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The Cantonese language - Translations by the translation agency Fasttranslator

There are many Sinitic languages spoken in China that differ significantly from each other. All Chinese languages are written using the same characters so that texts can be understood in all parts of the country. The spoken languages, however, differ significantly. The most widely spoken language is Mandarin followed by Wu and Cantonese. The Cantonese language is spoken by approximately one hundred million people worldwide and Mandarin by approximately eight hundred million. The homeland of this language is located in Canton (Guangdong), Hong Kong, and Macao. Chinese speaking people in the USA, Great Britain, and Australia predominantly speak Cantonese. This also applies to the Chinese who have migrated to Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. Translations into and from Cantonese are especially important for the economic sector. We always find the right translator for your Cantonese translation regardless of which subject area you are working in.

Cantonese and Vietnamese - close language relatives

The Cantonese and Vietnamese languages are closely related to each other. Cantonese and Vietnamese are languages which are spoken by the Kinh people. Both the inclusion of Canton in the Chinese Empire and the intensive contact between Mandarin speakers and Vietnam caused both languages to take on many words and elements from Mandarin. Our native speaking translators are familiar with the linguistic idiosyncrasies of Cantonese and are capable of translating your texts with pinpoint accuracy. Do you have any questions about our service? Contact our project managers; they are always readily available for you.

The pronunciation and sound of Cantonese

The pronunciation of Cantonese differs considerably from that of Mandarin. The grammar is also different. The possibility for a stop sound at the end of a syllable is what most clearly differentiates Cantonese from Mandarin. When voicing a word or syllable in a tonal language, the pitch and length of the tones have an effect on the entire meaning of the word. By changing one pitch in a spoken sentence, it can take on an entirely different meaning. However, the various dialects of Cantonese differ in the form of their tones. The way sound of the tones is made clear by corresponding markings on the characters. Using this, one reading a Cantonese character is able to recognize how the word reads in Mandarin. Above the characters, it also shows whether there is a change of tone in the Cantonese language. Characters are the same in all Chinese languages. Depending on the circumstance, however, some characters may only be used in either Cantonese or Mandarin. Official Chinese texts are not written in Cantonese. However, if you are in need of a translation into Cantonese or the other way around, then you’re at the right place. Send us your text by email or by using the request form on the right side and you will receive a non-binding quote from us as quickly as possible.

Grammar and sentence structure

There are a few special aspects that are characteristic of and typical for Cantonese. Number words are used as determinations in Cantonese. Cantonese also differs from many Chinese languages in its sentence structure. Some adverbs are placed before the verb instead of after it. The direct object is also handled differently than in most Chinese languages. It is placed before the indirect object.

Cantonese and PC

The Cantonese language cannot simply be transferred onto a computer keyboard like Mandarin or another closely related Chinese language. A special program is needed to support the unique characteristic of adding accent marks to Cantonese symbols.

If you still have questions about the Cantonese language or urgently need a professional translation, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!

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