The sound system of your native language affects how you hear and pronounce other languages. When speaking American English, native Cantonese speakers have accent patterns based on first hearing and speaking Cantonese. Use the chart below to learn more about the Cantonese accent in English. Click on the individual sounds for recordings and help with pronunciation.
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sound b t d g v th (as in “think”) th (as in “those”) z j n ng l r consonant clusters (more than one consonant sound together) vowels | error pattern can sound like p at the ends of words can be left off the ends of words can sound like t or be left off the ends of words can sound like k or be left off the ends of words can sound like w at the start of words can sound like f at the ends of words can sound like f or t at the start of words can sound like f at the ends of words can sound like d at the start of words can sound like f or voiceless th at the ends of words can sound like s at start or ends of words can sound like ch at the ends of words can sound like ng or be left off the ends of words can sound like n or nK be left of the ends of words can be left off the ends of words can sound like w at the start of words can sound like “uh” in the middle or at the ends of words can have sounds left off or have the same errors listed above at the ends of words can have r/l confusion at the start of words to learn more about the Cantonese accent, including vowels, purchase a subscription | Example robe sounds like rope boat sounds like bow code sounds like coat, made sounds like may pig sounds like pick big sounds like bih why sounds like vie leave sounds like leaf thing sounds like fing or ting with sounds like whiff those sounds like dose breathe sounds like brief or breeth zip sounds like sip buzz sounds like bus ridge sounds like rich thin sounds like thing moon sounds like moo thing sounds like thin or think sung sounds like suh goal sounds like go red sounds like wed bird sounds like bud paper sounds like papuh lived sounds like live, want sounds like wan, words sounds like word blow sounds like bro class sounds like crass |