Basic Conjunctions in Cantonese

In Brief

Use 同 tung4 for “and” between people or things and for “with”; use 同埋 tung4 maai4 for “and also.” 或者 waak6 ze2 presents alternatives, 但係 daan6 hai6 introduces a contrast, and 因為…所以 jan1 wai6…so2 ji5 links a reason to its result. These words do not all cover the same wide range as English “and” and “or,” so learn the pattern each one connects.

Overview

Conjunctions are connecting words: they show that two people belong together, offer a choice, contrast one idea with another, or explain why something happens. With only a few Cantonese conjunctions, you can turn short statements into useful everyday sentences: “I’m going with you,” “tea or coffee,” and “I’m tired, but I still have to work.”

This is an A1 topic because the basic patterns are short and regular. Cantonese verbs do not change to agree with the speaker or to mark these relationships. Instead, the connector’s position tells the listener how the parts fit together. A noun phrase (a person, thing, or group treated as one unit) can be linked by 同 or 同埋. A clause (a group of words expressing an event or situation) can be introduced by 但係, 因為, or 所以.

English encourages learners to reuse “and” for almost every kind of connection. Natural Cantonese is more selective. 同 is especially useful between nouns and in the meaning “with,” while 同埋 can add another item or point. When two complete events simply happen in sequence, Cantonese may use no conjunction at all. The beginner patterns below give you a safe foundation; later sections explain the main subtleties.

How It Works

The core connectors

Connector	Jyutping	Core meaning	What it normally connects
同	tung4	and; with	people and things; a companion with an action
同埋	tung4 maai4	and; and also	added people, things, actions, or points
或者	waak6 ze2	or; perhaps	alternatives, especially in statements
但係	daan6 hai6	but	contrasting clauses or ideas
因為…所以	jan1 wai6…so2 ji5	because…so	a reason followed by its result

Jyutping tone numbers are part of the pronunciation: 同 is tung4, not simply tung. You do not need to pronounce the romanization as though it were English spelling.

同: “and” between nouns, or “with”

Put 同 between two noun phrases:

A + 同 + B

• 咖啡同茶 gaa3 fe1 tung4 caa4 — coffee and tea
• 哥哥同妹妹 go1 go1 tung4 mui6 mui2 — older brother and younger sister

With a person before an action, 同 often means “with.” A common order is:

subject + 同 + person + 一齊 + verb

一齊 jat1 cai4 means “together” and makes the shared action explicit: 我同你一齊去 “I’ll go together with you.” In this use, 同你 is not the subject “you and I”; it tells you who accompanies the subject.

Do not assume that 同 can join any two full English sentences. It is safest at beginner level for people and things. To add a whole action or another point, 同埋 is often more natural.

同埋: adding another item or point

同埋 contains 同, but it has a broader additive feel: “and,” “as well as,” or “and also.” It is common in speech and can introduce the last item in a list:

A +、+ B + 同埋 + C

• 我要蘋果、橙同埋香蕉。 — I want apples, oranges, and bananas.

It can also add another request or action:

• 記得買奶，同埋買麵包。 — Remember to buy milk, and also buy bread.

The second verb may be omitted when the meaning remains clear: 我要咖啡，同埋一件蛋糕 “I’d like coffee and also a slice of cake.”

或者: alternatives

Place 或者 between alternatives:

A + 或者 + B

• 我哋可以搭巴士或者搭地鐵。 — We can take the bus or the MTR.

The alternatives should have a parallel shape when possible: noun with noun, or verb phrase with verb phrase. Cantonese 或者 is particularly natural in statements, suggestions, and possibilities. It can also mean “perhaps” when it appears before a possibility: 或者佢聽日嚟 “Perhaps they’ll come tomorrow.”

In direct alternative questions, everyday Cantonese very often uses 定係 ding6 hai6 instead: 你飲茶定係咖啡？ “Are you having tea or coffee?” The concept example 你想食飯或者食麵？ is understandable as asking which option the listener wants, but 定係 makes the either-or question especially clear. For now, remember: 或者 offers possibilities; 定係 commonly asks the listener to choose between named options.

但係: contrast

Put 但係 before the second, contrasting clause:

clause 1 +，但係 + clause 2

• 我好攰，但係要做嘢。 — I’m very tired, but I have to work.

The subject need not be repeated when it is the same in both clauses. A comma is useful in writing, but speech relies on rhythm and a short pause. 但係 does not mean that the first statement is false; it signals that the second statement goes against an expectation created by the first.

