太...喇

Too …

Level 1

Use 太 (taai3) before an adjective and 喇 (laa3) at the end of the sentence to express excess ('too...') or strong exclamations ('so...!').

How It Works

The pattern 太…喇 (taai3…laa3) is one of the most common degree structures in spoken Cantonese. While 太 (taai3) can function on its own to mean 'too', it is very frequently paired with the sentence-final particle 喇 (laa3) (often written informally as 啦) to add exclamatory emphasis or indicate a change of situation.

1. Structure and Placement
• Place 太 (taai3) directly before the adjective or stative verb.
• Place the particle 喇 (laa3) at the end of the clause.
• Example: 呢件衫太貴喇！ (ni1 gin6 saam1 taai3 gwai3 laa3! - 'This shirt is too expensive!')

2. Dual Function: Complaints vs. Compliments
Unlike in English where 'too' usually indicates an unwanted excess, 太…喇 serves two distinct purposes in Cantonese:
• Negative evaluation / Complaint: Expresses that something exceeds a desirable limit (e.g., 太嘈喇 taai3 cou4 laa3 - 'too noisy').
• Positive compliment / Exclamation: Expresses strong praise or excitement (e.g., 太好喇！ taai3 hou2 laa3! - 'That's fantastic!' / 'So great!').

3. Grammatical Rules to Keep in Mind
• No double adverbs: Do not stack extra adverbs like 好 (hou2) inside the frame.
• Predicate vs. Noun Modifier: The final particle 喇 (laa3) is used when the phrase ends a clause or predicate. When modifying a noun directly (e.g., 'things that are too expensive'), omit 喇 and use 太 + Adj + 嘅 (e.g., 太貴嘅嘢 taai3 gwai3 ge3 je5).
• Negation: To say 'not too...', use 唔係太 (m4 hai6 taai3) or 唔太 (m4 taai3). The particle 喇 is usually dropped in neutral negative statements, though it can be retained to signal a change of state (e.g., 'not too complex anymore').

Examples (5)

  1. 呢件衫太貴喇！

    This shirt is too expensive!

    Word by Word: this item shirt too expensive [particle]

    A classic negative evaluation showing unwanted excess.

  2. 你喺度太好喇！

    It's so great that you're here!

    Word by Word: you at here too good [particle]

    Shows the positive exclamatory function of the pattern to express relief or happiness.

  3. 呢度太嘈喇，我哋走啦。

    It's too noisy here, let's leave.

    Word by Word: here too noisy [particle], we leave [particle]

    Demonstrates using the complaint form followed by a suggested action.

  4. 太多嘢做喇！

    There are too many things to do!

    Word by Word: too many things do [particle]

    Shows 太 modifying a quantity phrase (多嘢做).

  5. 太甜喇，我唔想食。

    It's too sweet, I don't want to eat it.

    Word by Word: too sweet [particle], I not want eat

    Expresses an undesirable trait leading to a decision.

Common Mistakes

  • Using Mandarin 了 (le/liu5) instead of Cantonese 喇 (laa3).

    呢個太貴了
    呢個太貴喇！

    In spoken Cantonese, pair 太 with the native sentence-final particle 喇 (laa3), not the Mandarin particle 了.

  • Keeping the final particle 喇 (laa3) inside a noun-modifying phrase.

    太貴喇嘅嘢
    太貴嘅嘢

    Sentence-final particles like 喇 belong at the very end of a clause predicate. Drop 喇 when modifying a noun with 嘅 (ge3).

  • Combining 太 (taai3) and 得滯 (dak1 zai6) together.

    呢個太貴得滯喇
    呢個太貴喇 / 呢個貴得滯喇

    Both 太...喇 and ...得滯 express excess. Pick one frame or the other; combining them is double degree marking and unnatural.

How It Connects

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

太...喇Level 1Too …

Learn This First

To use the '太...喇' pattern, you need to understand how to use adjectives as the core of a sentence and how sentence-final particles are used to add emphasis or indicate a change in state.

Words in This Pattern