How It Works

The pattern V + 唔起 (m4 hei2) is essential for discussing limitations in Cantonese. It is the negative potential form of the base resultative compound V + 起 (where 起 means "up" or "starting"). By inserting 唔 (m4) or 得 (dak1) between the verb and 起, you express the inability or ability to achieve that result. While it often translates to "cannot afford," its usage spans several main areas:

Financial Affordability: The most common use. It means you don't have enough money for the action. Common verbs include 買 (maai5, buy), 租 (zou1, rent), 食 (sik6, eat), and 養唔起 (joeng5 m4 hei2, cannot afford to keep/raise).
Physical & Metaphorical Capability: It expresses the physical inability to lift or move something upward. For example, 攞唔起 (lo2 m4 hei2) means "cannot lift," and 搬唔起 (bun1 m4 hei2) means "cannot lift (something heavy) up." Metaphorically, it refers to bearing responsibility, such as 孭唔起 (me1 m4 hei2), meaning "cannot take the blame/responsibility."
Social/Consequential Risk: It expresses that the potential negative outcome of an action is too high to risk. For example, 得罪唔起 (dak1 zeoi6 m4 hei2) means you cannot afford to offend someone because they are too powerful, and 玩唔起 (waan2 m4 hei2) means you can't take a joke or afford the stakes.
Idiomatic/Status: It is used in fixed expressions regarding respect. 睇唔起 (tai2 m4 hei2) literally means "unable to raise someone in your regard" or "not worthy of being looked at," and idiomatically means "to look down on" someone. A massive "aha!" moment for learners is realizing that the common phrase 對唔起 (deoi3 m4 hei2, sorry) is a direct application of this pattern, literally meaning "unable to face [someone] as worthy/equal."
Recall and Memory: In some cases, 起 functions as a resultative meaning "up" or "to mind." For example, 諗唔起 (nam2 m4 hei2) or 醒唔起 (sing2 m4 hei2) means "cannot recall" or "cannot think of it."

Word Order Note: The object of the verb usually comes after the entire complement (e.g., 買唔起呢層樓 maai5 m4 hei2 ni1 cang4 lau2) or is moved to the front of the sentence for emphasis. However, for standard monosyllabic verbs (like 睇 tai2, 養 joeng5, 買 maai5), pronoun objects and short, single-character nouns (especially human ones like 人 jan4) are frequently inserted between the verb and the negative complement (e.g., 睇佢唔起 tai2 keoi5 m4 hei2, 睇人唔起 tai2 jan4 m4 hei2). Note that this insertion does not apply to disyllabic verbs (e.g., native speakers say 得罪唔起佢 dak1 zeoi6 m4 hei2 keoi5, not *得罪佢唔起) or the highly lexicalized phrase 對唔起 (e.g., 對唔起人 deoi3 m4 hei2 jan4, not *對人唔起).

Affirmative Form: To express that you can afford or manage the action, use the pattern V + 得起 (dak1 hei2). For example, 買得起 (maai5 dak1 hei2) means "can afford to buy," and 對得起 (deoi3 dak1 hei2) means "worthy of facing / can face with a clear conscience."

⚠️ Warning: Do not drop the 得 (dak1) when expressing affordability! 買得起 (maai5 dak1 hei2) means "can afford to buy," but 買起 (maai5 hei2) means to buy out completely or, in slang, to hire a hitman to assassinate someone.

Question Form: To ask if someone can afford or manage the action, use the A-not-A pattern V 唔 V 得起 (e.g., 買唔買得起？ maai5 m4 maai5 dak1 hei2? - Can you afford to buy it?) or the alternative pattern V 得起 V 唔起 (e.g., 買得起買唔起？ maai5 dak1 hei2 maai5 m4 hei2?).

唔起 vs 唔到: It is crucial to contrast V + 唔起 (failing due to affordability, worthiness, or bearing the weight) with V + 唔到 (failing due to availability, physical ability, or success). For example, 諗唔起 (nam2 m4 hei2) means "cannot recall a memory" (bringing it up to mind), whereas 諗唔到 (nam2 m4 dou2) means "cannot think of a solution" or "unexpected." Similarly, 睇唔起 (tai2 m4 hei2) means "to look down on someone" (they don't meet the standard), whereas 睇唔到 (tai2 m4 dou2) means "cannot physically see" (vision is blocked or failing).

Examples (5)

呢架車咁貴，我買唔起。
This car is so expensive; I cannot afford to buy it.
Word by Word: This [classifier] car so expensive, I buy cannot-afford.
Here, 買唔起 (maai5 m4 hei2) refers to a lack of financial resources.
個喼太重，我攞唔起。
The suitcase is too heavy; I cannot lift it.
Word by Word: The suitcase too heavy, I lift cannot-afford.
攞唔起 (lo2 m4 hei2) refers to the physical inability to lift something heavy.
佢係我老細，我得罪唔起佢。
He is my boss; I cannot afford to offend him.
Word by Word: He is my boss, I offend cannot-afford him.
得罪唔起 (dak1 zeoi6 m4 hei2) refers to the social consequence of losing one's job or facing trouble at work.
你唔好睇唔起人啦。
Don't look down on people.
Word by Word: You don't-good look-cannot-afford people [particle].
睇唔起 (tai2 m4 hei2) is a very common idiomatic expression meaning to look down on or despise someone.
我醒唔起佢叫咩名。
I cannot recall what his name is.
Word by Word: I wake cannot-afford he called what name.
醒唔起 (sing2 m4 hei2) uses 起 to mean bringing a memory 'up' to mind.

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'cannot afford' with 'cannot manage to'.
間舖頭閂咗門，我買唔起件衫。
間舖頭閂咗門，我買唔到件衫。
If the shop is closed, you use 買唔到 (maai5 m4 dou2) because you lack the opportunity. Use 買唔起 (maai5 m4 hei2) only if you lack the money.
Using '唔可以' (m4 ho2 ji5) for affordability.
我唔可以買呢層樓，因為太貴。
我買唔起呢層樓，因為太貴。
While '唔可以' means 'cannot', it usually implies a lack of permission. To specifically say you lack the money, you must use the potential complement 買唔起.

How It Connects

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

V+唔起Level 4Cannot Afford It

Learn This First

The pattern 'V+唔起' is a specific type of negative potential complement used to express that one cannot afford to do something (usually financially). It is constructed by taking the verb, adding the negator '唔', and then the resultative particle '起'. Understanding how resultative complements and potential forms work in Cantonese is essential for using this pattern correctly.

Words in This Pattern

起