In most languages, you write what you speak.

But in the Cantonese-speaking world, we have a unique situation called diglossia. This basically means we use two different “codes” or systems depending on the situation.

There’s the Spoken Cantonese (what we say) and Standard Written Chinese (what we write in formal situations).

To make it even more interesting, there’s also Written Spoken Cantonese, which is becoming very popular online.

Confused? Don’t worry.

It’s actually quite logical once you see the patterns.

The “two systems” of Cantonese

In English, if you want to write “I am happy,” you write “I am happy.”

In Cantonese, if you want to say “I am happy,” you say one thing. But if you want to write it in a formal email or a school essay, you write something that looks like Mandarin grammar.

Here is the golden rule:

1. Spoken Cantonese: This is the vernacular. It is what we speak in Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, and Malaysia. It has its own grammar and vocabulary.
2. Standard Written Chinese (SWC): This is the formal written language. It is based on Mandarin grammar and vocabulary, but we read it aloud using Cantonese pronunciation.

This is the part that tricks most learners. When we see Standard Written Chinese, we don’t switch to speaking Mandarin. We just use the Cantonese sounds for those “Mandarin” characters.

What is Standard Written Chinese (SWC)?

Standard Written Chinese is the formal written language used across all Chinese-speaking regions (Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc.).

In Hong Kong and Macau, we use Traditional characters. In Mainland China (Guangdong), they use Simplified characters. However, the words and grammar chosen are the same: they follow the standard Mandarin structure.

Where will you see SWC?

• News articles and headlines
• Official government documents
• Novels and academic books
• Subtitles on the news (and often movies)
• Formal business emails

For example, the word for “is/am/are” in Spoken Cantonese is hai6 (係). But in Standard Written Chinese, we write si6 (是).

If a Hong Kong person sees the character 是 in a book, they know it means “is,” and they pronounce it si6. But if they turn to their friend to say “He is my friend,” they will automatically swap it out and say hai6.

What is Written Spoken Cantonese?

So, do we ever write exactly what we speak?

Yes! We call this Written Spoken Cantonese (or Vernacular Cantonese).

This involves writing down the exact words, particles, and grammar that come out of our mouths. Because standard Chinese characters (based on Mandarin) don’t have characters for some unique Cantonese sounds, we have invented specific “Cantonese characters.”

Common Cantonese-specific characters include:

• 嘅 (ge3) - possessive
• 哋 (dei6) - plural marker
• 佢 (keoi5) - he/she/it
• 冇 (mou5) - not have

Where will you see Written Spoken Cantonese?

• WhatsApp / WeChat messages with friends
• Social media posts (Instagram, Facebook)
• Comic books
• Gossip magazines and tabloids
• Advertisements (to sound friendly and local)
• Script for movies (the actual lines spoken)

Key vocabulary differences (Table)

To help you visualize this, here is a comparison of the most common words.

Remember: The “Written Chinese” column is what you read in a book, but the “Pronunciation” is how a Cantonese speaker reads that character aloud.

Sentence examples

Let’s look at how this changes a whole sentence. Notice how the grammar and word choice shift completely.

Example 1: Identity

English: He is a student.

In Spoken Cantonese, we use keoi5 (he) and hai6 (is).

In Standard Written Chinese, we change the pronoun and the verb.

Example 2: Negation

English: I don’t know.

In Spoken Cantonese, we use m4 (not) and zi1 (know).

In Standard Written Chinese, we use bat1 (not) and zi1 dou6 (know).

Example 3: Possession

English: This is my book.

In Spoken Cantonese, we use ni1 (this) and ge3 (possessive).

In Standard Written Chinese, ni1 becomes ze2, hai6 becomes si6, and ge3 becomes dik1.

Regional variations and learning tips

It’s important to note that the usage of Written Spoken Cantonese varies by region.

In Hong Kong, Written Spoken Cantonese is extremely common. You will see it on billboards, in text messages, and on internet forums like LIHKG. Hong Kongers are very proud of their local language identity.

In Guangzhou (Mainland China), while people speak Cantonese daily, the written form is almost strictly Standard Written Chinese (Simplified characters) in public spaces. You will see less “Written Spoken Cantonese” in public advertising there compared to Hong Kong.

My tips for learners:

1. Focus on Spoken first: If your goal is conversation, focus 100% on the Spoken Cantonese column in the table above. If you walk into a shop and say “Ngo5 si6…” (Standard Written style) instead of “Ngo5 hai6…” (Spoken style), you will sound like you are reciting a poem or reading a news report. It sounds very unnatural.

2. Don’t ignore the Written characters: Even if you only want to speak, you should recognize common Standard characters like 是 (si6 - is) and 的 (dik1 - possessive). You will see them on menus and signs everywhere.

3. Texting friends: If you make friends in Hong Kong, they will likely text you using Written Spoken Cantonese (e.g., writing 佢 instead of 他). Learning these specific characters will help you connect with locals much faster.

Cantonese is a rich language with a deep history. The fact that it has two layers - formal and colloquial - makes it challenging, but also incredibly expressive.