Grammar – A

Á-sī - 1. Or; 2. still, would be (better to)

Ài … (tioh) ài / pit-su ài - In order to …, one has to …

Án -chóaⁿ – How, in what manner (See: Àn-chóaⁿ)

Án-chóaⁿ m̄ – Why wouldn’t one be  (See: Àn-nóaⁿ m̄)

Án-nóaⁿ – How, in what manner (See: Àn-nóaⁿ)

Àn (chiàu) … lâi khòaⁿ - From (the view of …) / according to / based on

Àn-chóaⁿ - How / in what manner / (no matter) how

Àn-chóaⁿ … ( àn -chóaⁿ …) – However / whatever

Àn -nóaⁿ - How / in what manner

Àn-nóaⁿ m̄̄ - Why wouldn’t one be…

Àn-sî  - According to schedule / on schedule / at the scheduled time

Àn- sǹg – Plan to

Grammar – B

Bān-it – Just in case / on the odd chance that

Bat – Have…-ed (at some time in the past)

Bē koh / bōe koh – Never again

Bē khah su – Be just as good as / are no worse than

Bē su / bōe su – Be like / be no more than

Bē tàng / bōe tàng  - Cannot (physically do or achieve something)

Bē [verb] tit / bōe [verb] tit – Can’t (physically [verb] / are not allowed to [verb]

Beh – Going to …

Beh [verb] chìn-chêng – Before [verb]-ing

Beh ná – How could you / how are you going to be able to / how do you expect to …

Beh thài  - How could you / how are you going to be able to / how do you expect to …

Bián-tit – To save the trouble of … / avoid the inconvenience (or waste) of …

Bīn-lîm / biān-lîm – Face (task, problem, etc.)

Bīn-tùi  - Face (task, problem, etc.)

Bô – Otherwise

Bô - What the heck…; Are you (serious / crazy / out of your mind / etc.) …

Bô – Might as well / should / need to

Bô [time] -For only [time] / after only [time] / not even for [time]

Bô…bô… – [Often used for emphasis or simply as a colorful way to speak]

Bô… bē sái / bōe sái – Have to…, have no choice but to…

Bô…mā bô… – Neither…nor…

Bô X , tioh8 bô/ m̄ Y – Not Y unless /not Y until X

Bô beh koh – Never want to … again / will no longer

X bô Y hiah-ni̍h-á/hiah-ni̍h [Stative Verb] – X is not as [Stative Verb] as Y

Bô it-tēng – Not necessarily / not likely

Bô kán-tan (chiah) -With great difficulty / it took a lot of effort to

Bô kò· tit -(without) bothering to / (not) bother to / no longer continue to

Bô-kóan – No matter what/how

Bô koh [verb] – No longer

Bô kóng – Not be considered as / not be

Bô-lūn … (lóng …) – No matter who/what/how/how much/etc….

Bô nāi-hô – Have no choice but to

Bô pí…(iā) koh khah.. – There’s no one / nothing that is more…than…

Bô pòaⁿ [measure word / time word] – Not one…, not a single…

Bô phah-sǹg – Without expecting / unexpectedly

Bô ta̍t-tit – Not be worth it

Bô tiāⁿ-tioh8 – Might / might very well

Bô thang – Not very; not really

Bōe [verb] tit  - [see: bē [verb] tit]

Bōe koh – [see: bē koh]

Bōe su – [see: bē su]

Bōe tàng  - [see: bē tàng]

Bo̍h-kóng (sī) – Moreover / furthermore

Bóng [verb] – (Without hope of success or particular purpose, but) [verb] anyway

Grammar – Ch

Chá (Tioh) / Chá (chiū) / Chá (tō) - From long before / early on // will soon / will quickly 

Chá-bān – Sooner or later / eventually

Chài-saⁿ – Many times / time after time 

Chāi-lāi – Including / in

[Time] chêng / í-chêng – [Time] ago / [time] before

Chi gōa – Outside of …

Chi it – One of …

Chí-beh – Only have to / just by / only by [verb]-ing

Chí-hó – Have no alternative but to 

Chí-iàu…(lóng…) – As long as / provided that / only if // all / every / any 

Chí put kò … (niā-niā) – Only

Chí put kòe … (niā-niā) – Only

Chí sī – Only because 

Chí ū … chiah / Tioh … – Only if … / only when … / only … can …

Chì-u – As for … , with regard to …

Chiah -

1. Only then… / so that / only (under the aforementioned condition) will…

2. Just a short time ago  

Chiah koh lâi - And then / following that

Chiáng-ak tī … chhiú-thâu – In one’s grasp / in one’s hands

Chīn-kóan – No matter how…

Chiàu … lâi khòaⁿ- Looked at from …

Chiong

Chiong…[verb] chò… – Consider…as… / [verb] as …

Chiông …kàu… – From [time] to [time] 

Chit chām – Lately / these days 

Chi̍t hong-bīn A, chi̍t hong-bīn B – Doing A concurrently with B / On the one hand A, on the other hand B 

