Chinese Language???

by **Danny Au-Yeung** » 30-04-2005 10:05 AM

Could you get away with just using English in Hong Kong all your living and working life there???

Been thinking about this and I know the answer is probably no, and that you'd have to learn Chinese/Cantonese at some stage. But I'm sure theres a few ex pats that live there and get away without learning any Chinese.

by **Danny Au-Yeung** » 30-04-2005 10:06 AM

I mean Reading, Writting and Speaking.

by **Big_League_Choon** » 30-04-2005 10:55 AM

Danny Au-Yeung wrote:Could you get away with just using English in Hong Kong all your living and working life there???

Been thinking about this and I know the answer is probably no, and that you'd have to learn Chinese/Cantonese at some stage. But I'm sure theres a few ex pats that live there and get away without learning any Chinese.

Depends exactly what you want to do for your living and working life. I learned Cantonese/Chinese here anyhow because I want to assimilate into the society here and get a fulfilling cultural experience. Most expats I know learned some basic Cantonese so that they can get around to places easier. One definitely needs to learn how to holler "Bah-See-Zham!! Mu-Guay!! (Bus Stop, please)" so that one could tell the mini-bus driver to drop you off at your destination. Learning some mandarin is also helpful if you decide to go to Shenzhen.

Don't worry, the locals are nice and willing to teach if you are willing to learn and not feel embarrassed about speaking broken Cantonse like me.

by **Guest** » 30-04-2005 02:46 PM

Dont assume that people speak english here either that is a serious mis-conception... People are polite and hand gestures are usable too...
Dont need to stress.
Like every life skill the more skills you have the more circles you open...
Good luck if you have just started either cantonese/mandarin... :smt001

by **Danny Au-Yeung** » 30-04-2005 09:44 PM

No I was just being curious I can speak a bit of Cantonese, but I just don't feel comfortable speaking it. Its generally what I would use at home to com municate with my parents with a few english words thrown in. :smt003

I can't read or write it though!

by **Cl8on** » 30-04-2005 10:34 PM

Hah!
local skool taught me enuf canton that i can get around wit no probs at all, I do feel the pain for others who are about to start on canton or writin/reading chinese, its a big b@@@ to learn. i hate dictation, back in the elementry days... :smt011

by **Danny Au-Yeung** » 01-05-2005 01:35 AM

I find it diffucult to learn other langauges ie. struggled with French and to progress with my cantonese.
Langauges just are for me!!! Maybe different if I was living there and had to learn to speak, read and write ot get by in everyday life. :smt017

by **nick-w** » 01-05-2005 10:43 AM

my chinese is crap, and i manage