快啲
faai3 di1
In Cantonese, the phrase for "quickly" is 快啲 (faai3 di1).
快啲 means "quickly" or "faster". In spoken Cantonese, 快啲 is frequently used as an imperative to tell someone to hurry up.
Meaning: rapidly, fast (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 快 (fast) and 啲 (a bit/more), literally meaning "fast a bit" or "faster".
Which one should you use?
While 快啲 means "faster" or "more quickly", the phrase 快手 is used specifically to describe someone who is "quick-handed" or efficient at performing tasks.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain areas of Hong Kong, the phrase 幾快 is used to mean quite quickly or fairly fast.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 啲 after an adjective like 快 creates the comparative form "faster" or the adverbial "more quickly".
How do you pronounce it?
faai3 di1
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong, you might hear someone use the phrase 幾快 to mean 'quite fast' or 'fairly quickly'. The character 幾 usually acts as a question word for 'how many' or 'how much', but here it functions as an intensifier for the speed.
- Because 快啲 can sound blunt, Cantonese speakers often attach polite particles at the end of the phrase to avoid sounding impatient. Without these particles, a command to 'hurry up' might come across as a direct and rude order.
- In Cantonese, you can turn almost any adjective into a comparative by appending 啲 to the end. To say 'bigger' or 'more expensive', you simply use the adjective followed by this particle.
Examples in context
- 唔驚錯，學外語就會學得快啲。You can speak a foreign language more quickly if you're not afraid of making mistakes.This sentence shows how to use 快啲 to describe performing an action like learning a language more quickly.Tatoeba #6127120 by nickyeow, translation #6095108 by mailohilohi
- 請盡快回覆我們的郵件。Please respond to our email as soon as possible.
- 坐車嘛！快啲！Get in the car! Quickly!
- 你講得幾快。You speak quite quickly.
- 你行快啲啦。nei5 hang4 faai3 di1 laa1.Walk a little faster.
Example conversation
Two friends are getting ready to leave the house.
- 子健 Tsz Kin子健，你快啲準備，車就到喇。zi2 gin6, nei5 faai3 di1 zeon2 bei6, ce1 zau6 dou3 laa3.Zi Jian, get ready quickly, the car is arriving.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan我快啲就完，等我一分鐘。ngo5 faai3 di1 zau6 jyun4, dang2 ngo5 jat1 fan1 zung1.I'll be finished quickly, give me one minute.
- 子健 Tsz Kin唔好咁慢，我哋要快啲走。m4 hou2 gam3 maan6, ngo5 dei6 jiu3 faai3 di1 zau2.Don't be so slow, we need to leave quickly.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan好啦，我而家就出嚟。hou2 laa1, ngo5 ji4 gaa1 zau6 ce1 lai4.Okay, I am coming out right now.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
