將會

Formal Future

Level 6Sounds Like zoeng1 wui5

將會 (zoeng1 wui5) is the formal equivalent of the spoken 'will' (會 wui5). It is used in high-register settings like news broadcasts, business presentations, and public announcements.

How It Works

1. Register and Usage
In daily conversation, Cantonese speakers use 會 (wui5) to express 'will.' However, in formal spoken Cantonese (such as news or formal speeches) and written Cantonese, 將會 (zoeng1 wui5) is the standard choice. It sounds professional, distant, and planned. In extremely formal writing, this can even be shortened to just 將 (zoeng1), such as in the phrase 將於 (zoeng1 jyu1) meaning 'will be at.'

2. Planned vs. Spontaneous
Unlike the English 'will,' which can be used for spontaneous decisions, 將會 specifically implies a planned or scheduled future event. It is used for announcements, itineraries, and official projections rather than a sudden thought.

3. Sentence Structure and Negation
The pattern follows a simple Subject + 將會 + Verb Phrase structure. To negate it, you can use 將唔會 (zoeng1 m4 wui5) in formal speech, or the even more formal 將不 (zoeng1 bat1) in written Cantonese. Because it is a formal term, it is rarely paired with very colloquial sentence-final particles like 㗎 (gaa3) or 啫 (ze1), as this creates a 'register clash.'

4. Nuance of Imminence
In formal announcements (like on the MTR or at an airport), 將會 is often used to describe things that are about to happen immediately, where a casual speaker would instead use 就嚟 (zau6 lei4).

5. Distinction from the Object Marker
Do not confuse the future marker 將會 with the formal object marker 將 (zoeng1). While they share the same first character, their grammatical functions are entirely different.

Examples (4)

  1. 天文台將會喺短期內發出八號信號。

    The Observatory will issue the No. 8 signal shortly.

    Word by Word: Observatory will at short period within issue No. 8 signal.

    This is a classic example of news/weather register. 將會 (zoeng1 wui5) provides an official tone for the prediction.

  2. 本班列車將會延遲十分鐘開出。

    This train will depart ten minutes late.

    Word by Word: This [class] train will delay ten minutes depart.

    Commonly heard in public transport announcements. It sounds more authoritative than using the simple 會 (wui5).

  3. 呢個項目將會喺下個月正式展開。

    This project will officially commence next month.

    Word by Word: This [item] project will at next month officially unfold.

    Used in a business or academic context to describe a planned future schedule.

  4. 我哋將會為大家提供更多資訊。

    We will provide more information for everyone.

    Word by Word: We will for everyone provide more information.

    Often used in formal presentations or customer service scripts.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 將會 in casual conversation with friends.

    Different Meaning我將會同你一齊食飯。
    我會同你一齊食飯。

    我將會同你一齊食飯 is grammatical, but 將會 (zoeng1 wui5) belongs to news and official speech and sounds stiff with friends. Use the simpler 會 (wui5) for daily life.

  • Confusing the future marker with the object marker 'zoeng1'.

    佢將會件衫洗咗。
    佢將件衫洗咗。

    將 (zoeng1) can be a formal object marker (similar to Mandarin 'ba'). Adding 會 (wui5) changes the meaning to 'will,' which doesn't fit this sentence structure.

How It Connects

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

將會Level 6Formal Future

Learn This First

To understand 將會, learners first need to be familiar with the basic future marker 會. Since 將會 is a formal or written variant, knowledge of the differences between spoken and written Cantonese registers is necessary. Finally, understanding its colloquial equivalent 就嚟 helps learners identify when to use the formal version in news or literature.

Words in This Pattern

将会