HONG KONG CANTONESE
Learn Hong Kong Cantonese: tones, useful phrases, and a first conversation
Start with a conversation you actually want to have: asking a price in Hong Kong, greeting a relative, or answering a question about your day. This guide gives you a way into the sounds, four useful expressions, and a short practice routine. If you understand family Cantonese but usually reply in English, start with the heritage learner route below.
In this guide
- Cantonese, Mandarin, and written Chinese: choose the right resource
- Read Jyutping as a guide to the sound
- Four expressions to put into an exchange
- Pick a starting point that matches your experience
- A ten-minute practice you can repeat
- Continue with a spoken Cantonese lesson
Cantonese, Mandarin, and written Chinese: choose the right resource
Cantonese and Mandarin differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar; CUHK's linguistics introduction notes that they are not mutually intelligible. A course labeled Chinese or using traditional characters is not necessarily teaching spoken Cantonese. Look for Hong Kong Cantonese audio and a pronunciation system intended for Cantonese.
There is another distinction within Hong Kong: Standard Written Chinese and the language of everyday Cantonese conversation. As the Hong Kong University Press account explains, formal writing does not simply transcribe local speech. Cantonese itself can also be written in characters. For speaking practice, choose a transcript that follows what the speaker actually says; a written Chinese sentence alone is not a reliable conversation model.
Read Jyutping as a guide to the sound
Jyutping is the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong's system for writing Cantonese pronunciation with Latin letters and a tone number after each syllable. Keep the digits when you save a new word. They label six tone categories; they are not a scale where a larger number means a higher pitch.
For orientation, tones 1, 3, and 6 are high, middle, and low level tones; 2 and 5 rise, and 4 is low, often falling. Use the linked Jyutping audio examples to hear those contrasts. Start by comparing two recordings rather than trying to memorize six abstract descriptions. Listen, copy one syllable, then put it back into its phrase.
Do not read the letters as English spelling. Jyutping j represents a sound like English y, and a and aa distinguish vowels. Final p, t, and k stop without the released puff you may expect from English. The learner reference includes recordings for each of these features, so you can check a specific uncertainty rather than guess.
Four expressions to put into an exchange
These are starting points, not a script for every social setting. Read the characters and Jyutping together, then use audio from the university resources below to connect the notation with speech. The price question only becomes useful when you also practice hearing a number in reply.
- 早晨
- zou2 san4Good morning.
- 唔該
- m4 goi1Excuse me / please; also thanks for help or service, depending on context.
- 幾多錢呀？
- gei2 do1 cin2 aa3?How much is it? Use when the item is clear from the situation.
- 多謝
- do1 ze6Thank you, for example when receiving a gift or compliment.
Pick a starting point that matches your experience
New to Cantonese? Choose one setting and two or three turns. For a shopping exchange, practice getting attention, asking a price, and recognizing a small set of possible answers. Ask a speaker or tutor to vary the price so you have to listen. Add vocabulary when it is needed to complete that exchange.
Already understand family conversation? Try answering a familiar question without preparing an English sentence first. Describe something that happened today, then add who was there or why it mattered. Notice the precise point where you switch languages: a missing word, a sentence pattern, or difficulty following the reply. Bring that small problem into your next practice.
A ten-minute practice you can repeat
Use a short recording with a matching transcript, or ask a conversation partner to model the exchange. Treat these timings as a practical starting routine; they are not a promise about how quickly you will learn.
- Minutes 1–2: Listen to two or three turns. Work out who wants what before reading the transcript.
- Minutes 3–4: Check the meaning and Jyutping. Replay one unclear syllable or tone contrast, then say the complete phrase.
- Minutes 5–7: Hide the text and take one role. Listen to the reply before choosing your next line.
- Minutes 8–9: Repeat with one detail changed, such as the item or price. Ask for clarification if you lose the meaning.
- Minute 10: Save one phrase you could not retrieve. Begin the next session by trying it again before looking.
Continue with a spoken Cantonese lesson
In Glottie, choose Hong Kong Cantonese as your target and English as your support language. Choose your starting level and a plan, then bring a concrete conversation goal into your first lesson. Keep the Jyutping references nearby for separate pronunciation study, and use the lesson to work on understanding and responding aloud.
