He̍k-chiá (sī)…he̍k-chiá (sī)… – Either…or…
Hiòng-lâi – Hitherto / all along / till now
Hō· [person / thing verb] – Make [person / thing] do something
Hôaiⁿ-ti̍t – Anyway / anyhow / at any rate / might as well
(Khì) hō· lâng / (khì) hōng – Be [verb]-ed (by someone)
(Khì) hō· [thing] – Be [verb]-ed (by something)
Hōan-sè – Not necessarily / not for sure / perhaps
Hoat-kak tio̍h8 … ê tiōng-iàu-sèng – Realize the importance of
Either…or…
Gún su-iàu chi̍t-ê lâng lâi tàu-saⁿ-kāng, he̍k-chiá sī lí, he̍k-chiá sī i, lóng ē-sái, hôaiⁿ-ti̍t chí iàu ē-tàng tàu bô êng tio̍h ē-sái ah.
We need someone to come and help … whether it’s you or him, we don’t care, we just need someone who can help us out since we’re so busy.
Mûi chi̍t-ê lâng lóng sī to̍k-it bû-jī ê, he̍k-chiá sī lí, he̍k-chái sī i.
Every single person is unique, be it you or her.
Kiat-kó hoⁿ, koat-chhek-chiá lóng sī pn̄g-koaⁿ khò-sè ê lâng, he̍k-chiá sī hông-chhin kok-chhek, keng-êng sêng-hāu chū-jiân chin pháiⁿ hián-hiān.
As a result, policy-makers are all toadying yes-men, or else close favorites of the leadership, so the effectiveness of government-run companies is naturally hard to develop.
Góa bô līm-ūi i ê giân-lūn sī hóan-èng liáu tong-kio̍k ti̍t-chiap bīn-tùi ka-kī ê kang-chok-tiong ê chhò·-gō·, he̍k-chiá sī tùi chè-tō· beh chìn-hêng chi̍t hoan kái-kek.
I don’t think that his talk reflects that the authorities are directly dealing with the mistakes (they’ve made) in their own work, nor that they’re going to implement a reform of the system.
Towards
Bí-kok siā-hōe ê hù-jū kap ko-siu-li̍p, kiông-lia̍t khíp-ín hui-hoat î-bîn, kā in tùi bú-kok hiòng gōa-kháu kiú; hui-hoat î-bîn lâi-gôan-kok keng-chè lo̍k-hō·, chèng-tī tōng-tāng iá koh kā in ê kok-bîn hiòng gōa-kháu sak.
The wealth and high salaries of U.S. society attracts illegal immigrants, pulling them out from their motherlands, and the source countries for illegal immigrants have backwards economies and political turbulence that also push them out.
Kàu 1850 nî, Bí-kok-si ê sò·-liōng í-keng bōe-chió, chiām-chiām kiâⁿ hiòng sêng-se̍k ê bûn-ha̍k hêng-sek.
By 1850 there was already a great deal of American poetry, and it was gradually moving towards becoming a mature form of literature.
Hitherto; all along; till now
Góa hiòng-lâi bô chia̍h hun.
I’ve never smoked.
Hiòng-lâi chun-chông Sun Tiong-san sin-seⁿ ê Sam-bîn Chú-gī ê Tiong-kok Hoan-nâ Liân-bêng tùi pún-tâi piáu-sī, Pak-kiaⁿ goaⁿ-hong mûi-thé tùi khò-pún sū-kiāⁿ mā ū pò-tò, tān-sī bô the̍h kàu “Kok-hū” ê tāi-chì.
The Chinese Pan-Blue Alliance, which has always revered Mr. Sun Yat-sen’s Three Principles of the People, told this station that Beijing’s official media has reported on the textbook issue, but has not mentioned the matter of “the Father of the Nation.”
Make [person / thing] do something
[Related: khì hō·]
[Note: indicates passive or direct object relationship.]
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Sit-lé, góa hō· lí tán chin kú.
Sorry, I kept you waiting for a long time.
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I ê ke-hóe lóng sī chó-sian lâu hō i ê.
His wealth was all left to him by his ancestors.
Cause; make; make [a person or thing] do something
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I ê ōe hō· góa chin kám-tōng.
His words touched me deeply.
Tiâu-cha ê kiat-kó hián-sī, chòe-kīn iû-kè hôe-kàng hō· siau-hùi-chiá tùi keng-chè kám kak tio̍h khah lo̍k-koan.
The results of the investigation demonstrated that the recent drop in oil prices has made consumers feel more optimistic about the economy.
I cha̍p la̍k hòe hit nî, pē-bú tio̍h lâi lī-hun, hō· i hui-siông kan-khó·.
When he was 16 years old, his parents got divorced, which made him very sad.
Lí ê piáu-hiān hiah-ni̍h-á kia̍t-chhut, hō· gún kám-kak chin kong-êng.
Your performance was outstanding, and made us feel very proud.
Have to; should
Góa hó lâi-khì ah.
I should be going.
Góa hó khí tha̍k chu ah.
I need to go study.
Lí hó khì sé sin-khu ah.
You need to go take a bath.
[Verb] to (extent that) [adjective]
Góa ê jīm-bū m̄-sī beh chham Tiong-kok-lâng chiàⁿ-bīn chhiong-tu̍t, sī beh kā bō·-e̍k tâm-phòaⁿ khui hō· sêng-kong.
My mission was not to get into direct conflict with the Chinese, it was to successfully hold trade talks.
Kóaⁿ-kín kā tāi-chì chò hō liáu, thang-hó khah chá tńg-khì.
Take care of the issues quickly so that we can go back earlier.
Lí kā lín pē thiaⁿ hō· chheng-chhó!
You listen good to what I have to say!
Tē-á-chhùi tio̍h ēng soh-á pa̍k hō· ân, lāi-té ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ chiah bē lak chhut lâi.
You need to use a cord to tie tight the top of the bag, so that the stuff inside won’t fall out.
Lán lâi kā kin-á-ji̍t ê pí-sài pàng hō· bē kì–tit.
Let’s put today’s game behind us.
-ize; -ify
Lán bô èng-kai kā būn-tôe siuⁿ kòe kán-hòa.
We shouldn’t over-simplify the problem.
Ū chi̍t kóa si̍t-phín ē-tàng kiông-hòa lán ê kut-keh.
There are some foods that can strengthen our bones.
Lāng chi̍t chia̍h kàu tiong-liân tio̍h ē khai-sí láu-hòa.
As soon as people hit middle age they start to get old.
Anyway; anyhow; at any rate; might as well
Hôaiⁿ-ti̍t góa beh khì hia, góa chhōa lí lâi-khì la!
I’m going there anyway, so I’ll give you a ride.
M-kóan sī iōng Tâi-gí a̍h-sī Kheh-gi á-sī chi̍t-ê gôan-chū-bîn ê gí-giân, hôaiⁿ-ti̍t nā ē-hiáu kóng, án-ne chiah ē-sái hō·-chòe “Tâi-ôan-lâng.”
It doesn’t matter if you use Taiwanese, or Hakka, or an aboriginal language, as long as you can speak it, you can be called “Taiwanese.”
Góa hôaiⁿ-ti̍t chá-bān lóng ē chai-iáⁿ, lí iā sī thàn chá kā góa kóng.
I’m going to find out at some point, so you might as well tell me sooner rather than later.
