跟住

Then/next

Level 2Sounds Like gan1 zyu6

跟住 (gan1 zyu6) means 'then', 'and then', or 'next' in everyday spoken Cantonese. It connects sequential actions in chronological order. Literally, it can also mean 'to follow closely'.

How It Works

What is 跟住?
跟住 (gan1 zyu6) is one of the most frequently used conversational words in Cantonese. It has two main functions:

1. Sequential Conjunction ('then' / 'and then')
When connecting two events chronologically, place 跟住 at the front of the second clause (or immediately after its subject):
• [Clause 1], 跟住 + [Clause 2]
• [Clause 1], [Subject 2] + 跟住 + [Verb Phrase 2]

Example: 我哋先食飯，跟住去睇戲。(ngo5 dei6 sin1 sik6 faan6, gan1 zyu6 heoi3 tai2 hei3. = 'We eat first, then go see a movie.')

2. Literal Verb + Aspect ('to follow behind / closely')
Literally, 跟 (gan1) means 'to follow' and 住 (zyu6) is the durative aspect marker. Combined, 跟住 means 'to trail behind' or 'follow closely':
• 你跟住我行啦。(nei5 gan1 zyu6 ngo5 haang4 laa1. = 'You follow behind me as we walk.')

Discourse Filler Usage
In informal storytelling, speakers often extend it to 跟住呢 (gan1 zyu6 ne1) as a hesitation filler (like 'and then... and then...').

Key Differences vs. 之後 (zi1 hau6)
• Word Order: 之後 can come at the end of a clause (e.g. 食完飯之後 = 'After eating...'), whereas 跟住 cannot attach to the end of a clause.
• Scope: 之後 can refer to a non-immediate future, while 跟住 denotes the immediate next step.

Formal Equivalent
In standard writing or formal speeches, replace 跟住 with 然後 (jin4 hau6).

Examples (4)

  1. 我哋先食飯，跟住去睇戲。

    We'll eat first, then go see a movie.

    Word by Word: We first eat meal, then go see movie.

    Here, 跟住 (gan1 zyu6) functions as 'then' to link two sequential activities.

  2. 司機，唔該先去油麻地，跟住去旺角吖。

    Driver, please go to Yau Ma Tei first, and then go to Mong Kok.

    Word by Word: Driver, please first go Yau Ma Tei, then go Mong Kok SFP.

    Used in giving step-by-step directions to indicate the next destination.

  3. 好多人呀，你跟住我行啦。

    It's very crowded—follow behind me as we walk.

    Word by Word: Very many people SFP, you follow-durative me walk SFP.

    In this sentence, 跟住 (gan1 zyu6) is used literally as a verb meaning 'to follow behind'.

  4. 我做完功課，跟住就去瞓覺。

    After I finish homework, then I'll go to sleep.

    Word by Word: I finish homework, then then go sleep.

    跟住 introduces the immediate subsequent action after finishing work, often paired with 就 (zau6).

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 跟住 at the end of a clause like English 'after'

    我食完飯跟住，去睇戲。
    我食完飯之後，去睇戲。 / 我食完飯，跟住去睇戲。

    跟住 (gan1 zyu6) cannot sit at the end of a phrase. To say 'after doing X', use 之後 (zi1 hau6) post-positionally, or place 跟住 at the beginning of the second clause.

  • Using 跟住 when you mean 'with you'.

    Different Meaning我跟住你去食飯
    我同你去食飯。

    我跟住你去食飯 is a real sentence, but it means 'I will follow behind you to eat', as the explanation of 跟住 as 'follow' suggests. To mean 'with someone', use 同 (tung4): 我同你去食飯.

How It Connects

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跟住Level 2Then/next

Learn This First

To use '跟住' (then/next) effectively, you need to understand how to sequence actions in Cantonese. It is frequently paired with '先' (first) to create a 'first... then...' structure. Familiarity with basic word order and the durative aspect marker '住' provides the grammatical foundation for this sequential connector.

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