住 (zyu6)

Sentence-final for Now

Level 3Sounds Like zyu6

Use 住 (zyu6) immediately after a verb to indicate that an action is being maintained 'for now' or should be delayed 'just yet.' It is a pragmatic extension of the durative aspect marker.

How It Works

The particle 住 (zyu6) is a versatile verbal particle in colloquial Cantonese. While often taught as the durative aspect marker (describing a continuous state like 'holding'), its 'for now' meaning is an extension of this idea—maintaining a state for a temporary period.

1. Negative Commands and 'Not Yet'
When paired with negators like 唔好 (m4 hou2), 咪 (mai1), or 未 (mei6), it indicates that an action should not happen just yet. In these cases, it often moves to the end of the clause.
Example: 咪走住！ (mai1 zau2 zyu6!) — 'Don't leave yet!' (Stay in the state of being here).

2. Positive Statements with 'for now'
In positive sentences, 住 (zyu6) is typically used with 先 (sin1) to mean 'do this for the time being.' Unlike the negative form, here it follows the verb directly.
Example: 擺住喺度先。 (baai2 zyu6 hai2 dou6 sin1.) — 'Put it here for now.'

3. State vs. Action
Learners often confuse 住 (zyu6) with 緊 (gan2). While 緊 (gan2) is the 'progressive' (the act of doing), 住 (zyu6) is the 'durative' (the state of having done). For example, 着緊衫 (zoek3 gan2 saam1) means 'putting on clothes,' while 着住衫 (zoek3 zyu6 saam1) means 'wearing clothes.'

Position Note: In positive sentences, 住 (zyu6) follows the verb directly. However, in negative sentences (e.g., 唔好食住 m4 hou2 sik6 zyu6), it frequently functions like a sentence-final particle and follows the object.

Examples (5)

  1. 唔好食住，等埋爸爸先啦。

    Don't eat yet, wait for Dad first.

    Word by Word: Not good eat for-now, wait together father first [particle].

    Here, 住 (zyu6) combined with 唔好 (m4 hou2) creates a temporary prohibition.

  2. 你拎住呢啲嘢先啦。

    Hold these things for now.

    Word by Word: You take for-now these things first [particle].

    Using 住 (zyu6) with 先 (sin1) indicates a temporary action that might change later.

  3. 我仲未去得住呀。

    I can't go just yet.

    Word by Word: I still not-yet go can for-now [particle].

    The particle 住 (zyu6) emphasizes that the inability to go is temporary.

  4. 咪郁住！有隻蜂喺你膊頭度。

    Don't move yet! There's a bee on your shoulder.

    Word by Word: Don't move for-now! Have [classifier] bee at your shoulder [place].

    咪...住 (mai1...zyu6) is a common way to tell someone to maintain their current state for a moment.

  5. 你用住我嗰部電腦先啦。

    Use my computer for the time being.

    Word by Word: You use for-now my that [classifier] computer first [particle].

    This suggests a temporary solution until a better one is available.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 住 (zyu6) before the object in negative commands.

    咪食住飯！
    咪食飯住！

    In negative commands or 'not yet' contexts, 住 (zyu6) typically moves to the end of the clause, appearing after the object. This differs from its position in positive statements where it follows the verb directly.

  • Confusing the durative state of 住 (zyu6) with the active progression of 緊 (gan2).

    佢着緊件衫住。
    佢着住件衫。

    住 (zyu6) describes a state resulting from an action (like 'wearing' a shirt), whereas 緊 (gan2) describes the action itself (like 'putting on' a shirt). You cannot use them together to mean 'for now'.

How It Connects

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住 (zyu6)Level 3Sentence-final for Now

Learn This First

The pattern '住 (zyu6)' used at the end of a sentence indicates that an action should be delayed or that a current state should be maintained for the time being. It builds upon the basic durative aspect '住' and is commonly paired with negative commands like '唔好' (don't) to create the meaning 'don't do it just yet'.

Words in This Pattern