你點呀？
nei5 dim2 aa3?
你點呀？ (nei5 dim2 aa3?) is the Cantonese way to say "how are you doing?"
你點呀？ is a common greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being or general situation. In Cantonese, this phrase is often used as a casual greeting rather than a deep inquiry into one's emotional state.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "You how [particle]?", where 點 means "how".
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 呀 is a sentence-final particle used to soften the tone of the question, making it sound more natural and less abrupt.
How do you pronounce it?
nei5 dim2 aa3?
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with this phrase, a common and natural response is 唔錯呀, which means "not bad".
Did you know?
- Depending on the tone used, the phrase 你點呀？ can shift from a friendly 'how are you' to a confrontational 'what is wrong with you?' Tone is a fundamental part of the grammar in Cantonese.
- While 你點呀？ is common, many Cantonese speakers prefer to skip the question entirely and simply ask 食咗飯未？, which means 'Have you eaten yet?'
- The response 唔錯呀 ('not bad') is often the safest answer because boasting about being 'great' can be seen as immodest in traditional Cantonese culture.
Examples in context
- 你點呀？nei5 dim2 aa3?How are you doing?
- 好耐冇見，你點呀？hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3, nei5 dim2 aa3?Long time no see, how are you doing?
- 喂，你點呀？wai3, nei5 dim2 aa3?Hey, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Two friends meet by chance on the street.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung家明，好耐冇見！你點呀？ga1 ming4, hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3! nei5 dim2 aa3?Ka Ming, long time no see! How are you doing?
- 家明 Ka Ming我幾好，你呢？ngo5 gei2 hou2, nei5 ne1?I'm doing pretty well, how about you?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我都唔錯，而家做咩呀？ngo5 dou1 m4 co3, ji4 gaa1 zou6 me1 aa3?I'm not bad either, what are you doing now?
- 家明 Ka Ming我返緊工，下次再約！ngo5 faan1 gan2 gung1, ha6 ci3 zoi3 joek3!I'm heading to work, let's meet up next time!
