有啲

Some of Them

Level 2Sounds Like jau5 di1

有啲 (jau5 di1) means 'some' or 'some of them' when placed before nouns or used as a pronoun. When placed before adjectives, it means 'a bit' or 'somewhat', usually expressing a mild complaint or reservation.

How It Works

1. Expressing 'Have Some' in Object Position
When following a subject, 有啲 acts transitively to express having a quantity of a noun:
• 我有啲問題想問。(ngo5 jau5 di1 man6 tai4 soeng2 man6.) = I have some questions to ask.
• 我哋仲有啲時間。(ngo5 dei6 zung6 jau5 di1 si4 gaan3.) = We still have some time.

2. Expressing 'Some' as an Indefinite Subject
In Cantonese, an indefinite subject cannot stand alone at the sentence start. 有啲 provides the necessary existential verb (有) to introduce 'some':
• 有啲地方唔畀人食煙。(jau5 di1 dei6 fong1 m4 bei2 jan4 sik6 jin1.) = Some places do not allow people to smoke.
• 有啲人好遲先到。(jau5 di1 jan4 hou2 ci4 sin1 dou3.) = Some people arrive very late.

When contrasting different sub-groups, use the paired structure 有啲..., 有啲...:
• 有啲係紅色嘅，有啲係黃色嘅。(jau5 di1 hai6 hung4 sik1 ge3, jau5 di1 hai6 wong4 sik1 ge3.) = Some are red, and some are yellow.

3. Distinguishing 有啲 and 一啲
• 一啲 (jat1 di1) is purely a quantifier ('some / a few') that sits inside a noun phrase. It does not contain a verb.
• 有啲 (jau5 di1) incorporates the verb 有 ('to have / there is'). While you can say 「我有一啲問題」 (I have some questions), at the beginning of an existential subject sentence ('some people...'), you must use 有啲人, not 一啲人.

4. Expressing 'A bit / Somewhat' before Adjectives
Directly before an adjective, 有啲 serves as a degree adverb, typically carrying an unfavorable or complaining nuance:
• 今日有啲凍。(gam1 jat6 jau5 di1 dung3.) = It's a bit cold today.
• 嗰件衫有啲貴。(go2 gin6 saam1 jau5 di1 gwai3.) = That shirt is a bit expensive.

Word Order Tip: 有啲 + Adjective means 'a bit [Adj]' (complaining tone), whereas Adjective + 啲 means comparative 'a bit more [Adj]' (e.g., 平啲 = 'a bit cheaper').

Examples (4)

  1. 有啲地方唔畀人食煙。

    Some places do not allow people to smoke.

    Word by Word: Existential-some place not allow people eat smoke.

    Here 有啲 (jau5 di1) modifies the noun 地方 (dei6 fong1, 'places') to mean 'some places'.

  2. 呢度有好多雪糕，有啲係紅色嘅，有啲係黃色嘅。

    There is a lot of ice cream here; some are red, and some are yellow.

    Word by Word: Here have very much ice cream, have-some be red-color possessive, have-some be yellow-color possessive.

    Demonstrates the paired pronoun pattern 有啲...，有啲... ('some... others...').

  3. 今日有啲凍，著返件衫先啦。

    It's a bit cold today; put on a jacket first.

    Word by Word: Today have-some cold, wear back classifier shirt first particle.

    Placed before the adjective 凍 (dung3, 'cold') as a degree adverb expressing a slight complaint about the cold.

  4. 有啲人想去，有啲人唔想去。

    Some people want to go, while some people don't want to go.

    Word by Word: Have-some people want go, have-some people not want go.

    Shows 有啲 (jau5 di1) introducing indefinite subjects in subject position.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting 有 when introducing 'some people' as the subject.

    啲人想去。
    有啲人想去。

    啲人 (di1 jan4) means 'the/those people' (definite). You must include 有 to form 有啲人 (jau5 di1 jan4) when you mean 'some people' (indefinite).

  • Placing 有啲 before an adjective when asking for a comparative ('a bit more').

    可唔可以有啲平呀？
    可唔可以平啲呀？

    To request 'a bit cheaper' (comparative), place 啲 (di1) AFTER the adjective (平啲). Putting 有啲 before the adjective (有啲平) means 'somewhat cheap'.

  • Placing 有啲 after a verb or adjective.

    個蛋糕甜有啲。
    個蛋糕有啲甜。

    As a degree adverb ('a bit'), 有啲 (jau5 di1) must strictly precede the adjective (有啲甜), never follow it.

How It Connects

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有啲Level 2Some of Them

Learn This First

To understand '有啲' (some of them / there are some), you first need to know how to use '有' to express existence ('there is'). You also need to understand the plural classifier '啲', which replaces specific numbers to mean 'some' or 'a few'. Combining these allows you to pick out a subset from a larger group.

Words in This Pattern