幾多呀？
gei2 do1 aa3?
In Cantonese, "how many?" is translated as 幾多呀？ (gei2 do1 aa3?)
The phrase is used to ask about the quantity or number of something. Unlike English, which differentiates between "how many" for countable items and "how much" for uncountable amounts, the Cantonese phrase 幾多 covers both countable and uncountable quantities.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 幾多 (gei2 do1) literally means "how many" or "how much".
Which one should you use?
You can use the more concise 幾多 in informal settings. If you are specifically counting discrete objects, you can add the measure word 個 after the phrase to say 幾多個？ (gei2 do1 go3?) to mean "how many (units/items)?"
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting specific items like apples, the classifier 個 is used.
How do you pronounce it?
gei2 do1 aa3?
Did you know?
- The character 幾 (gei2) is also used in Cantonese to mean 'quite' or 'rather', as in 幾好 (gei2 hou2) meaning 'quite good'.
- When asking 'how many' in a very formal or written context, the phrase 多少 (do1 siu2) is used instead of the colloquial 幾多.
- If you want to turn a direct inquiry into a gentler, more suggestive question, you can replace the particle 呀 with 呢.
Examples in context
- 你有幾多蘋果？How many apples do you have?
- 你有幾多兄弟姐妹？How many siblings do you have?
- 幾多呀？gei2 do1 aa3?How many?
- 你想買幾多呀？nei5 seung2 maai5 gei2 do1 aa3?How many do you want to buy?
- 呢度有幾多呀？nei1 dou6 jau5 gei2 do1 aa3?How many are there here?
Example conversation
Chi Keung and Chiu Tung are at a fruit stall.
- 志強 Chi Keung曉彤，你想買幾多呀？hiu2 tung4, nei5 seung2 maai5 gei2 do1 aa3?Chiu Tung, how many do you want to buy?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我想買五個。ngo5 soeng2 maai5 ng5 go3.I want to buy five.
- 志強 Chi Keung咁要幾多錢呀？gam2 jiu3 gei2 do1 cin2 aa3?Then how much money is it?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung志強，你問下老闆啦。zi3 koeng4, nei5 man6 haa5 lou5 baan2 laa1.Chi Keung, you ask the boss.
