ABSTRACT
Requests typically use imperative sentences as introduced in Unit 26. To make a request in a polite way, mgōi 唔該 ‘please’ is used either at the beginning or at the end of the utterance. Note that the particle ā 吖 or lā 啦 is necessary so that the request does not sound abrupt (see Units 25–26): Mgōi būi büi yiht chàh ngóh ā 唔該畀杯熱茶我吖 May I have a cup of hot tea, please? Béi yāt go seunfūng ngóh ā, mgōi 畀一個信封我吖,唔該 May I have an envelope, please? Alternatively, mgōi léih 唔該你 is used with the pronoun léih 你 present: Mgōi léih būi fahn boují ngóh ā 唔該你畀份報紙我吖 May I have a newspaper, please? Hàahng faai dī lā, mgōi léih 行快啲啦,唔該你 Walk faster, please. Invitations which are a form of request are initiated by chéng 請 which means ‘invite’: Chéng yahp làih chóh ā 請入嚟坐吖 Come in and have a seat, please. Chéng chóh dāi maahn-máan góng ā 請坐低慢慢講吖 Sit down and talk slowly, please. Compare also the polite formulation Chéng mahn 請問 ‘May I ask….’ (Unit 24).
