Translate English to Cantonese
Cantonese is the primary language of Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong province in China, spoken by about 85 million people. It is the language of dim sum restaurants, Cantopop music, and Hong Kong cinema worldwide. Whether you are writing to contacts in Hong Kong, preparing Cantonese text for a menu, or connecting with Cantonese-speaking communities, paste your text above.
Common English to Cantonese translations
| English | Cantonese | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | nay HOH | ||
| Good morning | 早晨 | joh SAHN | ||
| Thank you | 多謝 | daw JEH | ||
| Please | 唸該 | mm GOY | ||
| How much is this? | 幾錢啊? | GAY-daw cheen ah | ||
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手間喃邊度? | sai-SAU-gaan hai been-DOH | ||
| I do not understand | 我唷明 | ngoh mm MING | ||
| Can you help me? | 你可唸可以幫我? | nay haw-mm-HAW-yee bong NGOH | ||
| I would like tea | 我想要茶 | ngoh SEUNG yiu CHAH | ||
| The bill, please | 型單 | MY daan | ||
| Nice to meet you | 很高興認識你 | hun GOH-hing ying-SIK nay | ||
| Goodbye | 再見 | joy GEEN | ||
| I need a doctor | 我需要醫生 | ngoh SEUY yiu yee-SAHNG | ||
| Excuse me | 唸好意思 | mm hoh YEE-see |
Tips for English to Cantonese translation
Cantonese uses Traditional Chinese characters, the same writing system as Taiwan. Some characters have Cantonese-specific colloquial forms not used in standard written Chinese. The translator outputs standard Traditional Chinese that is widely understood.
Cantonese has six to nine tones (depending on analysis), more than Mandarin's four. The written form does not indicate tones explicitly, so listening to the audio is essential for pronunciation practice.
Written Cantonese exists in two registers: formal (following standard Chinese grammar, essentially the same as Mandarin writing) and colloquial (following Cantonese spoken grammar with unique characters). The translator outputs formal standard Chinese by default.
Cantonese loanwords from English are abundant due to Hong Kong's British colonial history. 巴士 (bus), 的士 (taxi), 多士 (toast), and 芋士 (cheese) are standard Cantonese. New English loanwords continue to enter the language.
About the Cantonese language
Cantonese is a Chinese language variety spoken in Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Macau, and by diaspora communities worldwide. While it shares the written Chinese character system with Mandarin, the spoken forms are not mutually intelligible. Cantonese preserves Middle Chinese features that Mandarin lost, including additional tones and final consonant sounds.
Hong Kong, with its 7.5 million population, is the cultural center of the Cantonese-speaking world. Cantopop, Hong Kong cinema (Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Wong Kar-wai), and dim sum culture have given Cantonese global visibility. Despite growing Mandarin influence in mainland Guangdong, Cantonese remains the dominant language of daily life in Hong Kong and Macau.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No sign-up needed.
Yes. Standard Traditional Chinese characters.
Yes. Click the speaker icon.
No. Cantonese and Mandarin are different spoken languages. They share a writing system but pronunciation and some grammar differ significantly.
Good for everyday use. Professional review for marketing or official content targeting Hong Kong audiences.
The default output is formal written Chinese. Heavily colloquial Cantonese writing uses different characters and grammar.
Visit our Cantonese to English page.
Yes.
Different pronunciation, tones, and some vocabulary. Same writing system. Not mutually intelligible in spoken form.
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Need the reverse? Try Cantonese to English translation.
