我好掛住你
ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5
The English phrase 'I missed you' can be expressed in Cantonese as 我好掛住你 (ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5).
You use this phrase to tell someone that you felt their absence and wanted to see them again. It is specifically used to express emotional longing for someone's presence.
Which one should you use?
Use 我好掛住你 to express emotional longing. Do not use 我唔記得咗你, which means 'I forgot you'. If you mean that you missed a specific opportunity to meet or see someone, use the formal phrase 我錯過你.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb phrase 掛住 is used with the adverb 好 to express the intensity of the feeling, translating to 'to miss someone very much'.
How do you pronounce it?
ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5
Did you know?
- While 我好掛住你 is a direct expression of longing, Cantonese speakers often avoid saying it directly to family members, preferring to show affection by asking if the person has eaten yet.
- The verb 掛住 literally translates to 'to hang onto' or 'to hang in one's heart', suggesting that the feeling of missing someone is something heavy or persistent that stays attached to you.
- In romantic contexts, speakers may use 想你 instead of 掛住你. While both mean 'to miss', 想你 carries a stronger connotation of desire and longing for the person's physical presence.
Examples in context
- 我好掛住你。ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5.I missed you so much.
- 其實我好掛住你。kei4 sat6 ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5.Actually, I missed you.
- 我好掛住你，我哋好耐冇見。ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5, ngo5 dei6 hou2 noi6 mou5 gin3.I missed you, we haven't seen each other for a long time.
Example conversation
Two friends meeting at the airport after a long time.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan俊傑，我好掛住你！zyun3 zit3, ngo5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5!Jun Kit, I missed you so much!
- 俊傑 Chun Kit我也好掛住你。ngo5 jaa5 hou2 gwaa3 zyu6 nei5.I missed you too.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你喺外國生活得好嗎？nei5 hai2 ngoi6 gwok3 sang1 wut6 dak1 hou2 maa1?How was your life abroad?
- 俊傑 Chun Kit好開心可以返嚟見你。hou2 hoi1 sam1 ho2 ji5 faan1 lei4 gin3 nei5.I'm so happy to come back and see you.