Chi̍t khai-sí – At first / from the first / from the start 

Chi̍t pái koh chi̍t pái – Repeatedly / over and over again

Chi̍t [verb] … tioh … – As soon as / immediately / right after… / whenever 

Chiū – Regarding [a certain topic] 

Chiū [topic] lâi kóng – As far as [topic] is concerned / in regard to [topic] 

Chiū sī…iā / mā… – Even if; even in the case of…

Chiū sǹg (sī)…mā / iā … – Even if, even though

[Verb] chò / chòe… – See as / treat as / read as, et cetera

Chò / Chòe lí… – Feel free to / don’t hesitate to / just go ahead and / it’s up to you

Chò ūi – As / in the capacity of / be /act as 

Chō-sêng … ê gôan-in – The cause of … 

Chóng–sī – However / in the end / all things considered 

Chū…í lâi - From (time) / ever since (time) 

Chū án-ne – Thereupon / whereupon / accordingly / consequently 

Chū-chá – From before / for a while now

Chū-chiông…í lâi – From (time) / ever since (time)

Chū … kàu … – From [time] to [time]

Chún-kóng – Even if / even though

Grammar – Chh

Chha-put-to – Almost, virtually 

Chhî…thāi-tō· – Have a … attitude 

Chhím / Chhím-chhím – Just [verb] -ed

 

Chhin-chhiūⁿ - For example; namely; such as

 

Chhin-chhiūⁿ…(ê khóan) – Be like, look like // seem / appear to be 

 

Chhin-chhiūⁿ…kāng-khóan – Be just like, look just like

 

Chhiūⁿ-kóng – For example

 

Chhòng-siáⁿ – Why / how come / why the heck

Chhun ê  - The rest / the remaining

[Verb]-chhut-lâi

Chhut tī…ì-liāu chi gōa /  - Be surprising / unexpected

Grammar – E

[verb] ē / ōe – Will be able to [verb]

[Verb] ē / ōe hó[Verb] // bē / bōe hó – Be able to successfully [verb]/ Be unable to successfully [verb]

[Verb] ē lo̍h khì - Continue to [verb]

Ē sái - (1) Can / allowed to (2) Might as well / should (do the recommended action) 

Ē tit kòe / Ē tit kè // bē tit kòe / bē tit kè / bōe tit kòe / bōe tit kè – Be able to / be sufficient to // (not) be able to / (not) be sufficient to 

[Verb] ē / ōe tiâu // [verb] bē / bōe tiâu – Be able to take / handle / keep // be unable to take /handle / keep 

Ē-tàng / ōe-tàngBē-tàng / bōe-tàng – Can / be (physically ) able to // Cannot / not be (physically) able to 

Éng-kòe – Before / formerly 

Éng-pái – Used to be / formerly / once

Ēng … lâi [verb] – Use … to [verb]

 

 

Grammar – G

Giōng beh – Almost / almost to the point that

Grammar – H

He̍k-chiá (sī)…he̍k-chiá (sī)… – Either…or… 

Hiòng – Towards 

Hiòng-lâi – Hitherto / all along / till now 

Hó - Have to; should

Hō· [person / thing verb] – Make [person / thing] do something

Hō· – Cause / make 

[Verb] hō· [complement]  

Hòa - -ize, -ify

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

Hông

Grammar – I

Í … lâi kóng – As … goes / for … 

Í … lâi (chhut-miâ / ū bīn-chú / kiáu-ngō) – (Famous) for / (proud) of

Í … ûi … - Take … as … / regard … as …

Í … ûi chú - Rely primarily on… / regard…as most important / take … as central

[Verb] í-āu – After [verb] -ing  

Í-chêng - [Time] ago; [time] before

 

Í góa (teh) khòaⁿ – In my opinion / as I see it 

… í-gōa – Besides; other than; in addition to 

Í-keng…ah – Already 

Í-lâi – Since (time) / the whole time that 

 

Iá koh – Also / in addition / (what) else

Iá-sī – Or / as well as

Ia̍h – Still / as before  

Iáu-koh - Also (is a matter of) / in addition is // even more / even more so 

Iáu koh – Still / to this point 

Iáu-sī – Still // would be (better to) / nevertheless 

In-ūi … (só-í … / ê koan-hē) – Because (of) / due to

Iōng / Í … (lâi) [khòaⁿ / ōaⁿ-chhú / phêng-lūn / hêng- iông / etc.) - Use ... [to view / trade for / evaluate / measure /name etc.) 

Iōng ... chhiú-tōaⁿ - By means of … / using a certain means or device 

Iōng ... hong-sek / sin-hūn / miâ-gī / etc. - In / using (a certain) ... way / capacity / title / etc.

