Money and Shopping in Cantonese

In Brief

Ask 呢個幾錢？ (ni1 go3 gei2 cin2?) for “How much is this?” In everyday Hong Kong Cantonese, put 蚊 (man1) after a number to mean dollars: 五十蚊 is “fifty dollars.” 平 (peng4) means “cheap,” 貴 (gwai3) means “expensive,” and 平啲得唔得？ politely asks whether the price can be lower.

Overview

Shopping language is an A1 skill with immediate practical value. A small set of patterns lets you ask a price, understand an amount, say what you want, and pay. These patterns rely on numbers, so it helps to know how to form amounts such as 二十 “twenty” and 五十六 “fifty-six” first.

Cantonese price expressions are often shorter than their English equivalents. An answer does not need a word corresponding to “is”: 五十蚊 by itself is a complete answer to a price question. Likewise, 呢個太貴 literally follows the compact pattern “this one—too expensive.” Cantonese is a topic-prominent language: speakers often name what they are talking about first, then comment on it.

The vocabulary here reflects everyday Hong Kong usage. 蚊 is the ordinary spoken unit for one Hong Kong dollar, while 毫 means ten cents. Formal prices may use 元 or the traditional form 圓, but these are not normally the first choice in casual conversation. Jyutping romanization is included below as a pronunciation aid; the final number marks the Cantonese tone.

How It Works

Asking the price with 幾錢

幾錢 (gei2 cin2) means “how much money?” or simply “how much?” Put the item or service before it:

item + 幾錢？

• 呢個幾錢？ (ni1 go3 gei2 cin2?) — How much is this?
• 嗰個幾錢？ (go2 go3 gei2 cin2?) — How much is that?
• 一張飛幾錢？ (jat1 zoeng1 fei1 gei2 cin2?) — How much is one ticket?

In 呢個, 呢 means “this” and 個 is a classifier (a word used between a number or demonstrative and many nouns). With the noun understood, 呢個 means “this one.” For a specific noun, use its normal classifier: 呢件衫 “this item of clothing,” 呢對鞋 “this pair of shoes,” or 呢杯咖啡 “this cup of coffee.”

English uses the same “how much” for price and uncountable quantity. Cantonese 幾錢 asks specifically about price. To ask “how many?” you normally need 幾 + classifier, such as 幾個？ “how many?”

For a slightly fuller question, especially when asking about a total, use 要幾錢？ (jiu3 gei2 cin2?), literally “requires how much?”:

• 一共要幾錢？ (jat1 gung6 jiu3 gei2 cin2?) — How much is it altogether?

Saying dollar amounts with 蚊

The basic order is extremely regular:

number + 蚊

Cantonese amount	Jyutping	Meaning
一蚊	jat1 man1	one dollar
兩蚊	loeng5 man1	two dollars
十蚊	sap6 man1	ten dollars
二十五蚊	ji6 sap6 ng5 man1	twenty-five dollars
一百蚊	jat1 baak3 man1	one hundred dollars

Use 兩 (loeng5), rather than 二 (ji6), for the standalone amount “two dollars”: 兩蚊. Inside a larger number, use the ordinary number-building rules: 十二蚊 is twelve dollars and 二十二蚊 is twenty-two dollars.

蚊 does not change form for plural amounts. There is no equivalent of the English contrast between “one dollar” and “two dollars.” Do not add a classifier between the number and 蚊 in the beginner pattern.

A price can stand directly after its topic:

• 呢本書八十蚊。 (ni1 bun2 syu1 baat3 sap6 man1.) — This book is eighty dollars.
• 兩杯茶三十蚊。 (loeng5 bui1 caa4 saam1 sap6 man1.) — Two cups of tea are thirty dollars.

No linking verb is required. Adding English-style “is” word for word is therefore a common unnecessary step.

Smaller units: 毫 and 仙

One 毫 (hou4) is ten cents, or one tenth of a dollar. A number before 毫 tells you how many ten-cent units there are.

Cantonese amount	Jyutping	Value	Note
一毫	jat1 hou4	$0.10	ten cents
五毫	ng5 hou4	$0.50	fifty cents
三蚊五毫	saam1 man1 ng5 hou4	$3.50	explicit, easy-to-understand form
十二蚊五毫	sap6 ji6 man1 ng5 hou4	$12.50	dollars before smaller units

仙 (sin1) means one cent, from English “cent,” but exact cent amounts are less prominent in ordinary cash speech than dollar and ten-cent amounts. Printed prices and electronic payments can of course show exact cents. For a beginner, 蚊 and 毫 are the essential spoken units.

Describing the price

Cantonese descriptive words such as 平 “cheap” and 貴 “expensive” can function as the main comment without a verb meaning “to be.”

