㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3)

But You Knew That

Level 3Sounds Like ga3 maa3

Use 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3) at the end of a sentence to say 'as you know' or 'of course.' It points out a fact that the listener should already be aware of.

How It Works

1. Function and Nuance
The primary role of 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3) is to mark a statement as a reminder. It implies that the information being shared is not new, but rather something the listener has forgotten or is failing to account for. Depending on the context and tone, it can be:

  • A gentle reminder: "We're friends, after all."
  • A logical justification: "I have to work, you know."
  • A slightly impatient correction: "I already told you I'm busy!"

2. Phonology and Pronunciation
While written as 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3), in natural speech it is almost always pronounced as gaa1 maa3. This is a fusion of the particle 嘅 (ge3) and the particle 吖嘛 (aa1 maa3). In modern Cantonese, gaa1 maa3 is the standard spoken form.

3. Common Patterns
A very common emphatic structure is 係...㗎嘛 (hai6... gaa1 maa3), which translates to "It's that... (as you know)." For example, "係你叫我嚟㗎嘛" (hai6 nei5 giu3 ngo5 lei4 gaa1 maa3) — "It was you who told me to come, remember?"

4. Comparison with 吖嘛
While 吖嘛 (aa1 maa3) is a general reminder, 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3) (containing the 嘅 (ge3) element) emphasizes the nature or state of the fact. It asserts that the situation is a certain way, and the listener should already be aware of that reality.

5. Register
This is a strictly colloquial particle. You will hear it constantly in daily life, but you should avoid it in formal writing or professional presentations where it might sound overly casual or even condescending.

Examples (4)

  1. 佢返咗屋企㗎嘛。

    He's gone home—you knew that / of course he has.

    Word by Word: He return-already home [particle].

    Here, the speaker is reminding the listener of a fact (he went home) that was likely already mentioned or is obvious.

  2. 我鍾意食飯㗎嘛！

    But I like eating rice! (Don't you know me by now?)

    Word by Word: I like eat rice [particle]!

    This uses the particle to justify a choice based on a well-known personal preference.

  3. 自然嘅嘢唔一定就係好㗎嘛。

    Natural things aren't necessarily good, you know.

    Word by Word: Natural [possessive] things not necessarily then is good [particle].

    The particle here frames the statement as a piece of common sense or a logical reminder.

  4. 聽日係星期日㗎嘛。

    Tomorrow is Sunday, remember?

    Word by Word: Tomorrow is Sunday [particle].

    Used to remind the listener of the day, perhaps explaining why a shop is closed or why they don't have to work.

Common Mistakes

  • Using it as a question particle.

    你食咗飯㗎嘛？
    你食咗飯未呀？

    Learners often confuse the 'maa3' sound with the Mandarin question particle 'ma'. In Cantonese, 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3) is declarative; it asserts a fact rather than asking a question.

  • Using it with a superior at work.

    Different Meaning經理，聽日係假期㗎嘛。
    經理，聽日係公眾假期。

    The sentence is fine in casual speech. With a superior, 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3) can sound like you are talking down to them or hinting that they forgot, so a plain statement is safer.

How It Connects

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

㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3)Level 3But You Knew That

Learn This First

The compound particle 㗎嘛 (gaa3 maa3) combines the factual assertion of 㗎 (gaa3) with the 'it's obvious' nuance of 嘛 (maa3). To understand it, learners must first be familiar with how 㗎 is formed through contraction and how 嘛 is used to point out something the listener should already know.

Words in This Pattern

㗎嘛