Penang Hokkien Phrases

Here's a selection of Penang Hokkien Phrases useful to visitors.

This = cit-leh
That = heh-leh
kwui = expensive, price
How much is this? = Cit-leh kwui lui?
It's RM7.00 = Chiet korh.
How much is that? = Heh-leh kwui lui?
It's too expensive = Thai kwui
I'll buy one = Hor wa cit-leh (Literally, "Give me one piece").
I want to buy a (something) = Wa boey beh (something)
I don't want = mai
Lower the price please = Kah kiam lah
Can = eh-sai
Can you? = eh-sai-boh? (Literally, "can or not")
Can you sell it to me for RM6.00? = lark khor eh-sai-boh?
(Literally, "RM6.00 can or not")

here = cit1-peng2
where? = ti1 ta1lok1?
over here = ti1 cit1-peng2
Where is it? = i1 ti1 ta1lok1?
It's in front = ti1 thau3ceng2
It's on the right = ti1 cnia1chiu4
It's on the left = ti1 to1chiu4

washroom = cnai-keng
toilet = jamban
Where's the washroom? = Chai-keng tee ta-lok?

You can usually get away with mixing English nouns with Hokkien grammar structure or syntax. For example, you can also say "Toilet tee ta-lok?" for "Where's the toilet?" and you will get a response such as "Toilet tee ciah-chieu". Similarly, you can say "Wa boey beh DVD/camera/handphone/telephone card, etc. E tee ta-lok?"

On the whole, many tourists find Penang Hokkien to be quite simple to learn, once they get the tone right. I hope you will also have fun and be able to say a few words in it when you are in Penang.

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