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should i learn cantonese if i wont to live in hong kong?

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  1. #1

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    Arrow should i learn cantonese if i wont to live in hong kong?

    It seems like expats just learn mandarin and live only knowing the 2, it doesn't seem to make sense to me. What do you think?


  2. #2

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    The vast majority of expats don't learn either and survive in English.

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  3. #3

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    Is it English used that much by locals? Do they get by with just communicating with other expats? Doesn't seem like many locals would know engrish


  4. #4

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    I'm an ABC so don't claim to be anywhere close to an expat community expert. I came over speaking VERY minimal amounts of Cantonese and found it difficult to get around. But it all depends on where you plan on spending a majority of your time and what your industry is. If you are Chinese decent locals will expect you to speak Cantonese. I feel that all locals know some degree of English but they choose not to speak it with me unless they absolutely have to. But when I send my boyfriend to talk to them (he's white) they apologize for no speaking better English and try their best to communicate. But don't be surprised if you get charged more at local places that don't list prices, or if they're only written in Chinese, when you only speak English.

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  5. #5

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    As PDLM noted, most expats don't worry with any Chinese at all. Their social circles - and the people they work with - are other expats and/ or highly educated locals who are comfortable communicating in English.

    But learning Cantonese means you can also communicate easily and make friends with most of the other 80% or so of the population as well (of course Canto won't help you much in communicating with refugees, asylum seekers, eastern European "entertainers" & other statistically insignificant subgroups of the population...).
    And as MCDC wrote, if you take the effort to learn to read as well, cheaper food is often available

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  6. #6

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    I find that people appreciate you putting in the effort to learn some Canto. I don't need to speak it, I suppose I could manage without (my mediocre Canto!)...but it does make things easier and I never have a problem in a taxi!


  7. #7

    I talk to door men, local shop keepers and taxi drivers in Cantonese. Stress free. Restaurants, banks and downtown shopping in English.

    Last edited by Laksa Girl; 17-02-2012 at 11:04 AM.

  8. #8

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    Very few expats learn to speak Mandarin or Cantonese fluently in HK, and those who do often either have studied the language for many, many years in a formal setting or are married to or otherwise closely connected to a person who speaks the language at a native level. Many of us get by with rudimentary Cantonese for taxis, etc, or none at all. Similarly, Mandarin is not spoken by locals in Hong Kong and if you want to learn to speak more than the basics, years of study are required.

    Some Hong Kongers, particularly in more central parts of the city, do speak decent English, but not all do. Every now and then I have a taxi driver who speaks and understands zero English, but not often. The more you venture away from areas with a heavy expat population (Repulse Bay for example) and Central and TST, the less likely people are to speak good English.

    Would also agree that many expats (professionals and students) tend to work and socialize with locals who are well educated and generally quite comfortable speaking English.

    In the years that I've lived here I have never had language problem that has made life particularly difficult - you can get by just fine without speaking Cantonese.

    Also, you need to be realistic with your expectations regarding you being able to 'learn Cantonese' (rather than just being able to order from a menu or give directions to a cab driver) - it is a very difficult language. I speak several languages and even after several years and quite a few classes I still only really get the basics in Cantonese. The amount of time one would need to spend to really master the language is immense.

    Last edited by hello_there; 17-02-2012 at 11:12 AM.
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  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by nassaugirl:
    I find that people appreciate you putting in the effort to learn some Canto. I don't need to speak it, I suppose I could manage without (my mediocre Canto!)...but it does make things easier and I never have a problem in a taxi!
    I find people are at best indifferent. Speaking some Cantonese certainly hasn't made a huge difference to my life in HK. Taxis are a bit easier, shopping is a bit easier, that's about it.

    If you are western, you're still a gweilo and it isn't going to spike any sort of interest in getting to know you. If anything, for the people that are keen to get to know you, it means less of a chance for them to practice English.

    I live in a very Chinese/non expat area and I could still get around with no problems at all if I didn't speak a word. I'm largely ignored in the majority of interactions in an case, usually the shop keeper or waiter barely acknolwdeges I've made the effort and talks to my family instead. Not a complaint, just an observation - its easier all round this way I guess.

    If you have lots of spare time its probably worth the effort, but in my experience its not like other places such as South America where speaking the language instantly opens up a vast array of new opportunites.
    Last edited by Alan Partridge; 17-02-2012 at 11:17 AM.

  10. #10

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    I speak zero Cantonese but get by fine. If in a tricky situation I fall back on my mandarin, which is good enough to get by. I have thought about learning Cantonese as I work in a very local company, but to be honest would rather imrpove my mandarin first. It is simply more transferable.


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