Verb + Direction Word + 嚟/去

Complex Directional

Level 3Sounds Like heoi3

The Complex Directional Complement (V + Dir + 嚟/去) describes the specific path of an action and whether it moves toward (嚟 lei4) or away from (去 heoi3) the speaker.

How It Works

In Cantonese, describing movement requires specifying the path and the perspective.

1. The Structure & Perspective
The pattern follows: Verb + (Directional Verb) + 嚟 (lei4) / 去 (heoi3).
Perspective is key: 嚟 (lei4) indicates movement towards the speaker or reference point, while 去 (heoi3) indicates movement away from it.
Note: When used as a directional particle, 嚟 (lei4) frequently changes to a high-rising tone (lei2) in spoken Cantonese.

The middle directional verb is optional if the path is simply 'towards' or 'away' without an up/down/in/out vector (e.g., 行去 haang4 heoi3 - walk there; 攞嚟 lo2 lei4 - bring here). Note that dropping the middle directional verb changes the structure from a compound directional complement to a simple directional complement.

Common directional verbs include:

  • 上 (soeng5) - up
  • 落 (lok6) - down
  • 入 (jap6) - in
  • 出 (ceot1) - out
  • 過 (gwo3) - across
  • 返 (faan1) - back
  • 埋 (maai4) - closer
  • 開 (hoi1) - away/apart
  • 起 (hei2) - up/off (cannot pair with 去)

2. Object Placement
For simple objects (things), the object is usually 'sandwiched' between the main verb and the directional cluster: Verb + Object + Dir + 嚟/去 (e.g., 攞本書出嚟 lo2 bun2 syu1 ceot1 lei4 - 'Take the book out'). Pronouns must also strictly precede the entire directional cluster (e.g., 帶佢出嚟 daai3 keoi5 ceot1 lei4 - 'bring him out'). Important: Placing the object after the spatial directional verb (e.g., *攞出本書嚟) is a Mandarinism and is highly unnatural or ungrammatical in modern Cantonese.

Exceptions: Tightly bound directional verbs like 起 (hei2) require the object or pronoun to follow them (e.g., 攞起本書嚟 lo2 hei2 bun2 syu1 lei4). Additionally, 返 (faan1) is flexible; both 攞本書返嚟 and 攞返本書嚟 are perfectly standard.

Place Objects: The sandwich structure is grammatically impossible for place objects (locations). You cannot say *行間房入去 (haang4 gaan1 fong2 jap6 heoi3). Placing the location right before the deictic verb (e.g., 行入間房去) also occurs in Cantonese, but the order taught here is to place the object after the entire cluster (e.g., 行入去間房 haang4 jap6 heoi3 gaan1 fong2), or drop the final particle entirely (e.g., 行入間房 haang4 jap6 gaan1 fong2).

3. Aspect and Potential Forms

  • Aspect: Aspect markers like 咗 (zo2) (perfective) and 緊 (gan2) (progressive) can follow the main verb: 攞咗本書出嚟 (Took the book out). However, for tightly bound clusters, the aspect marker frequently follows the directional verb instead (e.g., 攞起咗本書). The aspect marker 咗 usually follows the main verb (攞咗本書出嚟). At the very end it is also possible, especially with no object, as in 佢返嚟咗 (he has come back).
  • Potential: To say 'can' or 'cannot' without an object, insert 得 (dak1) or 唔 (m4) after the main verb: 行得入嚟 (can walk in) or 行唔入嚟 (cannot walk in). When an object is involved, the most common and foolproof way for learners is to use 到 (dou2) on the main verb: 攞到本書出嚟 (lo2 dou2 bun2 syu1 ceot1 lei4 - 'Can take the book out') or 攞唔到本書出嚟 (lo2 m4 dou2 bun2 syu1 ceot1 lei4 - 'Cannot take the book out').

Examples (6)

  1. 你快啲行落嚟樓下啦！

    Hurry up and walk down here!

    Word by Word: you fast-bit walk down come floor-below [particle]

    The speaker is downstairs. '行' (haang4 - walk) is the verb, '落' (lok6 - down) is the direction, and '嚟' (lei4 - towards speaker) completes the cluster. The place object '樓下' (lau4 haa6 - downstairs) is placed after the entire directional cluster.

  2. 我唔想再傾落去。

    I don't want to continue talking anymore.

    Word by Word: I not want again talk down go

    When 落去 (lok6 heoi3) is used metaphorically to mean 'continue', it usually doesn't take a direct object. If you need to mention the topic, it is moved to the front of the sentence.

  3. 講起上嚟，我都未食飯。

    Speaking of which, I haven't eaten yet.

    Word by Word: speak up up come, I also not-yet eat rice

    The inchoative aspect (starting an action) uses 起上嚟 (hei2 soeng5 lei4). '講起上嚟' is a very common phrase meaning 'speaking of which' or 'now that you mention it'.

  4. 我攞咗本書出嚟。

    I took the book out.

    Word by Word: I take [perfective] [classifier] book out come

    The aspect marker 咗 (zo2) follows the main verb but comes before the directional cluster. The object '本書' is then sandwiched before the final '嚟'.

  5. 佢行唔入嚟。

    He cannot walk in (here).

    Word by Word: he walk not in come

    To express potential (can/cannot), insert 唔 (m4) or 得 (dak1) between the main verb and the directional cluster.

  6. 你快啲行埋嚟啦。

    Hurry up and walk over here (closer).

    Word by Word: you fast-bit walk closer come [particle]

    The directional 埋 (maai4) indicates moving closer to the speaker or a target.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking the object must go before 嚟/去.

    Different Meaning攞出本書嚟 / 行入間房去
    攞本書出嚟 / 行入去間房

    Both orders are natural: 攞本書出嚟 and 攞出本書嚟, 行入間房去 and 行入去間房. The pattern in this entry puts the object between the verb and the direction word.

  • Pairing the directional verb 起 (hei2) with 去 (heoi3).

    Different Meaning飛起去
    飛起上嚟

    起 (hei2) usually pairs with 嚟 (lei4) or 上嚟 (soeng5 lei4), as in 飛起上嚟. 飛起去 is less common, but it can be said when something rises away from the speaker.

  • Using 去 (heoi3) when you are inside and want someone to come in. The sentence itself is fine from outside.

    Different Meaning你入去啦。
    你入嚟啦

    你入去啦 is fine when the speaker is outside and the listener goes in. If you are already inside and want the listener to come in, use 嚟 (lei4): 你入嚟啦.

How It Connects

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Verb + Direction Word + 嚟/去Level 3Complex Directional

Learn This First

To understand complex directionals, you first need to know the basic directional markers 嚟 (toward the speaker) and 去 (away from the speaker). You also need to be familiar with the specific direction particles like 'up', 'down', 'in', and 'out' that are placed between the verb and the final directional marker.

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