Stringing verbs together

Level 3Sounds Like lin4 dung6 geoi3

In Cantonese, you often string verbs together without using 'and' or 'to'. This is called a Serial Verb Construction (連動句). It is used to show purpose, manner, or a sequence of actions performed by the same person.

How It Works

The Serial Verb Construction (SVC) is a 'workhorse' of Cantonese grammar. It allows you to link multiple actions into a single 'event package' without using conjunctions.

Key Features:

  • Single Subject: The verbs in the chain are usually performed by the same subject.
  • Shared Object: Often, the object of the first verb is also the object of the second (e.g., 'buy food [to] eat').
  • Chronological Order: Verbs must follow the real-world timeline of events (e.g., you must 'take' an object before you can 'give' it).
  • No Conjunctions: Do NOT use 同埋 (tung4 maai4) to link the verbs within the same event.
  • Negation: Negators like 唔 (m4) or 冇 (mou5) typically attach to the first verb and apply to the whole chain.
  • Aspect Markers: Placement depends on the relationship. For Manner or State, 住 (zyu6) is often used on V1 to show a continuous state during V2. For Consecutive actions, 咗 (zo2) attaches to V1 to show it finished first.

Common Uses:
1. Purpose: V2 is the goal of V1 (e.g., 'Go to the market buy food').
2. Manner/Instrument: V1 explains how V2 is done. This includes using 用 (jung6) for 'with' or 住 (zyu6) for a simultaneous state.
3. Consecutive: Actions happening one after another as part of one task (e.g., 'Take the book give me').
4. Directional: Using 去 (heoi3) or 嚟 (lei4) as V2.

Examples (5)

  1. 我哋坐地鐵去中環。

    We take the MTR to go to Central.

    Word by Word: We | sit | MTR | go | Central

    Here, 'sit MTR' (manner) describes how the subject 'goes to Central' (main action).

  2. 佢攞咗本書畀我。

    He took the book and gave it to me.

    Word by Word: He | take | [perfective] | book | give | me

    This shows a consecutive sequence. In this case, the aspect marker 咗 (zo2) attaches to the first verb to show it was completed before the second action (giving) happened.

  3. 我買咗蘋果食。

    I bought apples to eat.

    Word by Word: I | buy | [perfective] | apple | eat

    This is a 'Shared Object' pattern. The 'apples' are the object of both 'buy' and 'eat'.

  4. 佢攞住把遮行街。

    He is walking in the street holding an umbrella.

    Word by Word: He | take | [durative] | [classifier] | umbrella | walk | street

    The aspect marker 住 (zyu6) is used on the first verb to show a continuous state (holding) while the second action (walking) occurs.

  5. 佢去街市買餸。

    He is going to the market to buy groceries.

    Word by Word: He | go | market | buy | groceries

    A classic example of purpose. V2 (buy groceries) is the reason for V1 (go to market).

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'and' (同埋) to link verbs.

    我哋坐地鐵同埋去中環。
    我哋坐地鐵去中環。

    同埋 (tung4 maai4) joins nouns (‘apples and oranges’) or separate actions (洗衫同埋煮飯). It does not join two steps of one trip, where the first verb is how you do the second. For that, put the verbs side by side: 坐地鐵去中環.

  • Repeating the subject for the second verb.

    佢去街市佢買餸。
    佢去街市買餸。

    Serial verb constructions share a single subject. Repeating the pronoun makes the sentence sound like two separate, disconnected thoughts.

  • Putting 唔 before the second verb when you mean ‘do not use chopsticks’.

    Different Meaning我用筷子唔食飯。
    我唔用筷子食飯。

    我用筷子唔食飯 is grammatical, but it means ‘I use chopsticks in order not to eat rice’. Negation usually comes before the first verb to cover the whole action: 我唔用筷子食飯.

How It Connects

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

Stringing verbs togetherLevel 3

Learn This First

Serial verb constructions (連動句) involve stringing two or more verbs together to express a sequence of actions or a purpose. To understand this, you need a firm grasp of basic Cantonese word order and how verbs like 'go' (去) function as the first verb in a sequence to indicate movement toward a goal.