Pattern	Jyutping	Meaning
好平	hou2 peng4	cheap / very cheap
好貴	hou2 gwai3	expensive / very expensive
太貴喇	taai3 gwai3 laa3	too expensive!
平啲	peng4 di1	cheaper / a little cheaper
貴啲	gwai3 di1	more expensive / a little more expensive

Before an adjective, 好 often acts as a natural linking or degree word; it does not always carry the emphatic force of English “very.” 太…喇 presents a limit that has been exceeded: 太貴喇 means “It’s too expensive.” The final particle 喇 adds a natural spoken sense of reaction or a changed situation.

啲 after an adjective means “a bit more” in that direction. Therefore 平啲 is “cheaper” or “a little cheaper.” Cantonese does not need an adjective ending like English -er.

Asking for a lower price

A common pattern for asking whether something is possible is:

verb or adjective + 得唔得？

得唔得 (dak1 m4 dak1) literally asks “possible or not possible?” This is an A-not-A question, a Cantonese yes/no pattern that presents a positive and negative alternative.

• 平啲得唔得？ (peng4 di1 dak1 m4 dak1?) — Can it be cheaper?
• 平少少得唔得？ (peng4 siu2 siu2 dak1 m4 dak1?) — Could it be a little cheaper?

Whether bargaining is appropriate depends on the setting. It may be possible in some markets or for negotiable services, but it is not normal at a supermarket, chain store, or restaurant with fixed displayed prices. The phrase is grammatically useful; social context decides whether to use it.

Buying, giving, and paying

買 (maai5) means “buy.” It is followed by the thing bought:

• 我想買呢個。 (ngo5 soeng2 maai5 ni1 go3.) — I’d like to buy this one.

俾 (bei2) means “give” in colloquial Cantonese and is also central to payment language. With two recipients or objects, Cantonese commonly places the thing given before the person receiving it:

俾 + money/thing + recipient

• 俾二十蚊你。 (bei2 ji6 sap6 man1 nei5.) — Here’s twenty dollars for you.

俾錢 (bei2 cin2) means “pay,” literally “give money.” In a shop or restaurant, 埋單 (maai4 daan1) means to settle or ask for the bill. 收 (sau1) means “receive” and is useful when checking accepted payment methods: 收唔收信用卡？ “Do you accept credit cards?”

Examples in Context

Cantonese	Jyutping	English	Note
呢個幾錢？	ni1 go3 gei2 cin2?	How much is this?	Basic price question
嗰對鞋幾錢？	go2 deoi3 haai4 gei2 cin2?	How much is that pair of shoes?	對 classifies paired objects
五十蚊。	ng5 sap6 man1.	Fifty dollars.	A complete short answer
呢本書八十蚊。	ni1 bun2 syu1 baat3 sap6 man1.	This book is eighty dollars.	No linking verb before the price
兩杯咖啡一共六十蚊。	loeng5 bui1 gaa3 fe1 jat1 gung6 luk6 sap6 man1.	Two coffees are sixty dollars altogether.	一共 means “altogether”
三蚊五毫。	saam1 man1 ng5 hou4.	Three dollars and fifty cents.	Larger unit comes first
呢件衫好平。	ni1 gin6 saam1 hou2 peng4.	This shirt is cheap.	件 classifies clothing
嗰間舖頭比較貴。	go2 gaan1 pou3 tau2 bei2 gaau3 gwai3.	That shop is comparatively expensive.	比較 makes an explicit comparison
太貴喇！	taai3 gwai3 laa3!	That’s too expensive!	Natural spoken reaction
平啲得唔得？	peng4 di1 dak1 m4 dak1?	Can it be cheaper?	Bargaining request
我想買呢個。	ngo5 soeng2 maai5 ni1 go3.	I’d like to buy this one.	想 softens the intention
俾二十蚊你。	bei2 ji6 sap6 man1 nei5.	Here’s twenty dollars for you.	Thing given precedes recipient
我俾現金。	ngo5 bei2 jin6 gam1.	I’ll pay cash.	現金 means cash
收唔收信用卡？	sau1 m4 sau1 seon3 jung6 kaat1?	Do you accept credit cards?	A-not-A question
唔該，埋單。	m4 goi1, maai4 daan1.	Excuse me, the bill, please.	Used at a restaurant

Common Mistakes

1. Using 幾 by itself for a price

• Wrong: 呢個幾？
• Right: 呢個幾錢？
• Why: 幾 means “how many/how much” only as part of a larger quantity expression. For a price, include 錢.

2. Translating “is” into a simple price statement

• Awkward beginner pattern: 呢個係五十蚊。
• Natural: 呢個五十蚊。
• Why: A price can be the direct comment about the item. 係 is useful for identifying or equating things, but it is normally unnecessary in a basic “this costs fifty dollars” statement.

3. Copying English plural marking

• Wrong: 五十蚊s
• Right: 五十蚊
• Why: Cantonese money units do not take an English plural ending. The number already gives the amount.

