Auxiliary verbs

Auxiliary verbs are verbs that cannot stand by themselves, but which “help” other verbs by adding functional meaning. They usually have to be combined with a main verb in a sentence. Examples of auxiliary verbs in English are “to be”, “have”, “can”, “should”. In Teochew, the auxiliary verbs can similarly be classified by their function into primary auxiliaries (“be”, “have”) and modal verbs (e.g. “should”, “may”).

si6 • 是 • “to be”, the copula
u6 • 有 • “to have”
Modal verbs
References and further reading

si6 • 是 • “to be”, the copula

si6 是 is cognate to Mandarin shì and has similar usage in Teochew.

It is used to join together two nouns or noun phrases to mean that they are the same or identical (“to be”, “is”). In this usage it is known as the copula verb.

[Noun1] + si6 是 + [Noun2]

i³³ si¹¹ taŋ³³kim³³ tsoŋ³⁵li⁵³

I1 si6(7) dang1gim1 zong2(6)li2.

伊是當今總理。

He/she is present prime-minister.

He/she is the sitting Prime Minister.

It is negated by the prefix m6 唔: m6(7)si6 唔是 (see “Negatives”).

By itself, it is used to reply “yes” to a yes-no question (see “Questions”):

i³³ si¹¹m¹¹si¹¹ taŋ³³kim³³ tsoŋ³⁵li⁵³ / si³⁵

I1 si6(7)m7si6(7) dang1gim1 zong2(6)li2? • Si6!

伊是唔是當今總理？ • 是！

He/she is-NEG-is present prime-minister? • Is!

Is he/she the sitting Prime Minister? Yes [he/she is]!

u6 • 有 • “to have”

u6 can be both a main verb and an auxiliary. Its negative form is bho5 無 (see “Negatives”).

Possession

u6 can function as a main verb meaning possession of something.

ua⁵³ u¹¹ tsek² tsiaʔ⁵ tsʰia³³

Ua2 u6(7) zêg8(4)-ziah8 cia1.

我有一隻車。

I have one-CL car.

I have a motorcar.

Existence

It can also mean the existence of something, usually in the context of a time or place.

[Time or place] - u6 有 - [Noun phrase]

tsʰia³³ tõĩ⁵³ u¹¹ naŋ⁵⁵

Cia1-doin2 u6(7) nang5

車底有儂。

Car-inside have person.

There is/are person(s) in the car.

***

e¹¹ gueʔ⁵ u¹¹ no¹¹ zik⁵ kĩã³⁵kʰi⁵⁵

Ê7-ghuêh8 u6(7) no6(7)-rig8(4) gian2(6)ki5.

下月有兩日假期。

Next-month have two-day holiday.

There are two holidays next month.

Affirmative aspect

u6 有 is added in front of another verb, when the speaker wants to affirm that the action has indeed occurred or has been completed. This is known as the affirmative aspect, or perfect aspect (see “Aspect and time”).

tsoŋ³⁵li⁵³ kiŋ³³zik⁵ u¹¹ tsiaʔ² ou¹¹ni⁵⁵

Zong2(6)li2 ging1rig8 u6(7) ziah8(4) ou5(7)ni5.

總理經日有食芋泥

Prime-minister today have eat yam-paste.

The Prime Minister has eaten yam paste today.

In contrast, without u6, the sentence above could mean that the prime minister is presently eating yam paste, or plans to eat yam paste (but has not yet done so).

Habitual aspect

u6 can also prefix verbs to mean that these actions are done habitually.

ua⁵³ u¹¹ tsiak²huŋ³³ / ua⁵³ u¹¹ lim³³ tsiu⁵³ / ua⁵³ bo¹¹ pʰak⁵ bou⁵³

Ua2 u6(7) ziah8(4)hung1. Ua2 u6(7) lim1 ziu2. Ua2 bho5(7) pag4(8) bhou2.

我有吃煙。我有啉酒。我無拍𡚸。

I have smoke. I have drink wine. I NEG beat wife.

I smoke. I drink. I don’t beat my wife.

