Readings in Cantonese Colloquial/Lesson II

by James Dyer Ball

LESSON, II.

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Who is it that dresses you and feeds you? Your dear mother.
But how does your mother get money to buy the clothes, and the food? Father gives it her.
How does your father get money?

乜誰俾飯你食，俾衫你着呢，係老母咯。
你老母點樣有錢買過你食，買過你着呢，係父親揾翻嚟嘅｡
你父親點樣搵翻嚟呢｡

He works in the fields.

Your father works all day long, and he gets money and brings it home to mother. He says to your mother, 'Buy some bread with this money, and give some of it to the children.'—'Peep of Day,' p. 11.

佢日日打工翻嚟嘅。

你父親成日打工，漶倒錢拈翻歸，俾過你老母，佢對你老母話，拈呢啲錢買食物養仔女啦。

LESSON, II.

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Mat-shuí* pe̍í fán ne̍í shik, pe̍i shám néí chök, ni? Haí lò-mò lok.

Néí lò-mò tím yöng yau ts'ín* mái kwo néi shík, kwo néí chök ni? Hai fú-ts'an wan fán laí ke.

Néí fú-ts'an tim yöng* wan fán laí ni?

What person gives rice you eat, gives clothes you put-on, eh? 53. Is mother. 39,

Your mother how fashion have money buy for you to-eat for you to-wear, eh? 53.

Is father find back come, 15.

Your father how fashion find back come, eh? 53.

K'öu yat-yat tá-kung cháu fán lai ke.

Néi fú-ts'an sheng yat tá-kung chán-tò ts'in ním fán kwai, péí kwo néí lò-mó, köü tui nèi lò-mò wá, Ním ni-ti ts'ín máí shik-mat "yöng tsaí nuí lá.

He day (by) day work earn back come, 15.

Your father whole day work earn money take back home give to your mother. He to you mother says, 'Take this money buy eatables to-rear sons and daughters, 21.'