Teochew phrasebook

Teochew (潮州话), also Romanized as Teowchew or Chiuchao, is the main language of a region in Eastern Guangdong, around the cities of Shantou and Chaozhou. It is also fairly common in Hong Kong and among overseas Chinese, especially countries in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore, and the dominant language in Bangkok's Chinatown.

Teochew is related to Minnan Hua and Hainanese, but only partly mutually intelligible with Minnan Hua and mutually unintelligible with Hainanese. Teochew is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin or Cantonese, but it is common for Teochew speakers to also know one or both of those. Foreigners in the region often choose to learn Mandarin and/or Cantonese rather than Teochew because they are more widely used. Teochew, just like any other Min languages of Fujian is more difficult to learn for foreigners than Mandarin or Cantonese.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Two different systems can be used to write Teochew in the Latin alphabet. Peng'im was standard at one time but is now being replaced by Pinyin. See Wikipedia for details if needed. We give both below.

Basics

Common signs OPEN  CLOSED  ENTRANCE  EXIT  PUSH  PULL  TOILET  MEN  WOMEN  FORBIDDEN

Hello. 

汝好。 Peng'im: leu² ho² — Pinyin: lèu hò

How are you? 

在生样? cai⁽⁷⁾ sê¹ io`⁷, cai⁽⁷⁾ sê¹ — qa⁽ ̏ ⁾ sē ȉo, qa⁽ ̏ ⁾ sē

Fine, thank you. 

好，㩼谢。 ho², coi⁷ sia⁷ — hò, qȍi sȉa

What is your name? 

汝個名是乜個? le² kai⁽⁷⁾ miaⁿ ⁵ si⁽⁷⁾ mih⁽⁸⁾ kai⁸ ?

My name is ______ . 

我個名是 ______ . ua² kai⁽⁷⁾ miaⁿ ⁵ si⁽⁷⁾ ______ .

Nice to meet you. 

. ()

Please. 

. ()

Thank you. 

㩼谢。 coi⁷ sia⁷ — qȍi sȉa

You're welcome. 

. ()

Yes. 

是， 是阿 si⁶ , si⁶ a⁷ — sí, sí ȁ)

No. 

唔是 . m⁷ si⁶

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

. ( )

I'm sorry. 

. ( )

Goodbye 

. ( )

Goodbye (informal) 

. ( )

I can't speak name of language [well]. 

[ ]. ( [ ])

Do you speak English? 

? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

? ( ?)

Help! 

! ( !)

Look out! 

! ( !)

Good morning. 

. ( )

Good evening. 

. ( )

Good night. 

. ( )

Good night (to sleep) 

. ( )

I don't understand. 

. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

? ( ?)

Problems

Leave me alone. 

. ( .)

Don't touch me! 

! ( !)

I'll call the police. 

. ( .)

Police! 

! ( !)

Stop! Thief! 

! ! ( ! !)

I need your help. 

. ( .)

It's an emergency. 

. ( .)

I'm lost. 

. ( .)

I lost my bag. 

. ( .)

I lost my wallet. 

. ( .)

I'm sick. 

. ( .)

I've been injured. 

. ( .)

I need a doctor. 

. ( .)

Can I use your phone? 

? ( ?)

Numbers

1 

壹 (jêk8)

2 

兩 (no6)

3 

三 (san1)

4 

四 (si3)

5 

五 (ngou6)

6 

六 (lak8)

7 

七 (chik4)

8 

八 (poih4)

9 

九 (kao2)

10 

十 (jap8)

11 

十一 (jap(4) ik4)

12 

十二 (jap(4) yi6)

13 

十三 (jap(4) san1)

14 

十四 (jap(4) si3)

15 

十五 (jap(4) ngou6)

16 

十六 (jap(4) lak8)

17 

十七 (jap(4) chik4)

18 

十八 (cap(4) poih4)

19 

十九 (cap(4) kau2)

20 

二十 (ri(7) cap8)

21 

二十一 (ri(7) cap(4) ik4)

22 

二十二 (ri(7) cap(4) ri6)

23 

二十三 (ri(7) cap(4) san1)

30 

三十 (san1 cap8)

40 

四十 (si(2) cap8)

50 

五十 (ngou(7) cap8)

60 

六十 (lak(4) cap8)

70 

七十 (chik(8) cap8)

80 

八十 (poih(8) cap8)

90 

九十 (kau(6) cap8)

100 

壹百 (cêk(4) beh4)

200 

( )

300 

( )

1,000 

( )

2,000 

( )

1,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000,000 

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

( )

half 

( )

less 

( )

more 

( )

Time

now 

( )

later 

( )

before 

( )

morning 

( )

afternoon 

( )

evening 

( )

night 

( )

Clock time

one o'clock AM 

( )

two o'clock AM 

( )

noon 

( )

one o'clock PM 

( )

two o'clock PM 

( )

midnight 

( )

Duration

_____ minute(s) 

( )

_____ hour(s) 

( )

_____ day(s) 

( )

_____ week(s) 

( )

_____ month(s) 

( )

_____ year(s) 

( )

Days

today 

( )

yesterday 

( )

tomorrow 

( )

this week 

( )

last week 

( )

next week 

( )

Sunday 

( )

Monday 

( )

Tuesday 

( )

Wednesday 

( )

Thursday 

( )

Friday 

( )

Saturday 

( )

Months

January 

( )

February 

( )

March 

( )

April 

( )

May 

( )

June 

( )

July 

( )

August 

( )

September 

( )

October 

( )

November 

( )

December 

( )

Writing time and date

Colors

black 

( )

white 

( )

gray 

( )

red 

( )

blue 

( )

yellow 

( )

green 

( )

orange 

( )

purple 

( )

brown 

( )

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____? 