Cantonese often strengthens this pattern with 都 dou1 “still/even so”: 雖然好攰，但係我都要做嘢 “Although I’m tired, I still have to work.” This fuller pairing belongs beyond the basic rule, but you will hear it often.

因為…所以: reason followed by result

The clearest beginner pattern is:

因為 + reason， 所以 + result

• 因為落雨，所以唔去。 — Because it’s raining, I’m not going.

因為 introduces the cause; 所以 introduces what follows from it. Unlike formal English, which normally avoids “because … so” in one standard sentence, Cantonese naturally permits and often prefers both markers together. Translate the meaning naturally, not word for word.

The subject can appear after 因為 or before the whole pattern, depending on what sounds clear:

• 因為我聽日要返工，所以今晚唔出去。 — Because I have to work tomorrow, I’m not going out tonight.
• 我因為聽日要返工，所以今晚唔出去。 — Because I have to work tomorrow, I’m not going out tonight.

In conversation, one half can be left out when the relationship is obvious:

• 因為我唔舒服，我想返屋企。 — I want to go home because I don’t feel well.
• 落緊雨，所以我哋搭的士。 — It’s raining, so we’re taking a taxi.

For an A1 learner, using both 因為 and 所以 is a reliable way to keep the logic clear.

Examples in Context

Cantonese	Jyutping	English	Note
我同你一齊去。	ngo5 tung4 nei5 jat1 cai4 heoi3.	I’ll go together with you.	同 means “with”; 一齊 reinforces “together.”
阿明同阿美都係學生。	aa3 ming4 tung4 aa3 mei5 dou1 hai6 hok6 saang1.	Ah Ming and Ah Mei are both students.	同 joins two people as the subject.
我想買茶同咖啡。	ngo5 soeng2 maai5 caa4 tung4 gaa3 fe1.	I want to buy tea and coffee.	Two things joined by 同.
請帶護照同埋張飛。	cing2 daai3 wu6 ziu3 tung4 maai4 zoeng1 fei1.	Please bring your passport and your ticket.	同埋 adds a second item.
佢識講廣東話，同埋識講英文。	keoi5 sik1 gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2, tung4 maai4 sik1 gong2 jing1 man2.	They can speak Cantonese, and they can also speak English.	同埋 adds another ability.
我哋可以今日或者聽日去。	ngo5 dei6 ho2 ji5 gam1 jat6 waak6 ze2 ting1 jat6 heoi3.	We can go today or tomorrow.	或者 presents two possible days.
你想食飯或者食麵？	nei5 soeng2 sik6 faan6 waak6 ze2 sik6 min6?	Do you want rice or noodles?	An understandable choice question; 定係 is also very common here.
或者佢遲啲先到。	waak6 ze2 keoi5 ci4 di1 sin1 dou3.	Perhaps they’ll arrive a little later.	Sentence-initial 或者 means “perhaps.”
間餐廳平，但係好遠。	gaan1 caan1 teng1 peng4, daan6 hai6 hou2 jyun5.	The restaurant is inexpensive, but it’s far away.	The second description contrasts with the first.
我好攰，但係要做嘢。	ngo5 hou2 gui6, daan6 hai6 jiu3 zou6 je5.	I’m very tired, but I have to work.	The shared subject is not repeated.
因為落雨，所以唔去。	jan1 wai6 lok6 jyu5, so2 ji5 m4 heoi3.	Because it’s raining, I’m not going.	Full reason–result pair.
因為今日放假，所以地鐵冇咁多人。	jan1 wai6 gam1 jat6 fong3 gaa3, so2 ji5 dei6 tit3 mou5 gam3 do1 jan4.	Because today is a holiday, the MTR is not as crowded.	所以 introduces the result.
我唔識路，所以問咗個職員。	ngo5 m4 sik1 lou6, so2 ji5 man6 zo2 go3 zik1 jyun4.	I didn’t know the way, so I asked a staff member.	所以 can be used without 因為.

Common Mistakes

Using 同 for every English “and”

• Unnatural: 我食飯，同我睇電視。 (intended: “I eat and watch TV.”)
• Better: 我食飯，同埋睇電視。
• Why: 同 is safest for joining people and things or expressing “with.” 同埋 can add a second action. In a simple sequence, 我食飯、睇電視 with a pause and no connector may also be natural.