“Modality” refers to probability, necessity, permission, and related concepts. English has a special class of verbs called modal verbs, such as “can”, “should”, “may”, and “must”. Like other auxiliary verbs, they must be combined with a main verb. The exception is when the meaning is already implicitly understood:

Q: Must I?

A: Yes you must [brush your teeth].

Modality can also be expressed through adverbs, e.g. “certainly”, “surely” (see below).

One characteristic of modal verbs in Teochew and Southern Min langauges is that many of them have special negative forms (see “Negatives”).

Modal verbs usually come before the main verb that they modify. Here they are listed alongside their corresponding negative forms.

Definition	IPA	Peng’im	Character
can, able, will	oi³⁵	oi6	會
can, may	kʰo³⁵ĩ⁵³	ko2(6)in2	可以
can, able	u¹¹piaŋ²¹	u6(7)biang3	有變
want, will	ai²¹³	ai3	愛
should, must	tieʔ⁸	diêh8	着
should	eŋ³³kai³³	êng1gai1	應該
may, should	ho⁵³	ho2	好
willing to	hãũ²¹³	haon3	好

oi6 會 / bhoi6 袂 • “can”, “able”, “will”

Teochew oi6 is similar to its Mandarin cognate huì 會. It has a number of overlapping functions; what they have in common is that they refer to actions or events that lie in the future.

“Can cause or result in something”

i³³ u¹¹ lim³³ ko³³pi⁵⁵ tsĩã³⁵ oi¹¹ tsʰẽ⁵³

I1 u6(7) lim1 go1bi5 zian2(6) oi6(7) cên2.

伊有啉咖啡正會醒。

He PERF drink coffee then can awake.

He is only alert after drinking coffee.

“Able to do something”

i³³ ŋou¹¹hue¹¹ zu¹¹ oi¹¹ sek⁵ tɯŋ¹¹naŋ¹¹zi¹¹

I1 ngou6(7)huê7 zu6(7) oi6(7) sêg4(8) deng5(7)nang5(7)ri7.

伊五歲就會識唐儂字。

He five-years-old already can read Chinese-characters.

He could read Chinese characters at the age of five.

“Something will occur”

hue³³tsʰia³³ lak²tiam³⁵pũã¹¹ tsĩã⁵³ oi¹¹ lai⁵⁵

Huê1cia1 lag8(4)diam2(6)buan7 zian3(2) oi6(7) lai5.

火車六點半正會來。

Train six-thirty then will come.

The train will only arrive at six thirty.

Derivatives of oi6

oi6(7)hiao2 會曉 • “can”, “able”, “know how to”

Used when referring to ability in the sense of skill or know-how. Compare to oi6(7)dêg8 and u6(7)biang3 below.

i³³ oi¹¹hiau³⁵ eŋ¹¹ sɯŋ⁵³pũã⁵⁵ sɯŋ⁵³sieu²¹³

I1 oi6(7)hiao2(6) êng7 seng3(2)buan5 seng3(2)siêu3.

伊會曉用算盤算數。

He able use abacus calculate.

He knows how to calculate with the abacus.

Unlike oi6 itself and the other derivatives of oi6, oi6(7)hiao2 cannot be used to indicate a future event:

*i³³ mũã⁵³zik⁵ oi¹¹hiau³⁵ lai¹¹ sɯŋ⁵³ maŋ¹¹kiu⁵⁵

*I1 muan3(2)zig8 oi6(7)hiao2(6) lai5(7) seng2 mang6(7)giu5.

*伊～日會曉來耍網球。

*He tomorrow able come play tennis.

oi6(7)dêg4 會得 • “can”, “able”

i³³ oi¹¹tek⁵ to¹¹ tsʰek² huŋ³³ tseŋ³³ lai³⁵ tsau³⁵ no¹¹ kuŋ³³li⁵³

I1 oi6(7)dêg4(8) do6(7) cêk8(4) hung1zêng1 lai6 zao2(6) no6(7) gung1li2.

伊會得在七分鐘內走兩公里。

He able in seven minutes within run two kilometers.

