Grammar 16 - Cantonese Verb Completion Marker - 晒(saai3)

In this lesson, we delve into the Cantonese completion marker "晒" (saai3), which emphasizes that an action has fully affected all objects or subjects involved. We'll also compare it with "完" (jyun4), another completion marker, and explain their differences in usage. Through practical examples, you'll learn how to effectively use "晒" in everyday Cantonese conversations.
cantonese-verb-completion-marker-saai3

Table of Content

#   Question
#   Single-Character Verbs
=   Verbs with Direct Object
=   Verbs with Complementing Noun
#   Double-Character Verbs
=   Separable Verbs
=   Non-separable Verbs
#   Comparison between 晒 and 完
#   Another negative form of 晒

晒() (or 曬()) is one of the completion aspect markers in Cantonese. You might notice that it’s quite similar to 完() and wonder about the differences.

Generally, 晒 emphasises the effect of an action on the object, indicating that the entire object or all of the objects are impacted by the action, or that all subjects have completed the action. In contrast, 完 focuses on the completion of the action itself. In everyday conversation, they can sometimes be used interchangeably.

"晒" is often translated as "(verb +) all (+ object)" or "all of (subject) has already (verb)." Its Mandarin equivalent would be 全部 or 都.

Question

①【subject - verb - 晒() - (obj./n.) - 未() - 呀()】? (to ask)

②【subject - 係()唔()係() - verb - 晒() - (obj./n.) - 啦()】? (to confirm)

Refer to Grammar01 - 係(hai6) for the meaning of 係唔係

Structure ① is a general way of asking someone if all of the objects are impacted by the action, or all subjects have completed the action, while Structure ② is typically used when you want to confirm that all of the objects are indeed impacted by the action, or all subjects are indeed have completed the action.

  1. (你做功課)
    (You do homework.)

    ① 你()做()晒()功()課()未()呀()？

    ② 你()係()唔()係()做()晒()功()課()啦()？
    Have you finished all your homework?
    (lit. Have you finished doing all your homework yet?)

  2. (你哋沖涼)
    (You (guys) take a shower.)

    ① 你()哋()沖()晒()涼()未()呀()？

    ② 你()哋()係()唔()係()沖()晒()涼()啦()？
    Has everyone finished showering? .
    (lit. You guys all finished showering yet?)

  3. (佢哋知道)
    (They know.)

    ① 佢()哋()知()道()晒()未()呀()？

    ② 佢()哋()係()唔()係()知()道()晒()啦()？
    Do they all know? .

Single-Character Verbs

Verbs with Direct Object

(+ve)【subject - verb - 晒() - Object】

(-ve)【subject - 未() - verb - 晒() - Object】

  1. (我做功課)
    (I do homework.)

    我()做()晒()功()課()啦()
    I have finished all my homework. .
    (lit. I have finished doing all homework.)

    我()未()做()晒()功()課()呀()
    I have not finished all my homework.
    (lit. I have not finished doing all homework yet.)

  2. (我洗碗)
    (I do the dishes.)
    (洗 - to wash｜碗 - bowl｜洗碗 generally means "doing the dishes", not just washing bowls but all types of dishwashing tasks, including plates, glasses, and utensils.)

    我()洗()晒()啲()碗()啦()
    I have done all the dishes.
    (lit. I have washed all bowls.)

    我()未()洗()晒()啲()碗()呀()
    I have not done all the dishes.
    (lit. I have not washed all bowls yet.)

  3. (佢食雪糕)
    (S/He eats ice cream.)

    佢()食()晒()啲()雪()糕()，一()杯()都()冇()留()俾()我()
    S/He ate all the ice cream and didn’t even leave me a single cup.
    (lit. S/He ate all ice cream, ...)

Verbs with Complementing Noun

(+ve)【subject - verb - 晒() - complementing noun】

(-ve)【subject - 未() - verb - 晒() - complementing noun】

Refer to Grammar08 - Cantonese Verbs for more about complementing noun.

  1. (佢哋瞓覺)
    (They sleep.)

    佢()哋()瞓()晒()覺()啦()，靜()啲()啦()
    They’ve all gone to sleep, so keep it down.

  2. (佢哋食飯)
    (They eat/ have a meal.)

    佢()哋()未()食()晒()飯()呀()
    They have not finished eating yet.

Double-Character Verbs

You may refer to Grammar08 - Cantonese Verbs for more about the definition of double-character verbs, separable verbs and non-separable verbs.

Separable Verbs

【Subject - [Separable Double-Character Verb] 】

Separable Double-Character Verb usually has a [Verb-Noun] structure

(+ve)【subject - [Verb - 晒() - Noun]】

(-ve)【subject - 未() - [Verb - 晒() - Noun]】

  1. (我哋沖涼)
    (We take a shower.)

    我()哋()沖()晒()涼()啦()
    We've all showered.

    你()哋()仲()未()沖()晒()涼()嘅()？十()二()點()啦()喎()！
    You still have not all showered yet？It's already midnight！

Non-separable Verbs

(+ve)【Subject - [Non-separable Double-Character Verb] - 晒() 】

(-ve)【Subject - 唔()係() - [Non-separable Double-Character Verb] - 晒() 】

  1. (我哋考慮兩邊嘅意見)
    (We consider opinions from both sides.)

    我()哋()考()慮()晒()兩()邊()嘅()意()見()，先()做()呢()個()決()定()
    We considered every opinions from both sides before making this decision.

  2. (你了解一個人嘅背景)
    (You understand someone's background.)

    喺()你()未()了()解()晒()一()個()人()嘅()背()景()之()前()，唔()好()太()易()相()信()佢()
    Don't be too quick to trust someone until you fully understand his/her background.

Comparison between 晒 and 完

  1. 你()用()完()卷()廁()紙()未()？我()都()要()用()呀()
    Have you finished using the toilet paper? I need to use it too.

    我()用()晒()卷()廁()紙()啦()喎()
    I've used up all the toilet paper.

    (卷 - roll, classifier for toilet paper)

  2. 你()講()完()未()呀()？
    Are you done talking?
    (lit. Have you finished talking yet?)

    你()講()哂()俾()佢()聽()呀()？
    Did you tell him/her everything?
    (lit. Did you tell everything to him/her to hear?)

  3. 你()掉()完()垃()圾()番()黎()記()得()洗()手()
    Remember to wash your hands after you take out the trash.
    (lit. Remember to wash your hands after you have finished throwing the rubbish.)

    我()掉()晒()啲()垃()圾()啦()
    I have thrown all the rubbish.

Another negative form of 晒

【subject - verb - 唔()晒() - Object】

This pattern usually implies being unable to finish or complete all of the object.

  1. 你()未()食()晒()啲()嘢()喎()
    You have not finished all the food.

    我()食()唔()晒()呀()
    I cannot finish it all.
    (lit. I cannot eat it all.)

  2. 我()做()唔()晒()份()卷()呀()
    I'm not able to complete the exam.
    (lit. I cannot do all the exam.)

  3. 太()多()碗()啦()，我()一()個()人()洗()唔()晒()
    There are too many dishes. I cannot do them all by myself.
    (lit. ..., I cannot wash them all by myself.)