得（許可）

OK / Can Do

Level 1Sounds Like dak1

得 (dak1) means okay, fine, allowed, or feasible. Use it as a one-word answer ('得！'), at the end of a proposal ('星期五得'), or after a verb to indicate permission ('食得').

How It Works

1. Standalone Agreement and Availability
When someone makes a suggestion or asks for confirmation, you can answer directly with 得 (dak1 - 'Okay!' / 'Sure!') or negate it with 唔得 (m4 dak1 - 'No' / 'Not allowed'). You can also place 得 after a time, date, or location to show availability:

  • 星期五得 (sing1 kei4 ng5 dak1) = Friday is fine / works for me.
  • 呢度得 (ni1 dou6 dak1) = Here is okay.

2. Post-Verbal Permission
When attached directly after a verb (Verb + 得), it shows that an action is permitted or feasible:

  • 食得 (sik6 dak1) = Allowed / ready to eat.
  • 呢度唔食得煙 (ni1 dou6 m4 sik6 dak1 jin1) = Smoking is not allowed here.

3. 得 (dak1) vs. 可以 (ho2 ji5)
Both express permission, and both can stand alone as a direct response (得！ or 可以！). However, in full sentences, 可以 is placed before the verb, whereas 得 is attached after the verb. To ask for permission naturally, use A-not-A question forms like 可唔可以 or V-唔-V-得, or add a sentence-final particle rather than using plain intonation:

  • 我可唔可以入嚟呀？ (ngo5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 jap6 lai4 aa3?) = May I come in?
  • 我入唔入得嚟呀？ (ngo5 jap6 m4 jap6 dak1 lai4 aa3?) / 我入得嚟㗎？ (ngo5 jap6 dak1 lai4 gaa3?) = Can I come in?

4. Common Learner Trap: Don't use 行 to mean 'okay'!
In Mandarin, xíng (行) means 'okay'. In Cantonese, 行 (haang4) means 'to walk' or 'to go', not 'okay'. To say 'okay' or ask 'is that OK?', use 得 or 得唔得呀？ (可以 also works).

5. Careful with 好 (hou2)!
Saying 好得 (hou2 dak1) does not mean 'it is very okay'. In Cantonese, 好得 means 'very capable' or 'great performance'. To simply say 'it is okay', just say 得 or 得呀.

Examples (4)

  1. A: 聽日三點見，得唔得呀？ B: 得！

    A: Meeting at 3 o'clock tomorrow, is that OK? B: Sure!

    Word by Word: A: Tomorrow three o'clock meet, OK not OK particle? B: OK!

    得唔得呀？ (dak1 m4 dak1 aa3?) is the standard A-not-A question format to ask 'is it OK?'. B responds with a standalone 得 (dak1).

  2. 呢度唔食得煙。

    You are not allowed to smoke here.

    Word by Word: Here not eat can smoke.

    Placing 食得 (sik6 dak1) after 唔 (m4) creates 唔食得 (m4 sik6 dak1), expressing that smoking is prohibited.

  3. 你如果忙，我聽日再嚟都得。

    If you are busy, coming back tomorrow is also fine.

    Word by Word: You if busy, I tomorrow again come also OK.

    都得 (dou1 dak1) is a common phrase meaning 'is also fine' or 'either way works'.

  4. 星期六我得，星期日唔得。

    Saturday works for me, Sunday doesn't.

    Word by Word: Saturday I OK, Sunday not OK.

    得 (dak1) attaches directly to time expressions or personal pronouns to state availability.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 行 to mean 'okay' (a Mandarin transfer error).

    聽日見，行唔行呀？
    聽日見，得唔得呀？

    In Cantonese, 行 (haang4) means 'to walk'. Unlike Mandarin xíng (行), you must use 得 (dak1) to mean 'okay' or 'feasible'.

  • Placing 得 (dak1) before the verb when asking permission.

    我得食呢個？
    我食得呢個？

    To show permission after a verb, 得 (dak1) must go after the verb (食得), not before it. Alternatively, use 可以 (ho2 ji5) before the verb.

  • Adding 好 (hou2) to mean 'it's very okay'.

    A: 得唔得呀？ B: 好得！
    A: 得唔得呀？ B: 得呀！

    In Cantonese, 好得 (hou2 dak1) means 'very capable/effective' (e.g., 佢工作能力好得). To simply answer 'okay', use 得 (dak1) or 得呀 (dak1 aa3).

How It Connects

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得（許可）Level 1OK / Can Do

Learn This First

The pattern '得' is a foundational stative verb used to express permission or feasibility. It is most commonly used as a standalone response or within the A-not-A question structure to ask for consent.

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