 Iōng ... lêng-le̍k  / Í … lêng-le̍k / gán-kong - By / according to a certain ability / vision 

Iōng ... lí-iû - On the grounds of / for a certain reason 

Iōng ... sok-tō - At a certain speed 

Iōng ... ê sim-thāi - With ... attitude / with a ... heart

Iōng ... thāi-tō / sim-chêng / cheng-sîn - With a certain attitude / emotion / spirit

Iōng ... ūi chú - Focus on / take ... as central

Iōng tī - Be used for... 

It-hiòng - All along / up till now

It-lâi ... , jī-lâi ... - First of all ... , and secondly ... 

It-tàn - Once / at the time that 

It-tēng (ài)...(chiah)… - Certainly (have to) / Must / insist on 

It-ti̍t - Repeatedly / continually

It-ti̍t kàu ... (ūi chí) - Only when finally / (all along) up until 

Iú [someone] (lâi) – Is / was / will be done by [someone] 

Iú … hiòng … chóan-piàn – Change / be transformed from … to …

Iú-lī – Be beneficial for / be good for 

Iû-gôan – Still / as before  

Iû-kî – Especially

 Iū-koh – And even worse / what’s worse /what’s more

Grammar – J

Jî-chhiáⁿ  - And also / in addition 

(Seng) … jiân-āu / liân-āu – Afterwards / and then 

Jû-hô - How, in what way

Jû-kî - According to schedule; on schedule; at the scheduled time

Jû-kó – If

Grammar – K

Kā…[verb]

Kā…[verb] - (brings the object of the main verb up to a position just in front of the verb)

Ká-ná – Like / seems like / seems to be

-

Ká-sú  – If / suppose / supposing…

-

Káⁿ … (hoⁿ) – Probably / likely that

-

[verb] kah – To the extent that / so much so that / in such a way

-

[Verb / adjective] kah. - Really… / the most / (superlative)

-

Kam gōan … (mā m̄ gōan … / mā bô …) – Would rather … (than …) / Better to … (than …)

-

Kám [kóng] … – Do you really [mean to say that] …

-

Kám iā tio̍h8 -Used for rhetorical questions such as “How can…?” or Why on earth is …?”

-

[Noun]-kan – Between

-

Kan-na – Only / just /alone / it’s just because of…that…

-

Kán-ná ( … ê khóan) – like / seems like

-

Kan-taⁿ – Only / just /alone / it’s just because of…that…

-

Kāng-khóan – The same as / equally

-

Kap … kāng-khóan – Like / as / as … as

-

Kap … pí-khí-lâi – Compared to …

Kàu (kah)… ê tē-pō – Reach the point that / state of…

-

Kàu [time / place / event / extent] (ūi chí) … Up until [time / place / event / extent]

-

Kàu-té / Kàu-tóe - really… / what exactly…?

Kè-sī  – Think (wrongly) that

Ke̍k-ke – At most / if worst comes to worst

Keng-kā – Even more (See koh-khah)

Kèng-jiân / kèng-liân – To one’s surprise / unexpectedly // actually / but still … / but … anyway

Kí chi̍t ê lē lâi kóng / pí chi̍t ê lē lâi kóng – To give an example…

Kì-jiân…tioh8 – Since, in view of the fact that…

Kî-chhù – [See chiah koh lâi]

Kî-si̍t – Actually / in fact

Kî-tiong – Among which

Kî -thaⁿ (ê) – The rest / the remaining / the other / some other

Kìⁿ-nā – Whatever; whenever; whoever; every; any; all; in all cases

Kiaⁿ-á … (ē) - I’m afraid that; it looks like (something bad is going to happen)

Kiám-chhái – In the case of // perhaps / probably

Kiàn … (kiàn …) – Every time / whenever

Kiàn-nā -Whatever; whenever; whoever; every; any; all; in all cases (See Kìⁿ-nā)

Kiat-kó – As a result, (but) the upshot was, in the end

Kin-kù… - According to… (See kun-kù)

Kin-sio̍k – Anyway / in any case

Kiò – Cause / make

Kiò-sī  – Think (wrongly) that

Kiông beh – Almost (to the extent that)…

Kiù-kèng – In actual fact / as a matter of fact

Kó-jiân – As expected / sure enough

Kò-jiân…( m̄-kú / m̄-kó / tān-sī) – To be sure…, but… / certainly …and…

(Koh)…koh… Both…and…

Koh-chài (khah) – Even more

Koh-chài-kóng – Furthermore

Koh-khah – Even (more) / much less

Koh-khah…iā / mā – No matter how…

Koh-khah án-chòaⁿ – No matter how / no matter what

Kóng ê sī – Refers to…

Kui ê (or other measure word) – The whole… / one’s whole…

Kui-khì – Might as well go ahead and… / it’d be better if you just went ahead and …

Kúi-[time] - several, a few

Kúi-[measure word]-á – (Just) a few … / (only) a few / a couple

Kúi-á-[time / thing] - Quite a few

Kúi-[counting word ]-[time / thing] - Quite a few / many

Kúi-nā-[measure word / time] – Several

Kun-kù / kin-kù… – According to…