Cantonese Grammar · The A-not-A Question Pattern
去 heoi3 Verb
+
唔 m4 Not
+
去 heoi3 Verb again
=
去唔去？ heoi3 m4 heoi3? Going or not?

Cantonese has a built-in way to ask yes/no questions: say the verb, then 唔, then the verb again. The listener picks one side to answer.

How to build any A-not-A question

Three steps, every time — and it works for any verb or adjective.

1
Take your verb
Start with any verb or adjective you want to ask about.
好
hou2 — good
→
2
Add 唔 in the middle
Insert 唔 directly after the verb — no other words in between.
好唔
hou2 m4
→
3
Repeat the verb
Write the same verb one more time. That's your question.
好唔好？
hou2 m4 hou2? — good or not?

The most common A-not-A questions

These seven patterns come up every day. Memorise them and you can ask almost anything.

好唔好？
hou2 m4 hou2
Good or not? / OK?
Asking approval or agreement
想唔想？
soeng2 m4 soeng2
Want to or not?
Asking about desire or preference
得唔得？
dak1 m4 dak1
Can or not? / Is it OK?
Asking for permission
係唔係？
hai6 m4 hai6
Is it or not? / Right?
Confirming a fact or identity
識唔識？
sik1 m4 sik1
Know how to or not?
Asking about ability or knowledge
要唔要？
jiu3 m4 jiu3
Need to or not? / Want it?
Asking if something is needed or wanted
去唔去？
heoi3 m4 heoi3
Going or not?
Asking if someone is going somewhere

Full sentences with A-not-A questions

The question word slots into a complete sentence just like any other question.

好唔好 hou2 m4 hou2 OK?
想唔想 soeng2 m4 soeng2 Want to or not?
你想唔想去香港呀？
nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 heoi3 hoeng1 gong2 aa3?
Do you want to go to Hong Kong?
[Use to ask about someone's desire or preference — "do you want to or not?"]
得唔得 dak1 m4 dak1 Can or not?
星期三朝早九點開會，得唔得呀？
sing1 kei4 saam1 ziu1 zou2 gau2 dim2 hoi1 wui6, dak1 m4 dak1 aa3?
Can we hold the meeting at 9am on Wednesday?
[Use to check whether a time or arrangement works for everyone — asking if it is feasible.]
係唔係 hai6 m4 hai6 Is it or not?
你係唔係香港人呀？
nei5 hai6 m4 hai6 hoeng1 gong2 jan4 aa3?
Are you from Hong Kong?
[Use to confirm a fact — 係唔係 asks "is this true or not true?"]
識唔識 sik1 m4 sik1 Know how or not?
你識唔識講廣東話呀？
nei5 sik1 m4 sik1 gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2 aa3?
Do you know how to speak Cantonese?
[Use to ask whether someone has a skill or knowledge — 識 means to know how to do something.]
要唔要 jiu3 m4 jiu3 Need it or not?
我去買水，你要唔要呀？
ngo5 heoi3 maai5 seoi2, nei5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 aa3?
I'm going to buy water — do you want some?
[Use when offering something to someone in passing — a casual, friendly offer.]
去唔去 heoi3 m4 heoi3 Going or not?
星期六我哋去行山，你去唔去呀？
sing1 kei4 luk6 ngo5 dei6 heoi3 haang4 saan1, nei5 heoi3 m4 heoi3 aa3?
We're going hiking on Saturday — are you coming?
[Use to ask if someone will join a group plan — stating the plan first, then asking for their answer.]
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Golden Rule for A-not-A Questions
The pattern is always Verb + 唔 + Verb. Adding 呀 (aa3) at the end softens the question and makes it sound more natural and conversational — you will hear it in almost every A-not-A question in daily speech.

How to answer: Simply pick one side of the question and say it — either the plain verb (yes) or 唔 + verb (no). Never repeat both sides in your answer.

Question Yes ✓ No ✗
好唔好？
hou2 m4 hou2		 好
hou2		 唔好
m4 hou2
去唔去？
heoi3 m4 heoi3		 去
heoi3		 唔去
m4 heoi3
係唔係？
hai6 m4 hai6		 係
hai6		 唔係
m4 hai6
得唔得？
dak1 m4 dak1		 得
dak1		 唔得
m4 dak1
想唔想？
soeng2 m4 soeng2		 想
soeng2		 唔想
m4 soeng2
識唔識？
sik1 m4 sik1		 識
sik1		 唔識
m4 sik1
要唔要？
jiu3 m4 jiu3		 要
jiu3		 唔要
m4 jiu3

You can also soften or add context to either answer — for example, 得，唔該 (dak1, m4 goi1 — yes, thank you) or 唔去喇，我好忙 (m4 heoi3 laa3, ngo5 hou2 mong4 — not going, I'm very busy). But the core answer is always just one verb, positive or negative.

Tip — adding 呀 when answering: Just as 呀 softens the question, it also softens the answer. Saying 去呀 (heoi3 aa3) sounds warmer and more natural than a plain 去 on its own. Similarly, 唔去呀 (m4 heoi3 aa3) is gentler than a blunt 唔去. Adding 呀 to your answer takes the edge off and keeps the tone friendly.

Summary

Seven patterns you can use from day one.

Pattern Jyutping Meaning Best Used For
好唔好？ hou2 m4 hou2 Good or not? / OK? Seeking approval or agreement
想唔想？ soeng2 m4 soeng2 Want to or not? Asking about desire
得唔得？ dak1 m4 dak1 Can or not? / Is it OK? Asking permission
係唔係？ hai6 m4 hai6 Is it or not? / Right? Confirming a fact
識唔識？ sik1 m4 sik1 Know how to or not? Asking about ability
要唔要？ jiu3 m4 jiu3 Need to / Want it? Asking if something is needed
去唔去？ heoi3 m4 heoi3 Going or not? Asking about plans to go somewhere

Try it yourself

Pick the correct A-not-A question word that fits each sentence.

星期日去行街，___ 呀？
sing1 kei4 jat6 heoi3 haang4 gaai1, ___ aa3?
Let's go shopping on Sunday — OK? (seeking approval for a plan)
星期三朝早九點開會，___ 呀？
sing1 kei4 saam1 ziu1 zou2 gau2 dim2 hoi1 wui6, ___ aa3?
Can we hold the meeting at 9am on Wednesday? (asking for permission or agreement)
我去買水，你 ___ 呀？
ngo5 heoi3 maai5 seoi2, nei5 ___ aa3?
I'm going to buy water — do you want some? (offering something to someone)
星期六我哋去行山，你 ___ 呀？
sing1 kei4 luk6 ngo5 dei6 heoi3 haang4 saan1, nei5 ___ aa3?
We're going hiking on Saturday — are you coming? (asking if someone will join)
你 ___ 去香港呀？
nei5 ___ heoi3 hoeng1 gong2 aa3?
Do you want to go to Hong Kong? (asking about desire or preference)
你 ___ 香港人呀？
nei5 ___ hoeng1 gong2 jan4 aa3?
Are you from Hong Kong? (confirming a fact)
你 ___ 講廣東話呀？
nei5 ___ gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2 aa3?
Do you know how to speak Cantonese? (asking about a skill)