哩 (le5)

I Told You Already

Level 4Sounds Like li1

The particle 哩 (le5) is used in casual Cantonese to invite agreement ('right?') or to double down on a statement the speaker has already made ('I'm telling you!').

How It Works

1. Seeking Confirmation (The 'Right?' Function)
When you observe something that seems obvious and want the listener to confirm it, you use 哩 (le5). It is similar to a tag question in English.
Example: 肚餓哩？ (tou5 ngo6 le5?) — 'You're hungry, right?' (e.g., after hearing their stomach growl).

2. Re-assertion and Reproach (The 'I Told You' Function)
If you have already made a claim and the listener seems to doubt you, or if you have been proven right, 哩 (le5) adds a layer of 'See? I told you so' or 'Believe me.'
Example: 我真係見到佢哩！ (ngo5 zan1 hai6 gin3 dou2 keoi5 le5!) — 'I really did see him! (Believe me/I told you!)'

3. Bragging or Mocking
Because it seeks validation for an observation, it can be used to boast about oneself or mock someone else's obvious state.

  • Bragging: 型哩？ (jing4 le5?) — 'Cool, isn't it?' (Showing off a new outfit).
  • Mocking: 跑幾步就冇氣哩？ (paau2 gei2 bou6 zau6 mou5 hei3 le5?) — 'Out of breath after just a few steps, are we?'

4. Phonology and Register
哩 (le5) is strictly casual and colloquial. It uses the 5th tone (low-rising). Changing the tone to le1 (topic marker) or le4 (proposing an idea) changes the meaning entirely.

Examples (5)

  1. 我真係冇呃你哩！

    I really am not lying to you! (I told you/Believe me!)

    Word by Word: I really have-not lie you [particle]

    Here, 哩 (le5) is used to re-assert the speaker's honesty, likely because the listener expressed doubt.

  2. 咁得閒搵我，同條女散咗哩？

    Finding time to visit me... you broke up with your girlfriend, didn't you?

    Word by Word: So free find me, with [classifier] girl break-up [aspect] [particle]

    The speaker uses 哩 (le5) to seek confirmation for a suspicion based on the evidence of the friend being 'free' suddenly.

  3. 威哩？

    Impressive, isn't it?

    Word by Word: Impressive [particle]

    A classic example of using 哩 (le5) to brag or seek a compliment about something the speaker has done or owns.

  4. 好食哩？

    It's delicious, right?

    Word by Word: Good eat [particle]

    Used when the speaker is confident the food is good and wants the listener to agree.

  5. 做唔到哩？

    Can't do it, can you?

    Word by Word: Do not-attain [particle]

    Used with a slightly mocking tone when the speaker observes the listener failing at a task.

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing 哩 (le5) with the Mandarin aspect marker 了 (le).

    我食咗飯哩。
    我食咗飯喇。

    Learners with a Mandarin background often use 哩 (le5) to mark completed actions. In Cantonese, completion is marked by 咗 (zo2) or 喇 (laa3). 哩 (le5) is for confirmation/assertion, not tense.

  • Using the wrong tone (le1 instead of le5).

    型呢 (le1)？
    型哩 (le5)？

    The particle 呢 (le1) is a topic marker or used for listing. Using it here makes the sentence sound like an unfinished thought ('As for being cool...') rather than a question seeking confirmation.

How It Connects

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

哩 (le5)Level 4I Told You Already

Learn This First

The particle 哩 (le5) is a sentence-final particle used to re-assert a statement with a mild sense of reproach, often implying 'I told you so' or 'I'm telling you again.' To understand its usage, learners should already be familiar with how Cantonese uses sentence-final particles to convey mood and attitude, and how tone changes the nuance of these particles.

Words in This Pattern

哩