<p>In my opinion, "我著住衫" is odd, un-natural. The nearest is "我著住件衫", which is, well, I have difficulties to grasp the meaning.</p>

<p>About 緊 / 梗: let's say, my friend asks me over the phone:</p>

<p>ｑ﹒做緊乜　what are you doing?</p>

<p>ａ﹒食緊飯　I'm eating rice --> I'm eating.</p>

<p>ａ﹒打緊牌　I'm playing mahjong.</p>

<p>ａ﹒行緊街　I'm wandering in the street.</p>

<p>In these examples, actions are in progress.</p>

<p>My guess, no proof: after years of British influence, we adopted some grammar rules, where we use 緊 to simulate "-ing".</p>

<p>However, sometimes it's tricky. Let's say I accidentally delete all Excel files on my computer, my colleague would say:</p>

<p>呢獲野﹒你死梗啦　~ you're making really big trouble this time (or, ask someone else for a proper, precise translation).</p>

<p>About 住, let's say I'm late for dinner, my friend calls me:</p>

<p>ｑ﹒響邊?　Where are you?</p>

<p>ａ﹒就到. 食住等啦　I'll arrive soon, eat while you're waiting [for me].</p>

<p>What would you describe it, progress or state?</p>

<p>Another one: 袋住先</p>

<p>"To pocket it first", or "to adopt it first".</p>

<p>I don't think that 住 is widely used in colloquial Cantonese. Of course, I may be wrong.</p>

<p>Have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-07T04:56:32.340Z
"翻箱倒櫳搵餐懵, 原來我著住嗰件衫"
Henry HO
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-07T05:05:10.930Z
"住" is widely used in colloquial Cantonese.  When used in prog./cont. aspect, it implies the existence of another action/object when worths attention or is undergoing.  On the other hand, "緊" concerns mostly the current action itself.
Henry HO
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-07T05:38:51.377Z
Interesting to see different points of view on what seems like a pretty important part of the language. Is there an agreed-upon standard for Cantonese grammar?
Oiohwah
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-07T05:39:05.543Z
"我著住嗰件衫" is much better; don't you agree ""我著住衫" is odd?
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-07T06:17:49.383Z
"我著住衫去便便" vs "我著緊衫去便便" ~~~ lol ~~~~
Henry HO
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-07T04:48:27.020Z
2016-10-22T12:20:02.187Z
2016-10-22T12:20:02.187Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>In Cantonese grammar, 緊 indicates a ‘progressive’ aspect while 住 indicates a ‘durative’ aspect. Both aspects are part of the ‘continuous’ aspect of English grammar.</p>

<p>佢著緊件外套 (she is putting on an overcoat) describes a dynamic ongoing action of wearing the overcoat.
佢著住件外套 (she has on her body an overcoat) describes a static persistent state of already having the overcoat on her body.</p>

<p>佢拖緊兩個細路過馬路 (he is taking two kids across the road) denotes that “taking two kids” is the main action while crossing the road.
佢拖住兩個細路過馬路 (he is crossing the road with two kids tagging along) denotes that “taking two kids” is merely a subsidiary action of crossing the road.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-24T10:13:26.760Z
2016-07-24T10:13:26.760Z
C Chiu
<p>I'm told that 緊 serves the general purpose of '-ing' (according to HK native speaker, who also uses '梗' to represent this idea in text).</p>

<p>This is supported by what I've found online, except with a distinction between continuous (住) and progressive (緊) aspects:</p>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_and_progressive_aspects#Cantonese" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_and_progressive_aspects#Cantonese</a></p>

<p>The same native speaker says there isn't really a difference between continuous and progressive.</p>

<p><strong>Do we use 緊 and 住 to distinguish between continuous and progressive, or is 緊 sufficient to cover all the bases?</strong></p>

<usage><difference><cantonese><sentence-structure><hong-kong>
Spoken Cantonese | using '緊', and difference between continuous and progressive aspects
# Spoken Cantonese | using '緊', and difference between continuous and progressive aspects

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-07)

I'm told that 緊 serves the general purpose of '-ing' (according to HK native speaker, who also uses '梗' to represent this idea in text).

This is supported by what I've found online, except with a distinction between continuous (住) and progressive (緊) aspects:

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_and_progressive_aspects#Cantonese>

The same native speaker says there isn't really a difference between continuous and progressive.

**Do we use 緊 and 住 to distinguish between continuous and progressive, or is 緊 sufficient to cover all the bases?**

**Tags:** usage, difference, cantonese, sentence-structure, hong-kong


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-07-07. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

In my opinion, "我著住衫" is odd, un-natural. The nearest is "我著住件衫", which is, well, I have difficulties to grasp the meaning.

About 緊 / 梗: let's say, my friend asks me over the phone:

ｑ﹒做緊乜　what are you doing?

ａ﹒食緊飯　I'm eating rice --> I'm eating.

ａ﹒打緊牌　I'm playing mahjong.

ａ﹒行緊街　I'm wandering in the street.

In these examples, actions are in progress.

My guess, no proof: after years of British influence, we adopted some grammar rules, where we use 緊 to simulate "-ing".

However, sometimes it's tricky. Let's say I accidentally delete all Excel files on my computer, my colleague would say:

呢獲野﹒你死梗啦　~ you're making really big trouble this time (or, ask someone else for a proper, precise translation).

About 住, let's say I'm late for dinner, my friend calls me:

ｑ﹒響邊?　Where are you?

ａ﹒就到. 食住等啦　I'll arrive soon, eat while you're waiting [for me].

What would you describe it, progress or state?

Another one: 袋住先

"To pocket it first", or "to adopt it first".

I don't think that 住 is widely used in colloquial Cantonese. Of course, I may be wrong.

Have fun :)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: "翻箱倒櫳搵餐懵, 原來我著住嗰件衫"  
> **username_2**: "住" is widely used in colloquial Cantonese.  When used in prog./cont. aspect, it implies the existence of another action/object when worths attention or is undergoing.  On the other hand, "緊" concerns mostly the current action itself.  
> **username_0**: Interesting to see different points of view on what seems like a pretty important part of the language. Is there an agreed-upon standard for Cantonese grammar?  
> **username_1**: "我著住嗰件衫" is much better; don't you agree ""我著住衫" is odd?  
> **username_2**: "我著住衫去便便" vs "我著緊衫去便便" ~~~ lol ~~~~  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-07-24. Score: 3

In Cantonese grammar, 緊 indicates a ‘progressive’ aspect while 住 indicates a ‘durative’ aspect. Both aspects are part of the ‘continuous’ aspect of English grammar.

佢著緊件外套 (she is putting on an overcoat) describes a dynamic ongoing action of wearing the overcoat.
佢著住件外套 (she has on her body an overcoat) describes a static persistent state of already having the overcoat on her body.

佢拖緊兩個細路過馬路 (he is taking two kids across the road) denotes that “taking two kids” is the main action while crossing the road.
佢拖住兩個細路過馬路 (he is crossing the road with two kids tagging along) denotes that “taking two kids” is merely a subsidiary action of crossing the road.


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