4. Saying 二蚊 for the basic amount “two dollars”

• Less natural: 二蚊
• Natural: 兩蚊
• Why: Cantonese generally uses 兩 before units and classifiers when counting two items or units. Keep 二 when it is part of a larger number, as in 十二蚊 and 二十二蚊.

5. Putting 啲 before the adjective

• Wrong: 啲平
• Right: 平啲
• Why: In the comparative pattern, 啲 follows the adjective: adjective + 啲 means “a little more [adjective].”

6. Bargaining wherever a price appears

• Grammatically correct but inappropriate in many settings: 平啲得唔得？ at a supermarket checkout
• Better: Pay the displayed price, or decide not to buy.
• Why: Correct grammar does not guarantee appropriate usage. Bargaining depends on whether prices are negotiable in that particular setting.

Usage Notes

Spoken and written currency words

蚊 is strongly associated with casual spoken Hong Kong Cantonese. Official writing, bank information, receipts, and careful announcements may show 元 (jyun4) or 圓 (jyun4). A displayed price such as 港幣五十元 means “HK$50,” while a shopper is likely to say 五十蚊. 港紙 (gong2 zi2) is an informal expression for Hong Kong dollars, especially when the currency needs to be distinguished from another one.

Do not assume that 蚊 is the universal casual word in every Cantonese-speaking region or for every currency context. This article teaches Hong Kong usage. When discussing another currency, name it if ambiguity matters: for example, 美金 “US dollars.”

Politeness in transactions

Cantonese often sounds compact to English ears, but short does not automatically mean rude. Tone of voice and small courtesy expressions do much of the social work. 唔該 (m4 goi1) is used for service, assistance, and small favours, so it fits naturally when asking for a bill or receiving something from shop staff. 多謝 (do1 ze6) expresses thanks for a gift or substantial personal benefit; the distinction is not identical to English, which uses “thank you” for both.

我想買呢個 “I’d like to buy this one” sounds gentler than simply naming the object. When bargaining, 平少少得唔得？ is softer than announcing 太貴喇！ by itself.

Cash, cards, and electronic payment

The core grammar stays the same across payment methods. Use 俾 with a method, or ask 收唔收…？ “Do you accept…?” Common nouns include 現金 “cash” and 信用卡 “credit card.” Brand names for stored-value or mobile payment systems can fill the same slot, but acceptance changes by business, so asking is useful.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master the following variations at A1, but you will hear them in natural speech.

Compressed colloquial prices

Fast Hong Kong Cantonese can shorten familiar price expressions. In the right context, speakers may omit a predictable unit or use compact conventions for mixed dollar-and-cent amounts. For example, half-dollar amounts are often expressed with 半 “half,” and contextual phrases may be shorter than the fully explicit 三蚊五毫. These forms depend heavily on the kind of goods and the expected price range. As a learner, use the explicit form first and confirm an amount when the stakes matter.

Comparing two prices

For a simple comparison, A 平過 B means “A is cheaper than B,” while A 貴過 B means “A is more expensive than B.” 過 marks the comparison standard—the thing that A exceeds in cheapness or expensiveness.

• 呢間平過嗰間。 (ni1 gaan1 peng4 gwo3 go2 gaan1.) — This shop is cheaper than that one.
• 網上買平啲。 (mong5 soeng6 maai5 peng4 di1.) — Buying online is a bit cheaper.

Do not combine English comparison grammar with Cantonese: 平過 already expresses “cheaper than,” so it needs no equivalent of more.

Discounts, totals, and change

Useful later vocabulary includes 折扣 (zit3 kau3) “discount,” 特價 (dak6 gaa3) “special price,” and 找錢 (zaau2 cin2) “give change.” On signs, discounts are often expressed with 折, but the Hong Kong convention can require calculation rather than a direct reading as “percent off.” Learn those advertised-discount patterns separately instead of guessing from English signage conventions.

For totals, 一共 “altogether” and 總共 (zung2 gung6) “in total” can come before the amount or before 要幾錢. If a spoken total is unclear, repeat it as a question: 一百二十蚊？ “One hundred and twenty dollars?” Confirming is more reliable than pretending to understand a compressed amount.

Practice Tips

1. Build prices from numbers. Pick ten amounts you see on a menu or online shop and say each aloud with 蚊. Include 兩蚊, 十二蚊, and 二十二蚊 so that the 兩/二 contrast becomes automatic.
2. Rehearse a three-line exchange. Point to an object and say 呢個幾錢？ Answer with a price, then react with 好平 or 太貴喇. Change the classifier when you practise with clothing, books, drinks, and shoes.
3. Train your ears with real totals. Listen for the number first and the unit second. Write down what you hear, then repeat the whole amount. Once explicit 蚊 and 毫 prices feel easy, start noticing—but do not rush to imitate—shorter colloquial forms.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Numbers and Counting — provides the number patterns needed to form and understand prices.