Verbal Aspect
In contrast to many European languages, Cantonese verbs are marked for aspect rather than tense - that is, whether an event has begun, is ongoing, or has been completed. Tense - where an event occurs within time, i.e. past, present, future - is specified through the use of time adverbs. In addition, verbal complements may convey aspectual distinctions, indicating whether an event is just beginning, is continuing, or at completion, and also the effect of the verb on its object(s).
Aspect particles are treated as suffixes bound to the verb.
| Aspect | Marker | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfective | zo2 (咗) | To emphasise a completed activity the result of which still applies to the present situation | 我I 喺at/in 香港Hong Kong 住咗live-PERF 一one 年year = I have been living in Hong Kong for a year (and still live here) |
| Experiential | gwo3 (過) | To emphasise an activity completed in the indeterminate past which no longer applies to the present situation | 我I 喺at/in 香港Hong Kong 住過live-EXPR 一one 年year = I lived in Hong Kong for a year (but am now elsewhere) |
| Progressive | gan2 (緊) | To emphasise a dynamic activity which may undergo a change of state | 我I 著緊wear-PROG 衫clothes = I am putting on clothes |
| Durative | zyu6 (住) | To emphasise a continuous activity without a change of state | 我I 著住wear-DUR 衫clothes = I am wearing clothes |
| Delimitative | haa5 (吓) | To emphasise an activity of brief duration | 等Let 我me 著吓wear-DEL = Let me wear it for a while |
| Habitual | hoi1 (開) | To emphasise an activity protracted over a period of time to the point that it has become characteristic or habitual | 我I 做開do-HAB 鐘點part-time 嘅SFP = I normally work part time |
| Inchoative | hei2-soeng5-lai4 (起上嚟) | To emphasise the beginning of an activity | 個CL BBbaby 突然之間suddenly 喊起上嚟cry-INCH = the baby suddenly began crying |
| Continuative | lok6-heoi3 (落去) | To emphasise the continuation of an activity | 你you唔NEG 使need 再again 講落去speak-CONT 喇SFP = You don't have to go on speaking |
Abbreviations: CL = classifier; SFP = sentence-final particle
Read more about this topic: Cantonese Grammar
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