呀 (aa5)

Confident Check

Level 5Sounds Like aa4

Use 呀 (aa5) when you think you know the answer and just want the listener to confirm it. It's like saying '..., right?' or '..., isn't it?'

How It Works

In Cantonese, sentence-final particles (SFPs) are the primary way to manage social rapport and information flow. The particle 呀 (aa5) is specifically used for presupposition checking.

1. Seeking Confirmation:
When you see someone doing something or hear a piece of news, you use 呀 (aa5) to ask 'Is my observation correct?' It is much more confident than a standard question. For example, if you see a friend holding a bag of groceries, you might say 買嘢呀？ (maai5 je5 aa5? - 'Buying things, right?').

2. Echo Questions and Softening:
It is frequently used to repeat what someone just said to ensure you heard it correctly. Additionally, when used with question words like 點解 (dim2 gaai2), it softens the inquiry, making it sound less like a demand and more like a gentle check of the situation.

3. Phonology and Fusion:
The tone is Tone 5 (Low-Rising). This rising contour provides the questioning feel. Because it starts with a vowel, it often undergoes liaison or fusion with the preceding word. If the previous word ends in a vowel, they merge (e.g., 去 heoi3 + 呀 aa5 sounds like a long 'heoi-aa5'). Crucially, when it follows the particle 嘅 (ge3), the two undergo a complete fusion to become 㗎 (gaa5) (e.g., 係佢嘅 + 呀 → 係佢㗎？).

4. Register:
This is strictly colloquial. It is essential for sounding natural in spoken Cantonese but is not used in formal writing.

Examples (5)

  1. 食飯呀？

    You're eating, right?

    Word by Word: eat rice [confirmation]?

    Used when you walk into a room and see someone currently eating. You aren't asking 'what' they are doing, but confirming what you see.

  2. 佢去美國呀？

    He's going to America, isn't he?

    Word by Word: he go America [confirmation]?

    Used when you have heard a rumor or have reason to believe he is going, and you want to verify it.

  3. 係佢㗎？

    It's his, right?

    Word by Word: be he [fusion of ge3 + aa5]?

    This demonstrates the fusion of the possessive 嘅 (ge3) and the particle 呀 (aa5) to form 㗎 (gaa5).

  4. 點解呀？

    Why is that? (with a specific reason in mind)

    Word by Word: why [confirmation]?

    Using 呀 (aa5) with 點解 (dim2 gaai2) softens the question and often implies the speaker has a specific reason for asking or is checking a presupposition.

  5. 聽日去呀？

    We're going tomorrow, right?

    Word by Word: tomorrow go [confirmation]?

    An echo question used to confirm a previously discussed plan.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the mid-level tone (aa3) instead of the low-rising tone (aa5).

    Different Meaning你買咗車呀？ (aa3)
    你買咗車呀？ (aa5)

    Both forms are natural. 呀 (aa3) asks an open, brand-new question. 呀 (aa5) shows you have already seen or heard about the car and are just confirming.

  • Using 呀 (aa5) when you mean disbelief.

    Different Meaning佢唔嚟呀？ (aa5)
    佢唔嚟咩？ (me1)

    佢唔嚟呀 with 呀 (aa5) is a good question that simply confirms what you heard. If you are shocked that someone isn't coming, use 咩 (me1).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

呀 (aa5)Level 5Confident Check

Learn This First

To understand 呀 (aa5), a learner needs a solid grasp of how sentence-final particles function in Cantonese. Specifically, they must be familiar with the neutral version of this particle (aa3) and how tone changes on particles are used to shift the meaning from a simple statement or soft question to a confident check or confirmation.