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December 31, 2025

Hakka Quick Reference Guide

Essential Phrases§

English	Hakka
Hello	Hai / Halo
How are you?	Nyi ho mo?
I’m well	Ngai ho
Thank you	Kam shia
Have you eaten?	Nyi sit pau mang?
Already eaten	Sit pau
Not yet	Mang sit
Yes	He / He wa
No	Boi mo / Em he
Okay	Ho / Ok

Basic Pronouns§

English	Hakka
I / Me	ngai
You	nyi

Key Question Words§

English	Hakka
What	ma’ai
Why	co mai
Who	ma ngin
Where	nai bui
How	nyong pen
What time	kit to tiam
How much	jit to lui

Numbers 0-10§

Number	Hakka
0	khung
1	jit
2	nyi
3	sam
4	si
5	ng
6	liuk
7	chit
8	pat
9	kiu
10	sip

Pattern for teens: sip + [1-9] (e.g., sip jit = 11) Pattern for tens: [2-9] + sip (e.g., nyi sip = 20)

Days of the Week§

English	Hakka
Monday	Pai jit
Tuesday	Pai nyi
Wednesday	Pai sam
Thursday	Pai si
Friday	Pai ng
Saturday	Pai liuk
Sunday	Lipai

Time Words§

English	Hakka
Today	kinyit
Yesterday	chu punyit
Now	li ha
Sometimes	sangha
Already	pau
Not yet	mang

Common Verbs§

English	Hakka
Eat/Drink	sit
Go	hi
Work	jiu co se
Study	kuliah / hok
Want	oi
Like	nyen
Buy	mai
See/Watch	khon
Meet	nyi
Cook	cu choi

Common Adjectives§

English	Hakka
Good	ho
Very	an
Big	thai
Small	se
Hot	sau
Delicious	ho sit
Happy	fon hi
Beautiful	an-ciang

Family Terms§

English	Hakka
Mom	amak
Dad	apak
Older brother	ako/koko
Younger brother	lo thai
Older sister	tche tche
Younger sister	tche
Siblings	hiungthi

Food Basics§

English	Hakka
Rice	fan
Chicken	kai nyuk
Beef	nyiu nyuk
Vegetables	choi
Water	sui
Coffee	kopi
With/And	kak

Key Grammar Patterns§

Making Questions§

Add mo to end of statement:

Nyi ho → Nyi ho mo? (You well → Are you well?)

Completed Actions§

Verb + pau = already [verb]

Sit pau = Already eaten

Ongoing Actions§

Jiu + verb = [verb]-ing

Jiu co se = Working

Want/Desire§

Oi + verb = Want to [verb]

Ngai oi sit = I want to eat

Negation§

Mo = not

Mo co se = Not working

”For you”§

Verb + pun nyi = [verb] for you

Mai pun nyi = Buy for you

Connecting Items§

Use kak for “with/and”:

Fan kak choi = Rice with vegetables

Useful Expressions§

English	Hakka
My name is…	Ngai miang…
I am [age] years old	Ngai [number] se
I live in…	Ngai [place] bi hek
Right now I…	Li ha ngai…
Sometimes I…	Sangha ngai…
I want to learn	Ngai oi hok
Where are you?	Nyi nai bui?
What are you doing?	Nyi mek ma’ai?
I’m at home	Ngai buk kha
Very good	An ho sit
Hope it rains	Pok ki lok sui
Wait a minute	Ten jit ha

Common Conversation Flows§

Greeting§

A: Nyi ho mo? (How are you?)
B: Ngai ho (I'm well)
A: Nyi sit pau mang? (Have you eaten?)
B: Sit pau (Already eaten)

Meeting Plans§

A: Kinyit oi hi khon hi mo? (Want to watch a movie today?)
B: Ho! Kit to tiam? (Sure! What time?)
A: Sam tiam (3 pm)
B: Nai bui nyi? (Where shall we meet?)

At Work§

A: Kinyit jiu co se mo? (Are you working today?)
B: Jiu co se kinyit (Working today)
A: Co to jit to tiam? (What time do you finish?)
B: Ngai co to pat tiam am (I finish at 8 pm)

Pro Tips:

Context is key - subjects can often be omitted when clear
An before adjectives = very (an ho = very good)
Tiam has multiple meanings: time, store, quiet
Hi can mean “go” or “movie” depending on context
Most drinks use sit (eat) not a separate “drink” verb

—The Gardener