Asking questions is one of the fastest ways to build real conversations when you’re learning a new language.

Once you know the basic Cantonese question words, you can easily ask for directions, order food, and make friends.

Cantonese question structure is actually much simpler than English because the word order rarely changes.

This guide covers all the essential Cantonese question words you need to know, complete with examples and regional variations.

How Cantonese question grammar works

In English, we move words around when we want to ask a question.

For example, the statement “You are eating” changes its word order to “What are you eating” when it becomes a question.

Cantonese doesn’t do this at all.

Instead, Cantonese keeps the exact same word order as a normal statement.

You simply put the question word in the exact spot where the answer will go.

If the statement is “I am eating rice,” the question is literally “You are eating what.”

It makes forming questions very easy once you memorize the vocabulary.

You’ll also notice the particle 呀 (aa3) at the end of many questions in this guide.

Adding 呀 (aa3) to the end of a question makes your voice sound softer, more natural, and more polite.

What in Cantonese

The most common way to say “what” in Cantonese is 乜嘢 (mat1 je5).

In everyday conversation, native speakers frequently shorten this to 咩 (me1) or 啲咩 (di1 me1).

Both versions mean the exact same thing and can be used interchangeably.

Because of the grammar rule we just learned, “what” usually goes at the end of the sentence, right after the verb.

If you’re in Guangzhou or other parts of Guangdong province, you’ll hear people say 乜嘢 (mat1 je5) more often than the shortened 咩 (me1), though both are understood everywhere.

Who in Cantonese

To ask “who” in Cantonese, you use the word 邊個 (bin1 go3).

Literally, 邊 (bin1) means “which” and 個 (go3) is a measure word for people or general things, so it translates to “which one.”

Depending on the sentence, 邊個 (bin1 go3) can go at the beginning as the subject or at the end as the object.

If you want to ask “whose” to show possession, you stay with the exact same word.

You just place the noun right after 邊個 (bin1 go3).

Where in Cantonese

The word for “where” in Cantonese is 邊度 (bin1 dou6).

Just like with “who,” it uses the character 邊 (bin1) for “which,” combined with 度 (dou6) which means “place” or “location.”

In fast, casual speech in Hong Kong, people often drop the second word and just say 邊 (bin1).

When in Cantonese

To ask “when” something is happening, use the word 幾時 (gei2 si4).

Literally, this translates to “what time” or “how much time.”

Unlike “what” and “where,” time words in Cantonese usually go near the beginning of the sentence.

You place 幾時 (gei2 si4) either right before or right after the subject (the person doing the action).

Why in Cantonese

The standard Cantonese word for “why” is 點解 (dim2 gaai2).

The literal meaning of 點解 (dim2 gaai2) is “how to explain.”

Like the word for “when,” you usually place 點解 (dim2 gaai2) at the beginning of the sentence or right after the subject.

There’s a major regional variation to keep in mind for the word “why.”

While 點解 (dim2 gaai2) is standard in Hong Kong and Macau, speakers in Guangzhou and across Mainland China very commonly say 做乜 (zou6 mat1) or 為乜 (wai6 mat1) instead.

做乜 (zou6 mat1) is also used in Hong Kong, where it translates closer to “what for” or “why on earth.”

How in Cantonese

To ask “how” to do something, you use the word 點樣 (dim2 joeng2).

Very often, native speakers shorten this to just 點 (dim2).

You put 點樣 (dim2 joeng2) right before the verb to ask how that action is done.

You can also use 點 (dim2) by itself to ask “how are things” or “what is the situation.”

Which in Cantonese

As you saw earlier with “who” and “where,” the base word for “which” is 邊 (bin1).

However, you can’t use 邊 (bin1) by itself when pointing out specific objects.

You must attach the correct Cantonese measure word (also known as a classifier) between 邊 (bin1) and the noun.

If you aren’t sure what the specific measure word is, you can usually rely on 個 (go3) as a safe backup, or use 啲 (di1) for plural items.

How much and how many in Cantonese

When you’re shopping or asking about numbers, you need the word 幾 (gei2).

For asking about countable things (“how many”), you attach 幾 (gei2) to a measure word, or use 幾多 (gei2 do1) followed by a measure word.

When you’re asking about prices or uncountable amounts (“how much”), you always use 幾多 (gei2 do1).

When asking for the price of something in a market, people often say 幾錢 (gei2 cin2), dropping the 多 (do1) for speed.

Notice how in the last example, combining 幾 (gei2) with an adjective like 大 (daai6 - big/old) translates to “how old.”

You can pair 幾 (gei2) with almost any adjective to ask about degree, such as 幾遠 (gei2 jyun5) for “how far” or 幾耐 (gei2 noi6) for “how long (in time).”

Summary table of Cantonese question words

Here’s a quick reference table of all the Cantonese question words covered in this guide.

Start practicing these words by swapping them into basic Cantonese sentences you already know.

Because the grammar doesn’t require you to change the word order, you’ll be asking natural questions right away.