Further reading
- Linguistic Society of Hong Kong: official Jyutping scheme
- Jyutping: English learner guide with pronunciation recordings
- CUHK Linguistics: Cantonese and Mandarin background
- Hong Kong University Press: Written Cantonese, spoken and written language
- CUHK Cantonese Online Tutorial: shopping dialogue and Jyutping
- CUHK Cantonese Grammar: requests, thanks, and greetings with audio
YOUR PERSONAL AI LANGUAGE TUTOR
Learn to speak by having a conversation.
The words you recognise on a screen need to become words you can use with another person. Glottie gives you one-to-one speaking practice: listen, find your own words, ask a question, and respond in the moment. Spend your learning time practising the skill you came for.
- Listen
- Reply
- Refine
WHY SPEAKING PRACTICE MATTERS
Build the skill you want to use.
Feedback that helps learning last
A meta-analysis of 15 classroom studies found lasting benefits from oral corrective feedback in second-language learning.
Read the studyPractice that develops spoken fluency
In a small study of Japanese university learners of English, regular video conversations improved fluency and comprehensibility.
Read the studyThe research, in context
Conversation brings listening, recall, and expression together. Feedback helps you notice a gap and try again. Research supports these ingredients of language learning; that is why spoken practice sits at the centre of Glottie.
These studies examined language learning, not Glottie. They do not establish a fixed learning-speed advantage for this app. Progress depends on your starting point, practice, and goals.
YOUR PERSONAL AI LANGUAGE TUTOR
A tutor who knows what you’re working toward.
A great private tutor connects each lesson to your life, notices where you struggle, and knows when you’re ready for more. Glottie brings that approach to your iPhone, combining natural AI conversation with a learning path, memory, and review that continue across lessons.
Your reason to learn shapes the lesson
Tell Glottie you want to speak with your partner’s family, raise a bilingual child, or feel at home abroad. Practise breakfast with your daughter, meeting relatives, or talking with a neighbour. Your goals and interests give the conversation a purpose.
The challenge changes with you
Ask for a slower explanation, try the phrase again, or move into a more demanding conversation. Glottie uses your practice and progress to adjust support, revisit difficulties, and build on what you can already do.
Your next lesson remembers the last
Useful preferences, learning goals, and progress carry forward. Review brings earlier material back into practice, while your course gives the conversation direction. You can spend more time on a difficult topic without starting over every day.
Language for the work you actually do
Preparing for a client meeting or an international trip? Tell the tutor about your role and the situations you face. Rehearse introductions, explain a project, and practise relevant vocabulary in context. The goal is useful communication in your world.
NATURAL, TWO-WAY CONVERSATION
Speak freely. Hear a thoughtful reply.
Glottie uses OpenAI’s Realtime API for direct speech-to-speech conversation. You speak aloud and the AI replies in a natural voice, with room to ask questions, practise a response, or ask for help. Glottie adds the teaching structure: your goals, your progress, and a plan for what to practise next.
On demand, day or night, with internet access and available minutes
Voice technology by OpenAI Glottie is an independent app. Your tutor’s voice is AI-generated.
PERSONAL PRACTICE, WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY
A language tutor in your pocket. On your schedule.
Five minutes before work. A conversation after the children are asleep. Glottie makes room for speaking practice when you have time, without booking an appointment. Personal AI tutoring can also cost substantially less than premium private lessons.
Glottie · illustrative hourly cost
Approx.$30USD / hourExample New York private tutor
Approx.$100USD / hourIllustrative comparison · USD per hour
About a third of the hourly cost.
Available around the clock
Minutes per session
One-to-one practice
For this comparison, Glottie is approximately $30 per hour, based on the US Essential plan ($19.99 for 40 monthly minutes) or Steady plan ($49.99 for 100). The Focused plan is $99.99 for 240 minutes. These are monthly plans; the example assumes you use every included minute.
The $100/hour example is the published online rate of New York French tutor Petra Zanki; her in-person rate is $135/hour. This is a specific provider example, not an average or a quote for every language. Tutor rates and package terms vary.
