冇的士？

   fu6 gan6 jau5 mou5 dik1 si2?

   Is there a taxi nearby?

   Usage

   Used when looking for a nearby taxi

   Grammar Note

   dik1 si2 (的士) is the Cantonese transliteration of English "taxi"

9. 請問去維多利亞港點行？

   cing2 man6 heoi3 wai4 do1 lei6 aa3 gong2 dim2 haang4?

   How do I get to Victoria Harbour?

   Usage

   Used to ask how to reach Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong

   Grammar Note

   dim2 (點) is the Cantonese interrogative adverb meaning "how"

10. 行路到唔到呀？

    haang4 lou6 dou3 m4 dou3 aa3?

    Can you walk there?

    Usage

    Used to ask if a destination is walkable

    Grammar Note

    dou3 m4 dou3 (到唔到) combines affirmative and negative forms for a yes/no question (A-not-A)

11. 右邊

    jau6 bin1

    Right

    Usage

    One word beats a sentence in a moving taxi or when asking the way

12. 左邊

    zo2 bin1

    Left

    Usage

    One word beats a sentence in a moving taxi or when asking the way

13. 直行

    zik6 haang4

    Go straight

    Usage

    Cantonese says "zik6 haang4", not the Mandarin "yīzhí zǒu"

14. 掉頭

    diu6 tau4

    Turn back / U-turn

    Usage

    Show it to a driver who has gone past the turn

15. 停車

    ting4 ce1

    Stop the car

    Usage

    Show it in a taxi to mean "stop here"; on a street sign the same word can mean parking, so use it only inside a vehicle

16. 北

    bak1

    North

    Usage

    For matching compass directions on a map or sign

17. 南

    naam4

    South

    Usage

    For matching compass directions on a map or sign

18. 東

    dung1

    East

    Usage

    For matching compass directions on a map or sign

19. 西

    sai1

    West

    Usage

    For matching compass directions on a map or sign

20. 巴士站

    baa1 si2 zaam6

    Bus stop

    Usage

    HK says "baa1 si2 zaam6", not the Mandarin "gōngjiāochēzhàn"

21. 港鐵站

    gong2 tit3 zaam6

    MTR station

    Usage

    Hong Kong’s metro is the MTR, signed as "gong2 tit3"; in speech "dei6 tit3 zaam6" also works

22. 大使館

    daai6 si3 gun2

    Embassy

    Usage

    Hong Kong and Macau host consulates ("ling5 si6 gun2"), not embassies — ask for those if you are in the city

23. 提款機

    tai4 fun2 gei1

    ATM

    Usage

    HK says "tai4 fun2 gei1" or "gwai6 jyun4 gei1"; the Mandarin term is not used

24. 找換店

    zaau2 wun6 dim3

    Money changer

    Usage

    HK money changers are "zaau2 wun6 dim3", clustered in Chungking Mansions and Mong Kok

25. 自助洗衣店

    zi6 zo6 sai2 ji1 dim3

    Laundromat

    Usage

    Show it when looking for somewhere to do laundry on a long stay

26. 酒店

    zau2 dim3

    Hotel

    Usage

    Show it when asking the way back to your hotel; budget guesthouses are "ban1 gun2"

27. 機場

    gei1 coeng4

    Airport

    Usage

    Show it to a taxi driver or at an information desk

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