A唔AB

A-not-A with Two-syllable Words

Level 2Sounds Like m4

To ask a neutral 'yes or no' question with a two-syllable word (AB), use the pattern: A-唔-AB.

How It Works

The A-唔-AB pattern is the 'truncated' version of the A-not-A question form. While learners often try to repeat the whole word (AB-唔-AB), native speakers most often use this shortened version.

1. The Rule:
Take a two-syllable word (AB). Repeat the first syllable (A), add 唔 (m4), then say the whole word (AB).

  • 鍾意 (zung1 ji3) → 鍾唔鍾意 (zung1 m4 zung1 ji3)
  • 舒服 (syu1 fuk6) → 舒唔舒服 (syu1 m4 syu1 fuk6)
  • 明白 (ming4 baak6) → 明唔明白 (ming4 m4 ming4 baak6)

2. Usage and Nuance:
This form is semantically neutral, asking for information without bias. However, to avoid sounding blunt or demanding, it is almost always paired with the softening particle 呀 (aa3) at the end of the sentence.

3. Important Exception:
This pattern does not apply to the verb 有 (jau5). Even if it were part of a two-syllable phrase, 'to have' always uses the irregular 有冇 (jau5 mou5) form.

4. Verb-Object Compounds:
Be careful with words that are actually a Verb + Object pair, like 唱歌 (coeng3 go1 - to sing songs). These also follow the A-唔-AB pattern (唱唔唱歌) because you only repeat the verb part. You should not usually repeat the whole phrase (唱歌唔唱歌), as that sounds unnatural.

Examples (5)

  1. 你鍾唔鍾意食點心呀？

    Do you like eating dim sum?

    Word by Word: You like-not-like eat dim-sum [particle]?

    Uses the A-唔-AB pattern with the verb 鍾意 (zung1 ji3 - to like).

  2. 呢度舒唔舒服呀？

    Is it comfortable here?

    Word by Word: This-place comfortable-not-comfortable [particle]?

    Uses the A-唔-AB pattern with the adjective 舒服 (syu1 fuk6 - comfortable).

  3. 你明唔明白我講咩？

    Do you understand what I'm saying?

    Word by Word: You understand-not-understand I say what?

    Uses the A-唔-AB pattern with the verb 明白 (ming4 baak6 - to understand).

  4. 佢開唔開心呀？

    Is he/she happy?

    Word by Word: He/She happy-not-happy [particle]?

    Uses the A-唔-AB pattern with the adjective 開心 (hoi1 sam1 - happy).

  5. 你準唔準備好呀？

    Are you ready?

    Word by Word: You prepare-not-prepare good [particle]?

    Uses the A-唔-AB pattern with the verb 準備 (zeon2 bei6 - to prepare).

Common Mistakes

  • Repeating the whole two-syllable word.

    Different Meaning你鍾意唔鍾意食點心？
    你鍾唔鍾意食點心？

    你鍾意唔鍾意食點心 is also fine and commonly heard. The shortened 'A-唔-AB' form (鍾唔鍾意) is shorter and very usual, so it is the pattern this page teaches.

  • Adding a question particle like 'maa3' to an A-not-A sentence.

    你開唔開心嗎？
    你開唔開心呀？

    The A-not-A structure is already a complete question. Adding the particle 'maa3' (which is more common in Mandarin-influenced speech anyway) is redundant. Use 'aa3' instead to soften the tone.

  • Placing the object inside the A-not-A block.

    你鍾唔食意點心？
    你鍾唔鍾意食點心？

    The A-唔-AB structure must be completed before the object (or the rest of the verb phrase) is introduced.

How It Connects

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

A唔ABLevel 2A-not-A with Two-syllable Words

Learn This First

To understand the A唔AB pattern, you first need to be comfortable with the basic A-not-A question structure (V唔V or Adj唔Adj) used for single-syllable words. This pattern is simply the specific rule for how to handle two-syllable verbs or adjectives, where only the first syllable is repeated before the full word.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern