畀（使役）

Let/allow

Level 3Sounds Like bei2

The word 畀 (bei2) is the standard colloquial way to say 'let' or 'allow' in Cantonese. It follows the structure: [Subject] + 畀 + [Person] + [Action].

How It Works

1. Basic Structure
The pattern is straightforward: [Subject] + 畀 (bei2) + [Causee/Pivot] + [Verb Phrase]. The 'Causee' is the person who is being allowed to do the action.

2. Overlap with Passive Voice
Note that this structure is identical to the passive marker. For example, '佢畀我打' (keoi5 bei2 ngo5 daa2) can mean 'He let me hit (him)' or 'He was hit by me.' You must rely on context or resultative complements to distinguish them.

3. Register and Usage
畀 (bei2) is extremely common in daily conversation. In formal writing, you might see 讓 (joeng6) or 使 (si2), but using these in casual Cantonese sounds unnatural.

4. Permission vs. Command
It is important to note that 畀 (bei2) is strictly for 'letting' or 'allowing' (permission). If you want to say 'make', 'tell', or 'order' someone to do something, you should use 叫 (giu3) instead. For example, '我叫佢去' (ngo5 giu3 keoi5 heoi3) means 'I told/made him go.'

5. 'Let me' with 等 (dang2)
For first-person 'let me' contexts, Cantonese speakers often prefer using 等 (dang2) instead of 畀 (bei2). For example, '等我嚟啦' (dang2 ngo5 lei4 laa1) means 'Let me do it' or 'Let me handle it.'

6. Negation
To say 'not let' or 'not allow,' use 唔畀 (m4 bei2). This is the standard way to express prohibition or refusal of permission.

7. Aspect Markers
Unlike some other causative verbs, 畀 (bei2) can take aspect markers like 咗 (zo2) to emphasize that permission was given: '我畀咗佢去' (I let him go). However, in many contexts, the aspect marker is placed on the final verb instead.

Examples (5)

  1. 畀我睇吓。

    Let me have a look.

    Word by Word: Let me see a-bit.

    A very common phrase using the delimitative aspect 吓 (haa5) to mean 'a little bit' or 'briefly.'

  2. 唔好畀佢走！

    Don't let him leave!

    Word by Word: Not good let him leave!

    Uses 唔好 (m4 hou2) to create a negative command.

  3. 阿媽唔畀我食糖。

    Mom won't let me eat candy.

    Word by Word: Mom not let me eat candy.

    Demonstrates the standard negation 唔畀 (m4 bei2) for 'not allow.'

  4. 佢唔畀我哋入去。

    He won't let us go in.

    Word by Word: He not let us enter-go.

    Uses the directional compound 入去 (jap6 heoi3) as the main action.

  5. 老師畀咗我早啲返屋企。

    The teacher let me go home early.

    Word by Word: Teacher let-already me early bit return home.

    Shows 咗 (zo2) attached to 畀 (bei2) to indicate that permission was granted in the past.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Mandarin-style 讓 (joeng6) in casual speech.

    Different Meaning我媽唔讓我去。
    我媽唔畀我去。

    While 讓 (joeng6) is understood, it sounds like you are reading from a textbook. Native speakers almost exclusively use 畀 (bei2) in daily life.

  • Confusing the causative 'let' with the passive 'by'.

    Different Meaning佢畀我打。
    佢畀我打咗一餐。

    Because 畀 (bei2) is also the passive marker, '佢畀我打' can mean 'He let me hit (him)' or 'He was hit by me.' Context or resultative complements like 一餐 (jat1 caan1) are usually needed to clarify.

How It Connects

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畀（使役）Level 3Let/allow

Learn This First

To understand the causative use of 畀 (meaning 'let' or 'allow'), you first need to be familiar with its basic use as 'to give' or as a recipient marker. You also need to know basic pronouns and standard word order, as this pattern functions by placing the person being permitted between the word 畀 and the action they are allowed to take.

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