想
soeng²
In Cantonese, 'want' can be expressed in several ways. The default form is 想 (soeng²). Wiktionary also lists 要 (jiu³) and 想要 (soeng² jiu³).
Meaning: to desire (verb)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 想 | soeng² |
| 要 | jiu³ |
| 想要 | soeng² jiu³ |
| 愛 / 爱 | oi³ |
The primary way to express a desire or a feeling of wanting to do something is by using 想. It is also commonly used to mean 'to miss' someone or something.
Which one should you use?
想 is used to express a desire or a feeling of wanting to do something, often sounding softer or more polite than 要. In contrast, 要 expresses a stronger, more direct demand or a necessity, often translated as 'want', 'need' or 'must'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you do not want to do something, place 唔 (not) before 想 to form 唔想.
How do you pronounce it?
soeng²
Did you know?
- While 想 is used for 'want', it is also the standard word for 'to think' or 'to ponder'. In a sentence, the meaning is determined by whether it is followed by a noun or a verb.
- In Hong Kong, people often use the English word 'want' or 'need' mixed into Cantonese sentences, especially in fast-paced business environments.
- In some contexts, 要 can function as 'will' in the sense of future intent, meaning the speaker 'wants' the event to happen in the future.
Examples in context
- 我想食啲嘢。I want something to eat.This sentence uses 想 to express a desire for food.Tatoeba #472632 by nickyeow, translation #25072 by CK
- 我想瞓多陣。I want to sleep a little more.This sentence uses 想 to express a desire for more sleep.Tatoeba #486552 by nickyeow, translation #31234 by CK
- 佢唔想等你。He doesn't want to wait for you.This sentence uses the negative form of 想 to show a lack of desire to wait.Tatoeba #1579589 by nickyeow, translation #1579398 by fanty
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to do on a weekend afternoon.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting雅婷：你今日想做咩呀？nga5 ting4: nei5 gam1 jat6 soeng2 zou6 me1 aa3?Agnes: What do you want to do today?
- 子健 Tsz Kin子健：我唔知，你有冇諗到？zi2 gin3: ngo5 m4 zi1, nei5 jau5 mou5 lam2 dou3?Zi Kin: I don't know, do you have anything in mind?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting雅婷：我想去行街。nga5 ting4: ngo5 soeng2 heoi3 haang4 gaai1.Agnes: I want to go shopping.
- 子健 Tsz Kin子健：好呀，我陪你去。zi2 gin3: hou2 aa3, ngo5 pui4 nei5 heoi3.Zi Kin: Okay, I'll go with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “want” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
