唔該

Please / Thanks for a Service

Level 1Sounds Like m4 goi1

唔該 (m4 goi1) is the most fundamental Cantonese phrase for saying 'please' when making a request, 'thank you' when receiving a service or favor, and 'excuse me' to get someone's attention or pass through.

How It Works

Etymology and Basic Meaning
唔該 (m4 goi1) literally combines 唔 (m4, 'not') and 該 (goi1, 'should / ought to'), conveying the polite sentiment 'I shouldn't have put you to trouble.'

3 Primary Uses
1. Thanking for Services / Favors: Spoken when someone performs a task or routine service for you, such as serving food, giving change, holding a door, or helping with bags. Attach 晒 (saai3) to say 唔該晒 (m4 goi1 saai3) for 'thank you very much'.
2. Polite Request ('Please'): Placed before a verb phrase (唔該你...) or at the end of a request (熱奶茶，唔該) to soften the command.
3. Attention-Getter ('Excuse Me'): Used to call staff in a restaurant or politely ask people to clear the way (e.g., 唔該，借借 'excuse me, please let me through').

Responding to 唔該
When someone thanks you with 唔該, the standard reply is 唔使 (m4 sai2, 'no need') or 唔使客氣 (m4 sai2 haak3 hei3, 'you're welcome / no need to be polite').

Nuance and Tone
When spoken with an emphatic tone alongside 啦 (laa1), 唔該 can express annoyance or a stern demand (e.g., 唔該你靜啲啦！ 'Would you please quiet down!').

Examples (4)

  1. 唔該畀杯水我吖。

    Could you please give me a glass of water?

    Word by Word: Please give cup water me [particle].

    Here 唔該 (m4 goi1) functions as 'please' at the start of a polite request.

  2. 唔該晒你幫我提行李。

    Thank you very much for helping me carry my luggage.

    Word by Word: Thank-you completely you help me carry luggage.

    Adding 晒 (saai3) creates 唔該晒 (m4 goi1 saai3), expressing deep gratitude for a favor.

  3. 埋單，唔該！

    The bill, please!

    Word by Word: Pay bill, please!

    Placing 唔該 at the end of a request acts as 'please'.

  4. 唔該，借借。

    Excuse me, please let me pass.

    Word by Word: Excuse me, borrow borrow.

    Used as 'excuse me' to politely ask people to let you pass through.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 唔該 (m4 goi1) when receiving a physical gift or praise.

    多謝你個生日禮物！ — 唔該！
    多謝你個生日禮物！ — 多謝！

    When receiving physical gifts, money, praise, or hospitality, 多謝 (do1 ze6) is the usual word. 唔該 is mainly for services, help, and requests.

  • Using 多謝 (do1 ze6) to mean 'please'.

    多謝畀杯水我。
    唔該畀杯水我。

    多謝 (do1 ze6) can never mean 'please'. Use 唔該 (m4 goi1) when requesting something.

  • Using 唔該 (m4 goi1) as an apology for a mistake.

    踩到你隻腳，唔該！
    踩到你隻腳，對唔住！

    唔該 is not an apology. If you step on someone's foot or make a mistake, use 對唔住 (deoi3 m4 zyu6) or 唔好意思.

How It Connects

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

唔該Level 1Please / Thanks for a Service

Learn This First

To use '唔該' effectively, learners should be familiar with basic Cantonese phonology (Jyutping and Tones) to ensure they are understood when making requests. Understanding the negation particle '唔' provides context for the literal construction of the phrase, although it is primarily learned as a fixed polite expression.

Words in This Pattern

唔该