Check current prices: App Store · Petra Zanki · New York
Compare the details
| What matters | Glottie AI tutor | Human private tutor |
|---|---|---|
| When you practise | On demand, day or night, with internet access and available minutes | By appointment, depending on the tutor’s schedule |
| How long you practise | A short five-minute practice or a longer session, up to 60 minutes per session | Session lengths and minimum bookings vary by provider |
| Where you meet | On your iPhone, wherever you can comfortably speak | Online or in person; travel may add time or cost |
| Personal attention | One-to-one AI conversation informed by your goals and progress | One-to-one teaching with human judgment, experience, and rapport |
| What you work on | Adaptive practice, review, and roleplay around your goals | A tutor can customise the lesson and bring specialist expertise |
US prices checked September 6, 2026. Local App Store prices may differ. Monthly minutes expire at renewal; unused minutes increase the effective hourly cost. Internet access, account eligibility, and service availability apply.
READY TO SPEAK
A useful conversation is a good place to start.
Continue in Glottie with the matching language pair. Choose the situations that matter to you and build regular speaking practice around your goals.
YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Getting more from your personal language tutor.
How does conversation help me learn Hong Kong Cantonese?
Speaking asks you to understand another person, recall words, and express your own meaning. Glottie gives you practice doing those things together, with explanations and chances to try again. Research on interaction and oral feedback supports this approach. Reading and vocabulary study can complement it, but spoken practice directly exercises the skill you want to use in conversation.
How quickly can I improve my spoken Hong Kong Cantonese?
Your starting point, practice, and goals all affect how quickly you improve. Glottie helps you use your time purposefully: speak regularly, work at an appropriate challenge, review what needs attention, and connect lessons to your life. We do not claim that it makes you fluent twice as fast as another app or a human tutor; that would require a direct study of Glottie learners.
Is this a real person or an AI tutor?
You are speaking with an AI tutor using OpenAI’s Realtime speech-to-speech technology. It can hold a natural voice conversation and respond to your questions. Glottie supplies the learning path and memory around that conversation. It is not a human, and it can make mistakes; it does not replace every kind of support or expertise a human teacher can offer.
Which languages does the demo on this page use?
The demo uses Hong Kong Cantonese, with English for explanations, as an example. Its target variety is Hong Kong Cantonese as spoken in Hong Kong SAR China. Choose an available language pair in the app to make your own lessons relevant to the conversations you want to have.
Will the tutor remember my goals and progress?
Glottie carries useful learner-supplied preferences and goals between lessons, alongside your practice and progress. That helps the tutor choose relevant examples, revisit difficult material, and plan the next challenge. Tell it what matters to you, and correct it if a preference or goal has changed.
Can lessons focus on my family, job, or a specific industry?
Yes. Tell Glottie about the conversations you want to have: speaking with your partner’s family, caring for your child, settling abroad, or discussing a project with colleagues. You can ask to practise vocabulary, phrases, and roleplay related to your work. Revisit a useful topic over several lessons, then try the same language in a new situation.
Can I use Glottie as a complete beginner?
Yes. Choose A0 if you are starting from scratch, then select a plan to begin. You can use English for help, ask the tutor to slow down, and practice small exchanges before longer conversations. Your selected level is a starting preference, not a test result.
Can I practise for five minutes, and is it available at night?
You can start on demand, day or night, with an internet connection and available minutes. Stop after a short practice or continue for up to 60 minutes in one session. Paid sessions require at least five minutes of credit to start. Plans have minute allowances; practice is not unlimited and service availability can vary.
How does the price compare with a private language tutor?
Glottie’s US plans are $19.99 for 40 monthly minutes, $49.99 for 100, and $99.99 for 240. Using all the Essential or Steady minutes works out to approximately $30 per hour. The illustrated private-tutor example is Petra Zanki’s published $100/hour online rate in New York: Glottie costs about a third as much in this comparison. Other tutors may charge less, and unused monthly minutes increase Glottie’s effective hourly cost. Current local pricing appears in the App Store.
Can I try a conversation before downloading the app?
When the website demo is available, choose a situation on this page and start a short AI conversation. Your browser asks for microphone permission, and your audio goes to OpenAI to provide the conversation. The demo is limited and may be unavailable when its daily allowance is used. Download Glottie for the full learning experience and ongoing progress.
