Latest / Learn Cantonese with Fexingo / Cantonese Directions: Up and Down
Transcript
- Lucas: Hey everyone, welcome back to Learn Cantonese with Fexingo. I'm Lucas. Luna: And I'm Luna. Episode 128! Can you believe it? Lucas: I know, right? And today we've got something super practical — directions, but not left or right. We're going up and down. Luna: Oh, like stairs? Or escalators? Lucas: Exactly. In Cantonese, up is 上. Say it with me: 上. Luna: 上. Lucas: Great. And down is 落. Try it: 落. Luna: 落. Lucas: Perfect. So if you want to say 'go up the stairs,' it's 上樓梯. Repeat after me: 上樓梯. Luna: 上樓梯. Lucas: And 'go down the stairs' is 落樓梯. Say it: 落樓梯. Luna: 落樓梯. That's pretty easy! Lucas: Yeah, it's simple. Now let's think of a situation. Say you're in a subway station and you need to go up to the street. You could say 上樓梯. Luna: Right. Or if you're going down to the platform, 落樓梯. Lucas: Exactly. Now let's add a couple more: 向上 means 'upwards' and 向下 means 'downwards.' Repeat: 向上. Luna: 向上. Lucas: 向下. Luna: 向下. Lucas: These are useful for signs. Like if a sign says 向上, it means go upwards. Luna: Oh, I've seen that on escalator signs! 向上 for up, 向下 for down. Lucas: You got it. Let's do a quick practice dialogue. I'll be the local, you be the tourist. Luna: Okay. Lucas: You ask: 'Where is the exit?' And I point and say: 向上, then 上樓梯. Luna: Ah, so upwards and then up the stairs. Lucas: Right. Now you try saying that whole phrase: 向上, 上樓梯. Luna: 向上, 上樓梯. Lucas: Beautiful. Now let's do the opposite. You ask for the subway platform, and I say: 向下, 落樓梯. Luna: 向下, 落樓梯. Lucas: Yes! You've got it. Luna: This is super handy. I can already imagine using this. Lucas: And you know what else? These words are used in other ways too. For example, turning up the volume is 開大聲啲, but that's for another day. Luna: Sounds like a good topic for future! Lucas: Now, quick honest thing — a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's literally what funds making this many of these episodes. If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with Cantonese, that link is there. No pressure. Luna: Yeah, it keeps the show ad-free and lets us keep doing these small lessons. We love making them. Lucas: Totally. Alright, back to our words. Let's do one more repetition. Repeat after me: 上. Luna: 上. Lucas: 落. Luna: 落. Lucas: 上樓梯. Luna: 上樓梯. Lucas: 落樓梯. Luna: 落樓梯. Lucas: 向上. Luna: 向上. Lucas: 向下. Luna: 向下. Lucas: Perfect. Now practice these the next time you're in a building with stairs or an escalator. Say it out loud. Luna: I will! I might get some weird looks, but that's okay. Lucas: That's how you learn. Thanks for joining us, and see you next time. Luna: Bye bye!