He can run two kilometers in seven minutes.

For the above example, oi6(7)hiao2 would not be appropriate, as oi6(7)hiao2 refers to ability in the sense of know-how, rather than a purely physical skill.

oi6(7)sai2 會使 • “can”, “may”

This can have the meaning of “may” in the sense of having permission:

ua⁵³ oi¹¹sai³⁵ eŋ¹¹ lɯ⁵³ kai¹¹ sɯŋ⁵³pũã⁵⁵ tsek²e¹¹ a³³boi³⁵

Ua2 oi6(7)sai2(6) êng7 le2(6)gai5(7) seng3(2)buan5 zêg8(4)ê7 a1-bhoi6?

我會使用汝個算盤一下 a袂？

I may use you-GEN abacus DEL or-not?

May I use your abacus for a while?

Both oi6(7)dêg4 and oi6(7)sai2 can mean “can” in the sense of “being in a position to do something”:

i³³ mũã⁵³zik⁵ oi¹¹tek⁵ / oi¹¹sai³⁵ lai¹¹ sɯŋ⁵³ maŋ¹¹kiu⁵⁵

I1 muan3(2)zig8 oi6(7)dêg4(8) / oi6(7)sai2(6) lai5(7) seng3(2) mang6(7)giu5.

伊～日會得 / 會使來耍網球。

He tomorrow can come play tennis.

He can come to play tennis tomorrow.

ko2(6)in2 可以 / m7ko2(6)in2 唔可以 • “may”, “can”

Comparable to its Mandarin cognate kěyǐ, this can mean either permission (like oi6(7)sai2) or ability (like oi6(7)dêg8).

u6(7)biang3 有變 / bho5(7)biang3 無變 • “can”, “able”

This is used when referring to ability in the sense of circumstances (“in a position to do something”). Compare to oi6(7)hiao2 and oi6(7)sai2 above.

i³³ u¹¹piaŋ⁵³ kaʔ² naŋ⁵³ tso⁵³ kaŋ³³kʰue²¹³ a³³ bo⁵⁵

I1 u6(7)biang3(2) gah8(4) nang2 zo3(2) gang1kuê3 a1-bho5?

伊有變佮俺做工課阿無？

He able for we-incl. do work or-not?

Is he able to do a job for us?

ain3 愛 / mai3 勿 • “want”, “will”

愛 (“to love”) is probably the etymological character for the modal verb ain3. However ain3 is conventionally written (including in historical texts) with the character 欲, which is also pronounced iog8, and which also means “to wish, to want” in literary Chinese. In vernacular texts, though, 欲 is usually pronounced ain3.

ua⁵³ ãĩ⁵³ saŋ⁵³ tsi³⁵tiou¹¹ hɯ⁵⁵ kʰoiʔ² lɯ⁵³

Ua2 ain3(2) sang3(2) zi2(6)diou5(7) he5 koih8(4) le2.

我愛送只條魚乞汝。

I want present this-CL fish give you.

I want to give you this fish as a gift.

***

i³³ mai⁵³ kaʔ⁵ uaŋ⁵³ tso⁵³ pʰeŋ¹¹iu⁵³

I1 mai3(2) gah4(8) uang2 zo3(2) peng5(7)iu2.

伊勿佮阮做朋友。

He not-want with us-excl. do friend.

He doesn’t want to befriend us.

diêh8 着 / mêng2 免 • “should”, “must”

Among other functions (see “Verbal complements”), diêh8 着 has the modal meanings of “should” or “must”.

naŋ⁵³ e¹¹loi³⁵pai²¹³ tieʔ² kaʔ⁵ a¹¹meŋ⁵⁵ tsiaʔ² tsa³⁵tsʰaŋ³³

Nang2 ê6(7)loi2(6)pai3 diêh8(4) gah4(8) A1-Mêng5 ziah8(4) za2(6)cang1.

俺下禮拜着佮阿明食早餐。

We-incl. next-week should with A-Meng eat breakfast.

We should have breakfast with Ah Meng next week.

