Grammar – S

Sán-seng… ê éng-hiong (éng-hiáng) / chok-iōng / hāu-kó – Have the influence / effect of…

Seng … liái-āu / í-āu  – First … but then …

Seng … iū koh … – First … and then …

Seng … chiah koh … – First … and then …

Seng … jiân-āu / liân-āu … – First … and then …

-sèng - Nature or quality of being; “something-ness”

(…ê) sî-chūn – When…

…Sī…, m̄-kú / m̄-kó / tān-sī – To be sure…/ sure…but… / is one thing, but.. / it’s not that I…

X sī X, m̄-kú / m̄-kó / tān-sī – It’s X to be sure, but … / Sure it’s X, it’s just that …

Sī … m̄ sī … koh khah m̄ sī … – It’s … and not … and certainly not …

Sī kóng … - Means / has the meaning of …

Sī in-ūi - Is because…

Sī m̄ sī… – Whether (or not)…

Sian - However; in whatever way

Sīm-chì (liân) – Even (to the extent that) / what’s more / so much so that

Sím-mi̍h…sím-mi̍h… – Whatever / whoever

[Noun] siōng - In; on; as for; regarding; with reference to

Siōng-chió – At least

Siōng-chhiáⁿ … [hô-hòng ...] - Even / even (to the extent that) / also

Siōng-hó  – You’d better / it’s best to

Siú-sian…chiah koh lâi – First….and following that…

Siū tio̍h – Receive / be [verb]-ed

Siuⁿ-kòe – Overly / too…

Siūⁿ bē kàu / siūⁿ bōe kàu - Surprising / unexpected

Siūⁿ-beh [verb] – One would like to [verb]/ one thinks that one will [verb]

Siūⁿ-kóng – Think (wrongly) that / think that you are going to …

Só· [verb] ê

Só·-í … sī in-ūi – Therefore … is because … / So … is due to …

Só·-ū - All; every

Soah–lo̍h–lâi   – And then right afterwards, next

Sú – Cause / make

Sú-tit  – Make it so that / bring about a situation in which …

Sui-bóng … [m̄-koh / m̄-kuh / tān-sī / etc.]  – Although …

Sui-jiân… m̄-kú / m̄-kó  / tān-sī  – Although …

Sui-jiân … mā / iá / iā  – Although … still

Sūn…ki-hōe - Take (advantage of) the opportunity to

Sán-seng… (éng-hióng/chok-iōng /hāu-kó, etc.)

Produce (an influence, effect, phenomenon, etc.)

Note: sán-seng means ‘produce,’but is typically used for abstract things.

Tùi mûi-thé lâi kóng, chí iàu ē-tàng ín khí tāi-chiòng chù-ì ê siau-sit, chiū ē-tàng sán-seng soan-thôan ê hāu-kó.

As far as the media are concerned, as long as they have news that attracts the attention of the masses, they can have a propaganda-like effect.

Tī bûn-jī iáu bōe sán-seng chìn-chêng, jîn-lūi chá chiū ū gí-giân.

Long before the creation of written characters, Mankind had language.

Seng … liáu-āu / í-āu

First … but then …

Related: seng … iū-koh / seng … chiah-koh / seng … jiân-aū/liân-aū

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Lí èng-kai seng o̍h ē hiáu sái chhia í-āu chiah bé chhia khah tio̍h, lí ná ē tian-tò chò leh?

You should learn to drive first and only then buy a car.  How come you did it in the reverse order?

Seng … iū koh …

First … and then …

Related: seng … í-aū/liáu-aū / seng … chiah-koh / seng … jiân-aū/liân-aū

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I seng kóng i ē-sái lâi, kòe n̄ng kang iū koh kóng i bē-sái lâi a, i ná ē piàn-lâi piàn-khì ê?

First he said that he would be able to come, and then two days later he said that he couldn’t.  Why does he keep changing (his mind)?

-sèng

Nature or quality of being; “something-ness”; (Suffix often used to turn a noun or adjective into an abstract noun)

Tōa-pō•-hūn ê Tâi-ôan-lâng iáu í-keng hoat-kak tio̍h iōng Tāi-lio̍k ê Pêng-im ê tiōng-iàu-sèng.

Most Taiwanese people have already realized the importance of using Mainland Pinyin.

Chêng chi̍t nn̄g nî, in-ūi gûn-hâng lām-sám hoat sìn-iōng-khá, kó•-lē siau-hùi-sèng ê kim iông, tì-sú chin chē ê lâng iáu bōe khó-lū hó in ka-kī hêng-chè ê lêng-le̍k chìn-chêng, tio̍h tāi-hok khòng-tiong sìn-iōng.

In the previous two years, due to banks indiscriminately handing out credit cards and encouraging consumer credit, a situation resulted in which many people greatly increased their credit before adequately considering their ability to repay.

In-ūi i m̄-sī siá chin sûn-chèng ê Pak-kiaⁿ-ōe, sī lâm-hong-lâng ê phó-thong-ōe, àn-né tian-tò ū kiōng-thong-sèng; Pak-kiaⁿ-ōe siá ê siuⁿ sûn-chèng, siuⁿ-kòe te̍k-sû-sèng, tian-tò bô lâng khòaⁿ-ū.

Since he did not write using pure Mandarin but rather in the southerner’s ordinary way of speaking, which conversely gave his works a commonality (for all Chinese); when Mandarin is written too purely, or is too specialized, nobody actually can understand it.

Seng … chiah (koh) …

First … and then …

Related: seng … í-aū/liáu-aū / seng … iū-koh / seng … jiân-aū/liân-aū

-

Lán seng lâi khai-káng, tán–chi̍t-ē chiah chia̍h pn̄g.

