V+掂

Sort It Out

Level 3Sounds Like dim6

Use V + 掂 (dim6) to show that an action has reached a successful conclusion or that a problem is finally 'sorted.' It is the ultimate 'mission accomplished' marker in Cantonese.

How It Works

V + 掂 (dim6) is one of the most iconic colloquial structures in Cantonese. It doesn't just mean an action is finished; it implies that the action was successful and the matter is now settled.

1. Common Verb Pairings
It is typically used with transitive verbs that involve effort or resolution:

  • 搞掂 (gaau2 dim6): The most common usage, meaning 'to get it done' or 'to sort it out.'
  • 傾掂 (king1 dim6): To reach an agreement or settle something through discussion.
  • 拆掂 (caak3 dim6): To resolve a conflict or 'dismantle' a difficult problem.
  • 搞得掂 / 搞唔掂: By inserting 得 (dak1) or 唔 (m4), you express the ability or inability to handle a situation.

2. Nuance vs. Other Completion Markers
Unlike 完 (jyun4), which simply means an action is over, 掂 carries a sense of achievement. You wouldn't say 'eat-dim' (食掂) for a normal meal, but you might say it if you finally finished a massive eating challenge that was previously 'unsettled.'

3. Register
This is highly colloquial and essential for daily life in Hong Kong. While it was borrowed into Mandarin as 'gǎodìng' (搞定), the original Cantonese 掂 (dim6) remains the standard in the south.

Examples (4)

  1. 終於搞掂晒啲手續喇！

    Finally got all the paperwork sorted out!

    Word by Word: Finally handle-settled all [plural-classifier] procedure [particle]!

    Here, 搞掂 (gaau2 dim6) combined with 晒 (saai3) shows that a complex task (paperwork) is completely resolved.

  2. 我同老細傾掂咗，聽日可以放假。

    I've settled it with the boss; I can take tomorrow off.

    Word by Word: I with boss talk-settled [perfective], tomorrow can have-holiday.

    傾掂 (king1 dim6) implies that a negotiation (asking for leave) reached a successful agreement.

  3. 呢單嘢好棘手，我驚我搞唔掂。

    This matter is very tricky; I'm afraid I can't handle it.

    Word by Word: This [classifier] thing very thorny-hand, I fear I handle-not-settle.

    搞唔掂 (gaau2 m4 dim6) is the standard way to say you are unable to resolve or cope with a problem.

  4. 放心啦，我會幫你搞掂佢。

    Don't worry, I will help you get it sorted.

    Word by Word: Release-heart [particle], I will help you handle-settle it.

    Using 搞掂 (gaau2 dim6) here provides a strong sense of reassurance that the task will be successfully managed.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong tone for 'dim'.

    我搞掂 (gaau2 dim3) 喇。
    我搞掂 (gaau2 dim6) 喇。

    掂 in this resultative pattern must be Tone 6 (low flat). If you use Tone 3 (dim3), it means 'to touch,' making the sentence sound like 'I handled and touched it' instead of 'I sorted it out.'

  • Using 'dim' for simple completion without a sense of resolution.

    我睇掂咗呢本書。
    我睇完咗呢本書。

    Unless the book was a massive struggle or a problem you had to solve, use 完 (jyun4) for finishing a book. 掂 (dim6) requires a sense of 'sorting out' a situation.

How It Connects

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V+掂Level 3Sort It Out

Learn This First

The pattern V+掂 is a resultative verb compound where '掂' (dim6) acts as a resultative particle meaning 'settled' or 'sorted'. To understand this, learners need to be familiar with the general structure of verbal particles and the specific logic of resultative compounds in Cantonese, where a verb is followed by a result state.

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Words in This Pattern

掂