( )

One ticket to _____, please. 

( )

Where does this train/bus go? 

( )

Where is the train/bus to _____? 

( )

Does this train/bus stop in _____? 

( )

When does the train/bus for _____ leave? 

( )

When will this train/bus arrive in _____? 

( )

Directions

How do I get to _____ ? 

( )

...the train station? 

( )

...the bus station? 

( )

...the airport? 

( )

...downtown? 

( )

...the youth hostel? 

( )

...the _____ hotel? 

( )

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? 

( )

Where are there a lot of... 

( )

...hotels? 

( )

...restaurants? 

( )

...bars? 

( )

...sites to see? 

( )

Can you show me on the map? 

( )

street 

( )

Turn left. 

( )

Turn right. 

( )

left 

( )

right 

( )

straight ahead 

( )

towards the _____ 

( )

past the _____ 

( )

before the _____ 

( )

Watch for the _____. 

( )

intersection 

( )

north 

( )

south 

( )

east 

( )

west 

( )

uphill 

( )

downhill 

( )

Taxi

Taxi! 

( )

Take me to _____, please. 

( )

How much does it cost to get to _____? 

( )

Take me there, please. 

( )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 

( )

How much is a room for one person/two people? 

( )

Does the room come with... 

( )

...bedsheets? 

( )

...a bathroom? 

( )

...a telephone? 

( )

...a TV? 

( )

May I see the room first? 

( )

Do you have anything quieter? 

( )

...bigger? 

( )

...cleaner? 

( )

...cheaper? 

( )

OK, I'll take it. 

( )

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

( )

Can you suggest another hotel? 

( )

Do you have a safe? 

( )

...lockers? 

( )

Is breakfast/supper included? 

( )

What time is breakfast/supper? 

( )

Please clean my room. 

( )

Can you wake me at _____? 

( )

I want to check out. 

( )

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 

( )

Do you accept British pounds? 

( )

Do you accept Euros? 

( )

Do you accept credit cards? 

( )

Can you change money for me? 

( )

Where can I get money changed? 

( )

Can you change a traveler's check for me? 

( )

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 

( )

What is the exchange rate? 

( )

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? 

( )

Eating

One peculiarity of Teochew is it does not distinguish between eating and drinking. As such, the verb 食 (chiah) is used to refer to both eating and drinking.

A table for one person/two people, please. 

( )

Can I look at the menu, please? 

( )

Can I look in the kitchen? 

( )

Is there a house specialty? 

( )

Is there a local specialty? 

( )

I'm a vegetarian. 

( )

I don't eat pork. 

( )

I don't eat beef. 

( )

I only eat kosher food. 

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 

( )

fixed-price meal 

( )

a la carte 

( )

breakfast 

( )

lunch 

( )

tea (meal) 

( )

supper 

( )

I want _____. 

( )

I want a dish containing _____. 

( )

chicken 

( )

beef 

( )

fish 

( )

ham 

( )

sausage 

( )

cheese 

( )

eggs 

( )

salad 

( )

(fresh) vegetables 

( )

(fresh) fruit 

( )

bread 

( )

toast 

( )

noodles 

( )

rice 

( )

beans 

( )

May I have a glass of _____? 

( )

May I have a cup of _____? 

( )

May I have a bottle of _____? 

( )

coffee 

( )

tea (drink) 

( )

juice 

( )

(bubbly) water 

( )

(still) water 

( )

beer 

( )

red/white wine 

( )

May I have some _____? 

( )

salt 

( )

black pepper 

( )

butter 

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished. 

( )

It was delicious. 

( )

Please clear the plates. 

( )

The check, please. 

( )

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

( )

Is there table service? 

( )

A beer/two beers, please. 

( )

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

( )

A pint, please. 

( )

A bottle, please. 

( )

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 

( )

whiskey 

( )

vodka 

( )

rum 

( )

water 

( )

club soda 

( )

tonic water 

( )

orange juice 

( )

Coke (soda) 

( )

Do you have any bar snacks? 

( )

One more, please. 

( )

Another round, please. 

( )

When is closing time? 

( )

Cheers! 

( )

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 

( )

How much is this? 

( )

That's too expensive. 

( )

Would you take _____? 

( )

expensive 

( )

cheap 

( )

I can't afford it. 

( )

I don't want it. 

( )

You're cheating me. 

( )

I'm not interested. 

(..)

OK, I'll take it. 

( )

Can I have a bag? 

( )

Do you ship (overseas)? 

( )

I need... 

( )

...toothpaste. 

( )

...a toothbrush. 

( )

...tampons. 

. ( )

...soap. 

( )

...shampoo. 

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 

( )

...cold medicine. 

( )

...stomach medicine. 

... ( )

...a razor. 

( )

...an umbrella. 

( )

...sunblock lotion. 

( )

...a postcard. 

( )

...postage stamps. 

( )

...batteries. 

( )

...writing paper. 

( )

...a pen. 

( )

...English-language books. 

( )

...English-language magazines. 

( )

...an English-language newspaper. 

( )

...an English-English dictionary. 

( )

Driving

I want to rent a car. 

( )

Can I get insurance? 

( )

stop (on a street sign) 

( )

one way 

( )

yield 

( )

no parking 

( )

speed limit 

( )

gas (petrol) station 

( )

petrol 

( )

diesel 

( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 

( )

It was a misunderstanding. 

( )

Where are you taking me? 

( )

Am I under arrest? 

( )

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 

( )

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. 

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer. 

( )

Can I just pay a fine now? 

( )