The rule: owner, description or clause before a noun → 嘅 (ge3); a bit, some, or a plural group → 啲 (di1). Both are tiny, both are everywhere, and Mandarin speakers tend to hear them as one thing because Mandarin 的 does the linking job alone.
| 嘅 | 啲 | |
|---|---|---|
| Jyutping | ge3 (tone 3, mid level) | di1 (tone 1, high level) |
| Job | Links an owner, adjective or clause to a noun | Some, a bit, or the plural and uncountable "the" |
| Mandarin twin | 的 (de) | 一些 (yīxiē), 一點 (yīdiǎn) |
| After an adjective | 好嘅 (a good one) | 好啲 (better) |
| Situation | Say | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "My friend" | 我嘅朋友 | Owner before the noun: 嘅 |
| "The things I bought" | 我買嘅嘢 | A whole clause describes 嘢: 嘅 closes the clause |
| "A bit more" | 多啲 | A quantity: 啲 |
| "Hurry up" / "faster" | 快啲 | 啲 after an adjective means more of it |
| "A bit" | 一啲 | 一 can drop, 啲 stays |
| "Some people" | 有啲人 | 有啲 is "there are some" |
| "The people" (as a group) | 啲人 | 啲 gives the plural, group feeling |
Swapping them after an adjective. 好啲 means better; 好嘅 means a good one. Second slip: using 啲 for one single thing. 我啲手機 means "my phones"; for one phone say 我嘅手機 or 我部手機.
More classic mix-ups: 咩 vs 乜, 冇 vs 未, 唔 vs 冇; more learner answers on the FAQ page.
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