親（每次）

Every Single Time

Level 4Sounds Like can1

Use Verb + 親 (can1) ... 都 (dou1) to say 'Whenever I [Verb], [Result] always happens.' It emphasizes the inevitability and regularity of a habit or consequence.

How It Works

The pattern 親 (can1) is a staple of spoken Cantonese. It functions as a conditional marker that links a recurring action to a consistent outcome.

1. Sentence Structure:
The standard structure is: (Subject) + [Verb + 親 (can1)] + (Object) + 都 (dou1) + [Result]. Note that in colloquial Cantonese, the subject is frequently omitted in the first clause when it is understood from context.

The adverb 都 (dou1) (or sometimes 就 (zau6)) is almost always required in the second clause to complete the logic of 'every time... then...'.

2. Emphatic Variants: 凡親 and 逢親
You will often hear 凡親 (faan4 can1) or 逢親 (fung4 can1) at the start of the sentence. These are even more emphatic ways to say 'Every single time without exception.' When you use these markers at the start, the 親 (can1) after the verb becomes optional, though it is often retained for extra emphasis.

3. The 次次...親 (ci3 ci3... can1) Frame:
Another very common spoken variant is using 次次 (ci3 ci3) at the start of the sentence: 次次 + [Verb + 親 (can1)]... 都 (dou1).... For example: '次次食親辣嘢都肚痛' (ci3 ci3 sik6 can1 laat6 je5 dou1 tou5 tung3) - 'Every single time I eat spicy food, I get a stomach ache.'

4. The 一...親 (jat1... can1) Frame:
To emphasize that the result happens immediately every single time the action starts, you can use the 一 (jat1) + Verb + 親 (can1) frame. For example, '一講親呢件事佢就喊' (jat1 gong2 can1 ni1 gin6 si6 keoi5 zau6 haam3) - 'Every time this matter is mentioned, he starts crying immediately.'

5. Nuance and Register:
While it is often used to complain, it is not restricted to negative contexts. It can describe any reliable habit or natural law. It is strictly colloquial; in formal writing, you would use 每當 (mui5 dong1) or 凡是 (faan4 si6) instead.

6. Distinction from other 'can1':
Do not confuse this with the adversative suffix 親 (can1) used for accidents like 跌親 (dit3 can1 - to fall and hurt oneself). While they look the same, the 'whenever' pattern is identified by the presence of a following clause containing 都 (dou1).

Examples (5)

  1. 我見親佢都好開心。

    Whenever I see him, I am very happy.

    Word by Word: I see [whenever] him all very happy.

    Here, 親 (can1) attaches to the verb 見 (gin3 - to see) to show that the happiness is a constant result of seeing him.

  2. 佢食親辣嘢都肚痛。

    Every single time he eats spicy food, he gets a stomach ache.

    Word by Word: He eat [whenever] spicy thing all stomach pain.

    This demonstrates the 'inevitable consequence' nuance of the pattern.

  3. 凡親落雨，我都會帶遮。

    Whenever it rains, I (always) bring an umbrella.

    Word by Word: [Whenever] fall rain, I all will bring umbrella.

    Using 凡親 (faan4 can1) adds extra emphasis to the 'every single time' meaning.

  4. 我講親佢都唔聽。

    Every time I start talking, he doesn't listen.

    Word by Word: I speak [whenever] he all not listen.

    This is a common way to voice a complaint using the pattern.

  5. 佢去親旅行都買好多手信。

    Whenever he goes traveling, he buys a lot of souvenirs.

    Word by Word: He go [whenever] travel all buy many souvenirs.

    The suffix 親 (can1) follows the verb 去 (heoi3 - to go), even though there is an object/destination following it.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 親 (can1) after the object instead of the verb.

    我食辣嘢親都肚痛。
    我食親辣嘢都肚痛。

    親 (can1) is a verbal suffix. It must be attached directly to the verb (食 - eat), not the object (辣嘢 - spicy food).

  • Thinking 都 (dou1) or 就 (zau6) is required in the second clause.

    Different Meaning我見親佢好開心。
    我見親佢都好開心。

    我見親佢好開心 can be understood, but a second-clause adverb such as 都 (dou1) or 就 (zau6) is very common and makes the 'every time' link clearer.

How It Connects

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

親（每次）Level 4Every Single Time

Learn This First

To use 親 (every time), you need to understand how to link two clauses. The first clause contains the verb followed by 親, and the second clause almost always requires the adverb 都 (also/all) to indicate that the result happens every single time without exception.