# Learning Cantonese?



## Worried Mum (Dec 9, 2014)

Hi
Can you help?

My son has moved out to Hong Kong. He needs to learn Cantonese. What is the best way to do it?

Steph


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

why does he need to learn cantonese? English is widely spoken,but if wants to learrn there are many places to learn.He should ask at a tourist informqaqtion office and they can point him in the right direction. I done it over 3 years at school in wan chai + help from co workers.

( after each class my head hurt so much I needed 2 paracetamol and copious amounts of beer)


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## jacklin796 (Nov 30, 2014)

I suggest he should learn chinese.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

jacklin796 said:


> I suggest he should learn chinese.


if by Chinese you mean Mandarin, I would have to ask why? it is not widely spoken in HK. When I worked in Hong Kong, there was 32 staff, all local and every one of them spoke Cantonese and English, not one of them spoke Mandarin.


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## George Yu (Apr 13, 2013)

Yes...
most of the Hong Konger speak English. Don't worry
as i know...if your son is going in the retail sector or company that has business in China would suggest you to speak some Mandarin...Hong Kong is still very different from any city in China.

If your son will stay for a long time, just ask him to meet some local people...


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## Worried Mum (Dec 9, 2014)

He is married to a lovely lady from Macao.


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## Worried Mum (Dec 9, 2014)

He has been told he needs Cantonese to get a job. He is an aeronautical engineer.


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## Worried Mum (Dec 9, 2014)

He would like to meet people but is finding it difficult. Stuck in a one room flat all day while his wife works. Not good. He is an aerospace engineer and is not having any luck yet with jobs.


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## Golo (Apr 15, 2011)

I agree with George Yu, tell him to get out and meet the locals, they wont bite and he may pick up a bit of Cantonese which most locals speak.


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## Golo (Apr 15, 2011)

jacklin796 said:


> I suggest he should learn chinese.


That's like saying learn to speak European! its a meaningless phrase.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

Worried Mum said:


> He has been told he needs Cantonese to get a job. He is an aeronautical engineer.


who told him that?... because it's rubbish


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Chinese (CANTONESE) and English are the official languages of Hong Kong. English is widely used in the Government and by the legal, professional and business sectors. Less than 2% of the population are ****nghua (MANDARIN) speakers. 

I seriously think your son has been misinformed.


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## grvqw (May 30, 2015)

jacklin796 said:


> I suggest he should learn chinese.


just say simple english is ok in hong kong


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## UltraM (Jun 25, 2015)

Learning a language is always good. Be it Cantonese or Mandarin. I will not think that Cantonese is needed to work as an aero engineer. The problem is that there is no aero industries in HK. Language is always a plus in finding a job.

I am just guessing that your son is not old but in his 20's or 30's. HK always need people with technical skills, discipline, common sense. He should definitely have some computer skills ~ and it is very easy to get a computer job. All industries need programmers, from banks to fastfood shops.

Hk also has a big financial/banking industry which need engineers to work on complex financial products. Ask him to try his luck there. If he got no clue on finance, ask him to take a night degree/course in Finance. That will get him out of the house and meet the real people working in real industry - who can hire him.

Anyway good luck.. It is a challenge. Lots of people has overcome this situation and your son will be able too.


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## Wonderful2016 (Jul 6, 2015)

If learning Cantonese helps him to get him job, then that makes sense. Or he needs to think about other options out there!


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