Translate Cantonese to English
Cantonese is spoken by about 85 million people, primarily in Guangdong province (China), Hong Kong, Macau, and Cantonese-speaking diaspora communities worldwide. It uses Traditional Chinese characters and differs significantly from Mandarin in pronunciation, vocabulary, and some grammar. Paste your Cantonese text above for an English translation.
Common Cantonese to English translations
| Cantonese | English | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 你好 | Hello | heh-LOH | ||
| 早晨 | Good morning | good MOR-ning | ||
| 多謝 | Thank you | thank yoo | ||
| 唸該 | Please | pleez | ||
| 幾錢啊? | How much? | how much | ||
| 洗手間喃邊度? | Where is the bathroom? | wehr iz thuh BATH-room | ||
| 我唷明 | I do not understand | ay doo not un-der-STAND | ||
| 你可唸可以幫我? | Can you help me? | kan yoo help mee | ||
| 我想要茶 | I would like tea | ay wood lyk tee | ||
| 型單 | The bill, please | thuh bil pleez | ||
| 很高興認識你 | Nice to meet you | nys too meet yoo | ||
| 再見 | Goodbye | good-BY | ||
| 我需要醫生 | I need a doctor | ay need uh DOK-ter | ||
| 唸好意思 | Excuse me | eks-KYOOZ mee |
Tips for Cantonese to English translation
Cantonese uses Traditional Chinese characters, the same writing system as Taiwan and Macau. However, Cantonese also has unique characters not found in standard written Chinese, used specifically for spoken Cantonese words. These colloquial characters (唸 for “not,” 倌 for “them,” ᚅ for “this”) may not be recognized by Mandarin-oriented translators.
Cantonese has six to nine tones (depending on the analysis), more than Mandarin's four. The written form does not indicate tones, so the translator relies on character recognition rather than phonetic input. If you are listening to the audio output, note that the tone patterns will be Cantonese, not Mandarin.
Written Cantonese can appear in two forms: formal written Chinese (shared with Mandarin, using standard grammar) and colloquial written Cantonese (reflecting spoken Cantonese grammar and vocabulary). The translator handles formal written Chinese well. Heavily colloquial Cantonese text may produce less precise results.
Cantonese vocabulary includes many words from English due to Hong Kong's colonial history: 巴士 (bus), 的士 (taxi), and 多士 (toast). These loanwords are standard Cantonese and translate back to their English origins easily.
About the Cantonese language
Cantonese is a Chinese language variety spoken primarily in Guangdong province, Hong Kong, and Macau. While it shares the same writing system as Mandarin (Traditional Chinese characters), Cantonese pronunciation, vocabulary, and some grammatical structures differ substantially. Cantonese preserves many features of Middle Chinese that Mandarin has lost.
Hong Kong and the global Cantonese diaspora (especially in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia) keep Cantonese vibrant as a language of business, media, and culture. Cantonese pop music (Cantopop), Hong Kong cinema, and dim sum culture have spread Cantonese influence worldwide. Despite Mandarin's growing dominance in mainland China, Cantonese remains strongly rooted in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No sign-up, no fees.
Yes. Both Traditional and colloquial Cantonese characters are processed.
Yes. Click the speaker icon.
No. Cantonese and Mandarin have different vocabulary, pronunciation, and some grammar. Use the Chinese to English translator for Mandarin text.
Good for formal written Cantonese. Heavily colloquial text may be less precise.
No. The translator outputs English text, not Cantonese romanization.
Check our language list for an English to Cantonese option.
No. Real-time processing.
Simplified characters are associated with Mandarin. Use the Chinese to English translator for simplified text.
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