Let’s first talk and wait a bit to eat.

Seng kā sin-sû liáu-kái liáu, chiah koh khòaⁿ khò-pún.

First learn the new words, and only then read the textbook.

Seng … jiân-āu / liân-āu …

First … and then …

Related: seng … í-aū/liáu-aū / seng … iū-koh / seng … chiah-koh

Note: jiân-āu implies a connected action between the two clauses, while í-āu is a simpler before and after relation.

Lán seng khì chia̍h pn̄g, jiân-āu chiah koh khì khòaⁿ tiān-iáⁿ.

Let’s first go eat, and then (only) after that go see a movie.

Múi chi̍t-ê bîn-cho̍k lóng sī seng ū kháu-gí chhòng-chok ê kháu-thôan bûn-ha̍k, jiân-āu ū bûn-jī chhòng-chok ê chu-bīn bûn-ha̍k.

Every people first has literature created in the spoken language and passed along orally, and then afterwards has written literature produced with written characters.

Kái-koat sò·-ūi lo̍h-chha èng-kai sī chi̍t ê ū kè-ōe ê hêng-ûi, lí-sióng ê kái-koat bô·-sek, sī seng ài tī tē-hng chhōa tio̍h goan-ì phòe-ha̍p tâu-li̍p ê hia̍p-hoe he̍k-chiá sī siā-thôan cho-chit, jiân-āu chiah koh chhòan-liân khì-gia̍p ê chu-gôan.

Solving the digital divide should be an organized activity; the ideal solution would take the form of first finding local institutions or social organizations that would like to cooperate in investing, and then only afterwards link up with corporate resources.

(…ê) sî-chūn

When…

Note: Where Mandarin would use Dāng…shí-hou, spoken Taiwanese does not normally add a tng at the start of a clause ending with …ê sî-chūn, except in cases where the speaker wants to emphasize that the action is going on right at this moment. See the entry for Tng.

Lí m̄ chai-iáⁿ àn-chóaⁿ chò ê sî-chūn, ē-sái khah tiān-ōe hō· góa.

When you don’t know what to do, you can give me a call.

Lí khòaⁿ tio̍h chit tiuⁿ phoe ê sî-chūn, góa í-keng lī-khui liáu Bí-kok ah.

When you read this letter, I’ll already have left the U.S.

…Sī…, m-kú / m-kó / tān-sī

To be sure… / sure…but… / is one thing, but.. / it’s not that I…

[Rel: ...Kò-jiân..., m̄-kú / m̄-kó...]

 

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Tòa chiah khong-khí hó sī hó, m̄-kú kau-thong tio̍h sī ū tām-po̍h-á bô hong-piān.

Sure, living here means having good air, but transportation is a little bit inconvenient. 

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I chhong-bêng sī chhong-bêng, m̄-kó tio̍h sī ū chi̍t-sut-á kiau-ngō·.

Sure she’s smart but she’s a little arrogant. 

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Ài tha̍k sī ài tha̍k, tān-sī tha̍k bōe hiáu.

It’s not that I don’t want to read, but I’m not able to. 

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Beh sī beh, tān-sī pháiⁿ-sè kóng.

Sure I want to, but I feel bad asking. 

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Sin-súi chē sī chē, m̄-kó chin thiám.

Sure the salary is high, but it’s a tiring job. 

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Mi̍h-kiāⁿ hó chia̍h sī hó chia̍h, m̄-kó tio̍h ū chi̍t-sut-á kùi.

Sure it tastes good, but it’s a little bit expensive. 

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Pêng-iú sī pêng-iú lah, m̄-kó kóng tio̍h chîⁿ tio̍h ē siong kám-chêng.

A friend is a friend, but when it comes to money you can ruin a relationship. 

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Pêng-iú sī pêng-iú, m-kó kau-chêng bô hiah-ni̍h-á chhim.

I mean, I consider her a friend, but we’re really not that close. 

… sī …, m-kú / m-kó / tān-sī

To be sure…; sure…but… ; is one thing, but..; it’s not that I…

Related: Kò-jiân…, m̄-kú/m̄-kó…

Tòa chiah khong-khí hó sī hó, m̄-kú kau-thong tio̍h sī ū tām-po̍h-á bô hong-piān.

Sure, living here means having good air, but transportation is a little bit inconvenient.

I chhong-bêng sī chhong-bêng, m̄-kó tio̍h sī ū chi̍t-sut-á kiau-ngō·.

Sure she’s smart but she’s a little arrogant.

Ài tha̍k sī ài tha̍k, tān-sī tha̍k bōe hiáu.

It’s not that I don’t want to read, but I’m not able to.

Beh sī beh, tān-sī pháiⁿ-sè kóng.

Sure I want to, but I feel bad asking.

Sin-súi chē sī chē, m̄-kó chin thiám.

Sure the salary is high, but it’s a tiring job.

Pêng-iú sī pêng-iú lah, m̄-kó kóng tio̍h chîⁿ tio̍h ē siong kám-chêng.

A friend is a friend, but when it comes to money you can ruin a relationship.

Pêng-iú sī pêng-iú, m-kó kau-chêng bô hiah-ni̍h-á chhim.

I mean, I consider her a friend, but we’re really not that close.

Chit pún chheh hó sī hó, m̄-kú siuⁿ kùi ah.

Sure it’s a good book, but it’s too expensive.

I ê kái-sek, ū lí sī ū lí, m̄-kó chin chē lâng iáu koh sī bô hoat-tō· chiap-siū.

His explanation is reasonable, of course, but many people still have trouble accepting it.