Treating 同你 as a combined subject

• Wrong meaning: 我同你一齊去 interpreted as “You and I” without noticing the structure.
• Clear meaning: 我同你一齊去。 — “I’m going with you.”
• Why: Here 我 is the subject, while 同你 means “with you.” If you need to stress that both people form the subject, context and words such as 兩個都 “both” can help: 我同你兩個都要去 “You and I both have to go.”

Using 或者 for every direct either-or question

• Less typical for a sharp choice: 你飲茶或者咖啡？
• More typical: 你飲茶定係咖啡？
• Why: 或者 commonly presents possibilities in statements; 定係 commonly asks the listener to select one alternative. 或者 in a question is not automatically wrong, but it can sound more like offering possibilities than setting up a strict choice.

Copying the English ban on “because…so”

• Incomplete through overcorrection: 因為落雨，唔去。
• Clear beginner pattern: 因為落雨，所以唔去。
• Why: Cantonese comfortably pairs 因為 with 所以. Leaving one marker out is possible, but do not remove it merely because English normally chooses either “because” or “so.”

Putting the cause and result markers on the wrong ideas

• Wrong: 所以落雨，因為我唔去。
• Right: 因為落雨，所以我唔去。
• Why: 因為 must introduce the reason (“it is raining”), and 所以 must introduce the consequence (“I am not going”). Ask yourself “why?” to identify the 因為 clause.

Usage Notes

These forms belong mainly to ordinary spoken and neutral written Cantonese. 同, 同埋, and 但係 are especially characteristic of everyday speech. More formal writing may use alternatives influenced by Standard Written Chinese, such as 與 for “and/with,” 以及 for “as well as,” and 但是 for “but.” Recognize those forms when reading, but they are not necessary for basic conversation.

Written Cantonese often uses Chinese punctuation: a comma between linked clauses and 、 to separate items in a list. The final item can be introduced by 同埋, much like “and” before the last item in an English list. In speech, pauses do much of the same work.

Cantonese frequently leaves repeated material unsaid. In 我好攰，但係要做嘢, the second clause has no repeated 我, because the listener understands that the same person is tired and has to work. This is not careless speech; it is normal when the missing subject is obvious.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master these contrasts at A1, but they explain forms you will soon encounter.

或者 and 定係 divide the idea of “or” by function rather than matching English mechanically. Compare 你可以搭巴士或者地鐵 “You can take the bus or the MTR” with 你搭巴士定係地鐵？ “Are you taking the bus or the MTR?” The first leaves options open; the second requests a choice. In some questions, 或者 is possible because the speaker is suggesting acceptable possibilities rather than demanding one selection.

Contrast can be built as a pair. 雖然…但係… seoi1 jin4…daan6 hai6… means “although…(still)…”: 雖然落雨，但係我哋都去 “Although it’s raining, we’re still going.” The word 都 often highlights that the result holds despite the obstacle. Similarly, reason and result may be spread across turns in conversation: one speaker gives a reason with 因為, and another infers the result.

同埋 can organize speech, not just grammar inside a sentence. A speaker may use it at the start of a new point, much like “also” or “one more thing”: 同埋，我想問下聽日幾點開始 “Also, I’d like to ask what time it starts tomorrow.” Repeating 同埋 too often can make planned writing sound like an unedited list, so more advanced speakers vary their organization or use punctuation.

Finally, not every sequence needs an overt “and.” Cantonese often places actions next to each other when their order is obvious: 我返屋企食飯 can mean “I’ll go home and eat” or, more naturally, “I’ll go home to eat.” Context decides whether the actions are sequential or whether the second gives the purpose. This is one reason a word-for-word English “and” can sound unnecessary.

Practice Tips

1. Sort by connection type. Make five cards labelled “people/things,” “addition,” “alternatives,” “contrast,” and “reason → result.” Put 同, 同埋, 或者, 但係, and 因為…所以 under the correct labels, then create one sentence for each.
2. Build paired sentences aloud. Start with two short facts, such as 我好攰 and 我要返工, then join them with 但係. Do the same with one cause and one result using 因為…所以. This trains meaning and word order together.
3. Listen for omitted words. In a Cantonese conversation, notice whether speakers repeat the subject after 但係 or 所以, and compare choice questions containing 定係 with statements containing 或者.

Related Concepts

• Next step: Temporal Connectors — connect events with meanings such as “before,” “after,” and “when.”
• Later topic: Conditional Sentences — connect a condition with its possible result.
• Later topic: Purpose and Reason Clauses — develop more precise ways to express reasons, results, and purposes.