Expressing Duration in Penang Hokkien
Having learned to express time, we next learn to express duration in Penang Hokkien.
Question Words related to Duration
- cor3 ku4 [tsɔ-ku]
: how long (a time)
- ti3si2 [tsɔ-ku] : how long (a time), also pronounced ki3si2
- liau4 [liau] : already
- ceng2 [tseŋ] : ago
Short durations
- pnua3 [puã] : half
- miau4 [miau] : second(s)
- -leh3 ji3 [le-dzi] : minute(s), colloquial reading
- hun3ceng1 [hun-tseŋ] : minute(s), literary reading
- tiam1ceng1 [tiam-tseŋ] : hour
Long durations
- jit1 [dzit] : day
- meh2 [mɛ] : night
- leh1pai3 [le-pai] : week
- goay1 [goeʔ] : month
- ni2 [ni] : year
Questions & Answers
- Ie1 lai2 cor2 ku4?
How long does he come?
("he - comes - how long") - Ie1 lai2 nor3 jit1.
He comes for two days.
("he - comes - two - days")
- Ee1 lai2 cor2 ku4?
How long does she come?
("she - comes - how long") - Ee1 lai2 snar3 tiam1ceng1 liau4.
She came three hours already.
("she - came - three - hours - already") - Ki3si2 ie1 lai2?
When did he come?
("when - he - come ?") - Ie1 lai2 pnua1 tiam1ceng1 liau4.
He came half an hour already.
("He - came - half - hour - already") - Ie1 lai2 cit3 tiam1ceng1 liau4.
He came one hour already.
("He - came - one - hour - already") - Ie1 lai2 cit3 tiam1ceng3 pnua3 liau4.
He came one and a half hours already.
("He - came - one - hour - half - already") - Ie1 lai2 kau1-leh3 ji3 liau4.
He came 45 minutes already. (colloquial form)
("He - came - nine - classifier - words - already") - Ie1 lai2 see1-cap3-gor3 hun3ceng1 liau4.
He came 45 minutes already. (literary form)
("He - came - 45 - minutes - already") - Ie1 lai2 snar3 jit3 ceng2.
He came three days ago.
("He - came - three - days - ago") - Ie1 lai2 teng1 leh1pai3.
He came last week.
("He - came - previous - week") - Ie1 lai2 teng1 goay1.
He came last month.
("He - came - previous - month") - Ie1 lai2 cit3 goay1 liau4.
He came one month already.
("He - came - one - month - already") - Ie1 lai2 cit3 ni3 ceng2.
He came one year ago.
("He - came - one - year - ago")
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