5 Reasons Why You Should Learn Cantonese

Some people might say Cantonese isn’t as widely spoken as Mandarin and it isn’t as important to language learners. From a native Cantonese speaker’s perspective, I agree and disagree with this statement. In this article, I will evaluate objectively whether or not you should learn Cantonese.

You are an ex-pat living in Hong Kong

I have met many people who have spent years in Hong Kong without knowing the language. You know you are missing out, you know you are not living your life in Hong Kong to its fullest. Don’t you hate that you are stuck in the ex-pat bubble? Isn’t it annoying to always need to ask a native or local friend for help to translate? Isn’t it better to at least be able to speak some basic phrases to build a sense of belonging to this amazing city?

It’s not too late! Start now. Join our Cantonese Absolute Beginner’s Course to learn the basic phrases you need to survive in Hong Kong.

You want to reconnect with your culture

Grew up in an English-speaking environment with Cantonese parents? Feeling embarrassed with your Cantonese level? Too shy to speak? You are not alone. Pick up Cantonese learning now and you will learn a lot more about your own culture. In fact, most successful Cantonese learners started learning the language in their adulthood.

Your spouse speaks Cantonese

There are even fewer excuses not to learn Cantonese if your spouse speak Cantonese, natively or non-natively. It makes so much sense to learn your significant other’s language to gain a deeper understanding of their cultures. Not to mention, it would be a huge plus if you need to communicate with relatives and in-laws.

You simply love the culture

TVB fans? Cantonese movie fans? There’s no denying that mainstream media such as music and movies in the 90s are in Cantonese. Some of you might even grow up to listen to the Four Heavenly Kings. Get better at Cantonese to understand the deeper meanings hidden in movie dialogs, music lyrics, and daily slang.

You already know how to speak Mandarin

If you are already a Mandarin speaker, learning Cantonese for you compared to people who don’t know Mandarin will be like playing video games in accessible mode. Cantonese shares a lot of phrases and words with Mandarin since both are under the umbrella of the Chinese language.