Verb + 得 + Adjective + 過

Comparing How Well

Level 4

The pattern V + 得 + Adj + 過 is the standard Cantonese way to say someone does something 'more [Adjective] than' someone else. It focuses on the quality of the action rather than just a state.

How It Works

This pattern is essential for daily Cantonese conversation and differs significantly from Mandarin word order.

1. Basic Structure
For simple verbs without an object, the structure is: Subject + Verb + 得 (dak1) + Adj + 過 (gwo3) + Comparison Target.
Example: 佢行得快過我 (keoi5 haang4 dak1 faai3 gwo3 ngo5) - He walks faster than me.

2. Handling Objects
When the verb has a direct object, you have three main options:
• Verb Repetition: Repeat the verb after the object. V + Obj + V + 得 + Adj + 過 + Comparison Target.
Example: 佢講廣東話講得好過我 (keoi5 gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2 gong2 dak1 hou2 gwo3 ngo5) - He speaks Cantonese better than I do.
• S-O-V Order: Place the object between the subject and the verb. Subj + Obj + V + 得 + Adj + 過 + Comparison Target.
Example: 佢廣東話講得好過我 (keoi5 gwong2 dung1 waa2 gong2 dak1 hou2 gwo3 ngo5) - He speaks Cantonese better than me.
• Topic-Comment: Move the object to the front of the sentence to avoid repetition. Obj + Subj + V + 得 + Adj + 過 + Comparison Target.
Example: 廣東話佢講得好過我 (gwong2 dung1 waa2 keoi5 gong2 dak1 hou2 gwo3 ngo5) - As for Cantonese, he speaks it better than me.

3. Specifying the Degree
To specify how much better or faster something is, add 少少 (siu2 siu2) or 好多 (hou2 do1) at the end of the pattern:
• 佢行得快過我少少 (keoi5 haang4 dak1 faai3 gwo3 ngo5 siu2 siu2) - He walks a little bit faster than me.
• 佢行得快過我好多 (keoi5 haang4 dak1 faai3 gwo3 ngo5 hou2 do1) - He walks much faster than me.

Colloquial Shorthand: In highly colloquial speech, when a degree modifier is present, 得 (dak1) and 過 (gwo3) are sometimes dropped. For example, 佢行快我少少 (keoi5 haang4 faai3 ngo5 siu2 siu2) is also common next to 佢行得快過我少少.

Important: Do not use the default degree adverb 好 (hou2) before the adjective in a comparative sentence (e.g., do not say 佢行得好快過我).

To express that someone does something "even more" (e.g., even faster, even better), place 仲 (zung6) or 更加 (gang3 gaa1) before the adjective. Note that 仲 is the overwhelmingly preferred colloquial choice in daily speech, whereas 更加 sounds slightly more formal or written:
• 佢行得仲快過我 (keoi5 haang4 dak1 zung6 faai3 gwo3 ngo5) - He walks even faster than me.

4. Note on Negation
To say someone does not do something "as well as" another, you cannot simply negate this pattern by putting 唔 (m4) before the adjective (e.g., saying 佢行得唔快過我 is highly unnatural). Instead, use the 冇 (mou5) ... 咁 (gam3) structure or 唔夠 (m4 gau3) ... (咁) (gam3), where 咁 is frequently dropped in natural speech when using 唔夠.
Example 1: 佢行得冇我咁快 (keoi5 haang4 dak1 mou5 ngo5 gam3 faai3) - He doesn't walk as fast as I do.
Example 2: 佢冇我行得咁快 (keoi5 mou5 ngo5 haang4 dak1 gam3 faai3) - He doesn't walk as fast as me (alternative word order).
Example 3: 佢行得唔夠我快 (keoi5 haang4 dak1 m4 gau3 ngo5 faai3) - He doesn't walk as fast as me.

5. Asking Questions
To ask if someone does something better, faster, etc., than someone else, use the A-not-A question structure on the adjective: Verb + 得 + Adj + 唔 + Adj + 過.
Example: 佢行得快唔快過你？ (keoi5 haang4 dak1 faai3 m4 faai3 gwo3 nei5?) - Does he walk faster than you?

6. Register
This is the natural, spoken way to compare actions. While formal writing might use 比 (bei2), in casual speech 過 is the more typical choice for this pattern, though 比 is also heard (for example 佢跑得比我快).

Examples (5)

  1. 佢行得快過我。

    He walks faster than me.

    Word by Word: He walk [manner] fast surpass me.

    A simple comparison where the verb 行 (haang4, to walk) has no object.

  2. 我煮飯煮得好食過佢。

    I cook better than him.

    Word by Word: I cook rice cook [manner] delicious surpass him.

    Because 'cook' has an object 'rice' (faan6), the verb 煮 (zyu2) must be repeated.

  3. 阿明跑得快過我好多。

    Ah Ming runs much faster than me.

    Word by Word: Ah Ming run [manner] fast surpass me very much.

    You can add degree modifiers like 好多 (hou2 do1, a lot) at the end of the pattern.

  4. 佢做得衰過我。

    He did it worse than me.

    Word by Word: He do [manner] bad surpass me.

    The pattern is neutral; it works for negative adjectives like 衰 (seoi1, bad/rotten) just as well as positive ones.

  5. 你寫字寫得靚過我。

    You write characters more beautifully than I do.

    Word by Word: You write characters write [manner] pretty surpass me.

    The verb 寫 (se2, to write) is repeated because of the object 字 (zi6, characters).

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the verb repetition when an object is present.

    佢講廣東話得好過我。
    佢講廣東話講得好過我。

    In Cantonese, the manner complement 'dak1' must attach directly to the verb. If there is an object, you must repeat the verb so 'dak1' has a verb to latch onto.

  • Using Mandarin word order (putting the comparison before the verb).

    佢比我行得快。
    佢行得快過我。

    Mandarin uses 'A 比 B + Verb', but natural spoken Cantonese places the comparison '過' after the adjective following the verb.

  • Adding the default degree adverb '好' (hou2) before the adjective in a comparative sentence.

    佢行得好快過我。
    佢行得快過我好多。

    In Cantonese comparatives, you must drop the default '好' (hou2) before the adjective. To say 'much faster', add '好多' (hou2 do1) at the end of the sentence instead.

How It Connects

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

Verb + 得 + Adjective + 過Level 4Comparing How Well

Learn This First

To understand 'V+得+Adj+過', you first need to know how to describe an action's quality using the manner complement 'V+得+Adj' (e.g., 'he runs fast'). Then, you must understand how the comparative particle '過' is used to mean 'more than'. Combining these allows you to compare how well two people perform an action.

Words in This Pattern

过