***

ua⁵³ mũã⁵³zik̬ meŋ³⁵ kʰɯ⁵³ hak²hau³⁵

Ua2 muan3(2)zig8 mêng2(6) ke3(2) hag8(4)hao6.

我～日免去學校。

I tomorrow need-not go school.

I don’t have school tomorrow.

diêh8(4)ai3 • 着愛 • “should”, “must”

naŋ⁵³ tieʔ²ai⁵³ zik²zik⁵ tso⁵³ tam¹¹poʔ² uŋ¹¹toŋ³⁵

Nang2 diêh8(4)ai3(2) rig8(4)rig8 zo3(2) dam7boh8(4) ung7dong6.

俺着愛日日做淡簿運動。

We ought daily do a-little-bit exercise.

We ought to do a little bit of exercise every day.

êng1gai1 應該 • “should”

Comparable to the Mandarin cognate yīnggāi.

naŋ⁵³ eŋ³³kai³³ zik²zik⁵ tso⁵³ tam¹¹poʔ² uŋ¹¹toŋ³⁵

Nang2 êng1gai1 zig8(4)zig8 zo3(2) dam7boh4 ung7dong6.

俺應該日日做淡簿運動。

We should daily do a-bit exercise.

We should do a little bit of exercise every day.

ho2 好 / mo2 孬 • “may”, “should”

This uses the colloquial pronunciation of 好, compare with hauh3 below.

lɯ⁵³ tso⁵³ho⁵³ koŋ³³kʰue²¹³ tsĩã⁵³ ho³⁵ kʰɯ²¹³

Le2 zo3(2)ho2 gong1kuê3 zian3(2) ho2(6) ke3.

汝做好功課正好去。

You do-finished homework then may go.

You may leave when you’ve finished your homework.

***

tsie⁵³sẽ³³ ũã²¹³ lou¹¹ / niŋ⁵³ ho³⁵ tɯŋ³⁵tsʰu²¹³ lou¹¹

Ziê3(2)sên1 uan3 lou7, ning2 ho2(6) deng2(6)cu3 lou7.

照生晏𡀔，恁好轉厝𡀔。

So late PRF, you-all should go-home PRF.

It’s already so late, you should all go home.

haon3 好 / m7haon3 唔好 • “willing to”

This uses the literary pronunciation of 好, compare with ho2 above.

niŋ⁵³ hãũ⁵⁵ m¹¹hãũ⁵⁵ sie³³hu¹¹ tsek²e¹¹

Ning2 haon3(5)-m7haon3(5) siê1hu6(7) zêg8(4)ê7?

恁 好唔好 相輔一下？

You-pl. willing-NEG-willing help somewhat?

Are you willing to help out a bit?

The example above is a yes-no question following the A-NOT-A pattern (see “Questions”).

lɯ⁵³ tso⁵³ni¹¹ sui¹¹si⁵⁵ tsiu¹¹ tsie⁵³sẽ³³ m¹¹hãũ²¹³

Le2 zo3(2)ni5(7) sui5(7)si5 ziu6(7) ziê3(2)sên1 m7haon3?

汝做呢隨時就照生唔好？

You why suddenly thus like-this unwilling?

Why are you suddenly so unwilling?

Modality can also be expressed through adverbs.

pa³³lak² • ba1lag4 • ～～ • “maybe” (derived from Malay pahala)

kʰo³⁵leŋ⁵⁵ • ko2(6)lêng5 • 可能 • “maybe, possibly”

tĩã¹¹tieʔ⁵ • dian7diêh8 • 定着 • “certainly”

ŋẽ¹¹hõũ⁵² • ngên6(7)houn2 • 硬～ • “certainly”

bue¹¹si¹¹ • bhuê7si7 • 未是 • “surely, could it be”

References and further reading

Xu Hui Ling 許惠玲 (2007). Aspect of Chaozhou grammar, Table 9.1
Lǐ Yǒngmíng 李永明 (1959),《潮州方言》, pp. 213-214
Matthews, Stephen & Yip, Virginia (2011), Cantonese: A comprehensive grammar