Language/Min-nan-chinese/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Min Nan Chinese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on pronouns in Min Nan Chinese. Pronouns are a crucial part of language as they replace nouns and refer to people or objects. They help us avoid repetition in speech and writing.
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Say Hello and Greetings in Min Nan Chinese, Gender & Conditional Mood.
Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things. In Min Nan Chinese, personal pronouns are based on gender and formality.
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | guá | I, me |
| 你 | lí | you (singular, informal) |
| 伊 | i | he, she, it, they (singular, informal) |
| 他 | tha | he, him |
| 佢 | ki | she, her |
| 咱 | lán | we, us (inclusive) |
| 我儂/咱儂 | guá-lâng | we, us (exclusive) |
| 你儂 | lí-lâng | you (plural, informal) |
| 伊儂 | i-lâng | they (plural, informal) |
| 它 | thiah | it (non-living things) |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 你叫啥名？(Lí kiò sá-miâ? - What is your name?)
- Person 2: 我叫媚兰。(Guá kiò Bí-lân - My name is Meilin.)
- Person 1: 他是你哥哥吗？(Tha sī lí koh-koh mā? - Is he your older brother?)
- Person 2: 不是，他是我朋友。(Bē sī, tha sī guá phiⁿ-hu. - No, he is my friend.)
Demonstrative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Demonstrative pronouns point to a specific noun or pronoun. In Min Nan Chinese, demonstrative pronouns come in three forms, depending on the distance from the speaker to the noun or pronoun.
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 此个 | chit-ê | this (close to speaker) |
| 呢个 | nī-ê | this (close to listener) |
| 其个 | kî-ê | that (far from both speaker and listener) |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 你要买哪一个？(Lí beh bé nā ê chit-ê? - Which one do you want to buy?)
- Person 2: 我要买此个。 (Guá beh bé chit- ê - I want to buy this one.)
Interrogative Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. In Min Nan Chinese, interrogative pronouns come in three forms and can refer to people or things.
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 佇个 | tī-ê | who |
| 佗个 | tó-ê | where |
| 咦个 | i-ê | what |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 你想去佗个地方？(Lí siūⁿ-khì tó-ê tēng-hng? - Where do you want to go?)
- Person 2: 我想去海边。(Guá siūⁿ-khì hái-piⁿ - I want to go to the beach.)
Possessive Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or belonging. In Min Nan Chinese, they come before the noun they modify.
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我个 | guá ê | my, mine |
| 你个 | lí ê | your, yours |
| 伊个 | i ê | his, her, its, theirs |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 这是你个书。(Chit sī lí ê chia̍h. - This is your book.)
- Person 2: 不是，这是伊个书。(Bē sī, chit sī i ê chia̍h. - No, this is his/her book.)
Reflexive Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the sentence. In Min Nan Chinese, reflexive pronouns end in zì.
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 自尽 | zì-chi̍t | yourself |
| 自己 | zì-kóo | oneself, himself, herself, themselves |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 你自己做这个菜？(Lí zì-kóo chò chit ê chhài? - Did you make this dish yourself?)
- Person 2: 对啊，我自己做的。(Tuē--a, guá zì-kóo chò ê. - Yes, I made it myself.)
Indefinite Pronouns[edit | edit source]
Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people or things. In Min Nan Chinese, indefinite pronouns can be translated as "anyone" or "anything."
| Min Nan Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 人 | lâng | anyone, someone |
| 物 | bút | anything, something |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
- Person 1: 有人在家吗？(Ū lâng tē chia mā? - Is there anyone at home?)
- Person 2: 没有，房子里也没有物。(Bē-ū, hong-chi lí tī mé-pái̍h. - No, there isn't anything in the house.)
👉 Tip: Learning pronouns is essential for effective communication. Be sure to practice using them!
To improve your Min Nan Chinese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
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