<p>先 here is short for 先至</p>
<ul>
<li><p>先(first)</p>
</li>
<li><p>至(then)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>先至 (first then)= <strong>till... then</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>我諗<em>等到</em>聽日(<strong>先</strong>)買飛嘅話一定買唔到</p>
<p>I think if we <em>wait</em> (<strong>till</strong>) tomorrow (<strong>then</strong>) to buy ticket we will certainly fail to buy any</p>
<p>The word &quot;等到&quot; (wait) is implied</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Example of difference between &quot;先至/ 先&quot; (till...then) and &quot;先&quot; (first/ for now)</p>
<p>做好功課(先至/先)准睇電視 - (Till) finish all the homework (then) allowed to watch TV.</p>
<p>你地坐吓等陣(先) - you guys sit for a while and wait (first/ for now)</p>
<ul>
<li><p>When &quot;...先&quot; is followed by a verb phrase, it is a short form of 先至, meaning &quot;till ... then&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p>When 先 is at the end of a words clause, it means &quot;first&quot; or &quot;for now&quot;</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-06T16:20:40.933Z
2019-10-07T00:44:13.633Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>I don’t think (you/we)’ll be able to buy a ticket tomorrow.<br>
我諗聽日買飛嘅話一定買唔到。 </p>

<p>I don’t think (you/we)’ll be able to buy a ticket <em>if (you/we) wait until</em> tomorrow.<br>
我諗聽日<em>先</em>買飛嘅話一定買唔到。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T21:24:01.920Z
2019-10-14T21:24:01.920Z
wada
<p>Yes, it can be discarded. You can say <code>我諗聽日買飛嘅話一定買唔到</code> and the meaning is the same. I'm not sure if it's "until", but I feel it's similar to "才“</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-10T05:07:22.547Z
2019-10-10T05:07:22.547Z
sylvia
<p>In the sentence: 我諗聽日先買飛嘅話一定買唔到。</p>

<p>What is the function of “先”?</p>

<p>The original translation from a reference is “I don’t think you’ll be able to buy a ticket tomorrow.”</p>

<p>I do not understand the role of “先”, and can it be discarded? </p>

<usage><cantonese>
What is the function of 先 in 我諗聽日先買飛嘅話一定買唔到 (cantonese)
# What is the function of 先 in 我諗聽日先買飛嘅話一定買唔到 (cantonese)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-06)

In the sentence: 我諗聽日先買飛嘅話一定買唔到。

What is the function of “先”?

The original translation from a reference is “I don’t think you’ll be able to buy a ticket tomorrow.”

I do not understand the role of “先”, and can it be discarded?

**Tags:** usage, cantonese


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-06. Score: 3

先 here is short for 先至

* 先(first)
* 至(then)

先至 (first then)= **till... then**

> 我諗*等到*聽日(**先**)買飛嘅話一定買唔到
>
> I think if we *wait* (**till**) tomorrow (**then**) to buy ticket we will certainly fail to buy any
>
> The word "等到" (wait) is implied

Example of difference between "先至/ 先" (till...then) and "先" (first/ for now)

做好功課(先至/先)准睇電視 - (Till) finish all the homework (then) allowed to watch TV.

你地坐吓等陣(先) - you guys sit for a while and wait (first/ for now)

* When "...先" is followed by a verb phrase, it is a short form of 先至, meaning "till ... then"
* When 先 is at the end of a words clause, it means "first" or "for now"


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-14. Score: 0

I don’t think (you/we)’ll be able to buy a ticket tomorrow.  
我諗聽日買飛嘅話一定買唔到。

I don’t think (you/we)’ll be able to buy a ticket *if (you/we) wait until* tomorrow.  
我諗聽日*先*買飛嘅話一定買唔到。


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-10. Score: 0

Yes, it can be discarded. You can say `我諗聽日買飛嘅話一定買唔到` and the meaning is the same. I'm not sure if it's "until", but I feel it's similar to "才“


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