今個禮拜
gam1 go3 lai5 baai3
In Cantonese, 'this week' is said as 今個禮拜 (gam1 go3 lai5 baai3).
The phrase refers to the current week.
Meaning: in the current week (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 今 (now/this), 個 (classifier) and 禮拜 (week).
Which one should you use?
今個禮拜 is more colloquial and common in daily conversation than the more formal 呢個星期.
How do you pronounce it?
gam1 go3 lai5 baai3
Did you know?
- The word 禮拜 for 'week' literally means 'worship' or 'bowing in prayer'. This terminology entered the language via Christian missionaries who introduced the concept of a seven-day week centered on the Sunday Sabbath.
- To say 'next week', Cantonese speakers simply replace 今 with 下 (meaning 'down' or 'next') to make 下個禮拜. This creates a visual timeline where the future is 'below' the present.
- In Cantonese, you can refer to 'this week' using the term 本週. The word 本 usually means 'root' or 'book', but here it acts as a formal pointer meaning 'this current'.
Examples in context
- 你今個禮拜返咗幾多個鐘呀？How many hours did you work this week?This sentence is useful for asking about how many hours someone worked using 今個禮拜.Tatoeba #5738652 by nickyeow, translation #2912155 by CK
- 呢個星期有冇時間見面？Are you available to meet this week?
- 我今個禮拜好忙。ngo5 gam1 go3 lai5 baai3 hou2 mong4.I am very busy this week.
- 今個禮拜你有冇時間呀？gam1 go3 lai55 nei5 jau5 mou5 si4 gaan3 aa3?Do you have time this week?
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their plans for the weekend.
- 家明 Ka Ming雅婷，你今個禮拜有冇時間出嚟玩？aa2 ting4, nei5 gam1 go3 lai5 baai3 jau5 mou5 si4 gaan3 chut1 lai4 waan2?Ya Ting, do you have time to hang out this week?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting我想去睇戲，你覺得點？ngo5 soeng2 heoi3 tai2 hei3, nei5 gok3 dak1 dim2?I want to see a movie, what do you think?
- 家明 Ka Ming好呀，我哋星期六去啦。hou2 aa3, ngo5 dei6 sing1 kei4 luk6 heoi3 laa1.Sure, let's go on Saturday.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting好，到時見！hou2, dou3 si4 gin3!Great, see you then!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
