咗+嚟/去

咗 Before a Direction Word

Level 4Sounds Like heoi3

Verb + 咗 (zo2) + Direction (嚟/去) = Action completed and the person/object is now at the destination.

How It Works

This pattern is the standard way to express completed directional actions in colloquial Cantonese.

1. Word Order:
Unlike Mandarin, where the aspect marker often goes at the end of the phrase (V + Dir + 了), Cantonese usually places 咗 (zo2) immediately after the main verb but before the directional particle 嚟 (lai4) or 去 (heoi3).

  • Structure: Verb + 咗 + Directional Complement
  • Example: 返 (faan1) + 咗 (zo2) + 嚟 (lai4) = 返咗嚟 (has come back)

2. Tone Change (Morphological):
In fast, natural speech, you might not hear the syllable 'zo2' clearly. Instead, the verb's tone often changes to a high-rising tone (Tone 2). For example, 買咗 (maai5 zo2) might sound like 買² (maai2). This is a common tone change in Cantonese verbal morphology.

3. Handling Objects:
The placement of the object depends on whether it is a thing or a place:

  • Things: Usually go between 咗 and the direction. (攞咗本書出嚟 - Took the book out)
  • Places: Usually go after the direction. (返咗嚟香港 - Came back to Hong Kong)

4. Negation:
You cannot use 咗 to negate a completed event. To say someone 'did not' come back, use 冇 (mou5) before the verb and remove the 咗.

Examples (4)

  1. 佢返咗嚟喇。

    He has come back already.

    Word by Word: He return [perfective] come [already].

    Here, 咗 (zo2) is placed between the verb 返 (faan1, to return) and the direction 嚟 (lai4, to come) to show he has arrived.

  2. 我啱啱入咗去間房。

    I just went into the room.

    Word by Word: I just enter [perfective] go [classifier] room.

    Note that the place 間房 (gaan1 fong2, the room) follows the directional word 去 (heoi3).

  3. 佢終於諗咗個辦法出嚟。

    He finally thought of a solution.

    Word by Word: He finally think [perfective] [classifier] way out come.

    This is an abstract use of direction. 諗...出嚟 (nam2... ceot1 lai4) means 'to think up'. The object 'a way/solution' is placed before the final directional particle.

  4. 你攞咗啲錢出嚟未呀？

    Have you taken the money out yet?

    Word by Word: You take [perfective] [plural-classifier] money out come [not yet] [question]?

    In a question using 未 (mei6), the 咗 (zo2) is still used to ask about the completion of the action.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking 咗 (zo2) cannot come at the end.

    Different Meaning佢返嚟咗。
    佢返咗嚟。

    Both 佢返嚟咗 and 佢返咗嚟 are natural. Putting 咗 (zo2) in the middle, as in 返咗嚟, is the pattern this entry teaches.

  • Using 咗 in a negative sentence.

    佢唔返咗嚟。
    佢冇返嚟。

    The marker 咗 (zo2) and the negator 唔 (m4) are incompatible. To negate a completed action, use 冇 (mou5) and drop the 咗.

How It Connects

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

咗+嚟/去Level 4咗 Before a Direction Word

Learn This First

To understand how to use '咗' with direction words, you first need to be comfortable with the perfective aspect marker '咗' and how basic direction words like '嚟' (come) and '去' (go) are used after verbs. This pattern specifically teaches the word order where '咗' is inserted between the main verb and the direction word.

Words in This Pattern