你冇事呀嘛？
nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa3?
The Cantonese phrase for "are you okay?" is 你冇事呀嘛？ (nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa3?)
This phrase is a question used to confirm that someone is unhurt or safe following an accident or a specific problem.
Which one should you use?
你冇事呀嘛？ is used specifically to confirm someone is unhurt after a particular event. In contrast, 你點呀？ is a more general inquiry used to ask "How are you?" or "What's up with you?" to check on someone's general well-being or current situation.
How do you pronounce it?
nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa3?
When do people say it?
When someone asks this, a common response is 冇事呀, which means "I'm fine" or "Nothing happened."
Did you know?
- If you use the phrase while someone is crying or upset, it may sound as though you are asking if they have been physically injured rather than empathizing with their feelings.
- In Cantonese, the concept of being 'okay' is framed as the absence of an 'incident' 事. Instead of asking about your state of being, the phrase asks if there is no 'matter' attached to you.
- The particle 嘛 changes the phrase from a genuine question into a reassurance. It suggests the speaker already expects that the person is safe.
Examples in context
- 你冇事呀嘛？nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa1?You're okay, right?
- 睇落你跌倒咗，你冇事呀嘛？tai2 lok6 nei5 dit3 dou2 zo2, nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa1?You look like you fell, are you okay?
- 見到你咁樣，你冇事呀嘛？gin3 dou2 nei5 gam2 joeng2, nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa1?Seeing you like this, are you okay?
Example conversation
Ka Ming tripped on the sidewalk and Ar Ting ran to help him.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting家明，你跌倒咗，你冇事呀嘛？kaa1 ming4, nei5 dit3 dou2 zo2, nei5 mou5 si6 aa3 maa1?Ka Ming, you fell, are you okay?
- 家明 Ka Ming唔緊要，我冇事。m4 gan2 jiu3, ngo5 mou5 si6.It's okay, I'm fine.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting你唔係受傷咗呀嘛？nei5 m4 hai6 sau6 soeng3 zo2 aa3 maa1?You're not hurt, are you?
- 家明 Ka Ming冇事，只係膝頭哥輕微擦親。mou5 si6, zi2 hai6 sat1 tau4 go3 hing1 mei4 caat3 can1.I'm fine, just a slight scrape on my knee.
