How to Say Thank You in Cantonese

You’ve learned the basic phrases such as “Hello” and “How Are You” in Cantonese, which are pretty basic and straightforward. Today, we are going to discuss a somewhat confusing topic for Cantonese beginners: To say “Thank You” in Cantonese. If you already know Mandarin, you might think it is similiar in Cantonese. WRONG! Unlike in Mandarin Chinese, there are two different ways to say “Thank you” in Cantonese Chinese and it is often very confusing to Cantonese learners.

In Mandarin we say 謝謝 xiè xiè, meaning “Thank you”, for everything. However, in Cantonese to say “Thank you,” they are 唔該 m4 goi1 and 多謝 do1 ze6. To simplify things, you can consider if the gratitude is for something small or something significant. For small favors, you will also use 唔該 m4 goi1, whereas, for bigger favors, you will say 多謝 do1 ze6.

The difference between 唔該 m4 goi1 and 多謝 do1 ze6

Still confused with when to use 唔該 m4 goi1 or 多謝 do1 ze6? One simple way to differentiate the two is to consider if money is involved in the situation. When you receive a gift or a promotion, since you are receiving something with monetary value, you will use 多謝 do1 ze6. On the other hand, in a situation where the money is not involved, for instance, someone holding the elevator for you, you will say 唔該 m4 goi1.

“Thank you” in Cantonese 唔該 m4 goi1

When to say 唔該 m4 goi1

Again, 唔該 m4 goi1 is used when you received a small favor. You can use it in a situation where money and gifts are not presented, for example:

• When your coworker is holding the elevator for you. You want to say “Thank you” in Cantonese, you can say 唔該 m4 goi1
• Someone passed you the water bottle, you will say 唔該 m4 goi1
• When you need to get someone’s attention, you will say 唔該 m4 goi1
• You dropped something and someone picked it up for you, you will say 唔該 m4 goi1

Listen to the audio track below to learn the pronunciation in Cantonese

To summarize, for something that is considered a small favor, notably when money or gifts are not involved, always say, 唔該 m4 goi1. However, for something more than a small favor, e.g. when you receive a gift or someone bought you dinner, you should say 多謝 do1 ze6. Continue reading the examples below to get a better picture of when to use 唔該 m4 goi1 and when to use 多謝 do1 ze6.

“Thank you” in Cantonese 多謝 do1 ze6

When to say 多謝 do1 ze6

For something that is more significant, you will say 多謝 do1 ze6 to express your thankfulness. For example:

• When someone buys you lunch, buys you dinner, or buys you coffee. You want to say “Thank you” in Cantonese, say 多謝 do1 ze6
• Your boss gives you a promotion, which represents a monetary gift in the future, you say 多謝 do1 ze6
• You received a birthday present, christmas gift, or anything other buys you, you say 多謝 do1 ze6
• IMPORTANT! If someone congratulates you, even when there’s no gift or money involved, say 多謝 do1 ze6

Listen to the audio track below to learn the pronunciation in Cantonese

Conclusion

The two ways to say Thank You in Cantonese may seem confusing, but once you remember the rules, you will be able to understand when to use which. There are also other different ways to express your gratitude such as 辛苦晒 san1 fu2 saai3 “Thank You For Your Hard Work” and 麻煩晒 maa4 faan4 saai3 “Thank You For Dealing with the Trouble” so don’t forget to check out this article to dig deeper into how to express gratitude in Cantonese.