Past tense Q&A: 咗(zo2), 過(gwo3), 完(jyun4)

There is no conjugation in Cantonese, only suffixes.

The grammar may seems very simple, but there are a lot of implications, and a lot of things depend on the context.

Below are some examples.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave me a message in the comment section.

Verb: 食飯 /sik6 faan6/

literally: eat rice, can be any meal, but not snack

Question:

你食咗飯未呀?

nei5 sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6 aa3

Have you eaten yet?

May or may not imply: shall we eat something together? In most of the situation they are just polite, like people saying "Hello, how are you?" They may or may not expect you to tell them some details of your recent activities.)

You can answer: 

食咗喇，唔該
sik6 zo2 laa3 ，m4 goi1
I have already eaten, thanks. (Equivalent to: I'm fine, thanks.)

Or:

未呀

mei6 aa1

Not yet.

Question:

你食過飯未呀?  *rarely used*
nei5 sik6 gwo3 faan6 mei6 aa3 ?
Have you eaten yet ever since?

Since you come home or after certain event, like after your operation.
The speaker may be more genuinely concern whether you have actually eaten something or not.

Answer: 

食過喇/食咗喇

sik6 gwo3 laa3 /sik6 zo2 laa3

Already did. In this situation both are correct.

Or: 

未呀  

mei6 aa3
Not yet.

Or: 

冇呀 

mou5 aa3

No, may imply I don't have the appetite or I don't have food to eat.

 

If there is a specific context of after certain event, like after your operation:

Or:

(做完手術之後都

zou6 jyun4 sau2 seot6 zi1 hau6 dou1

After the operation) 

未食過呀

mei6 sik6 gwo3 aa3

Have not yet eaten anything.

Question:

你食完飯未呀?

nei5 sik6 jyun4 faan6 mei6 aa3 ?

Have you finished eating yet?

Answer: 

食完喇。

sik6 jyun4 laa3

Finished.

Or:

未食完。

mei6 sik6 jyun4

Not yet.

Verb: 去 /heoi3/ - go

Question:

你去咗倫敦未呀?

nei5 heoi3 zo2 leon4 deon1 mei6 aa3

Have you gone to London yet?

Context: You told me you were going to London, or you are expected to go there.

Answer: 

去完喇

heoi3 jyun4 laa3

yes, now I'm back

Or 

去咗喇

heoi3 zo2 laa3

yes – not specific whether I'm still there or I'm back

Or 

未去呀

mei6 heoi3 aa3

no - but I'll go sooner or later

If you are not planning to go you'd say:
我冇打算去。
ngo5 mou5 daa2 syun3 heoi3

If you don't want to go you'd say: 

我唔想去。

ngo5 m4 soeng2 heoi3

Question:

你去過倫敦未呀?

nei5 heoi3 gwo3 leon4 deon1 mei6 aa3 ?

Have you ever been to London?

Answer: 

去過

heoi3 gwo3

yes

or 

冇去過

mou5 heoi3 gwo3

no

Question:

你去完倫敦未呀?

nei5 heoi3 jyun4 leon4 deon1 mei6 aa3 ?

Are you back from London yet?

Answer:  

去完喇

heoi3 jyun4 laa3

yes, now I'm back

or 

未去呀

mei6 heoi3 aa3

No, I haven't gone yet

or 

我仲喺倫敦 

ngo5 zung6 hai2 leon4 deon1

I'm still in London

Verb: 結婚 /git3 fan1/ - married

Question:

佢結咗婚未呀?

keoi5 git3 zo2 fan1 mei6 aa1 ?

Is he/she married?

Answer:

結咗

git3 zo2

Yes

Or

未結

mei6 git3

No

Question:

佢結過婚未呀?

keoi5 git3 gwo3 fan1 mei6 aa1 ?

Was he/she married before? (now divorced or widowed)

 
Answer:

未結過

mei6 git3 gwo3 

Never. 

 

Or

結過一次

git3 gwo3 jat1 ci3

Was married once.

Question:

佢結完婚未呀? *rarely used*

keoi5 git3 jyun4 fan1 mei6 aa1 ?

Have his/her wedding ceremony finished yet?

Answer:

仲未

zung6 mei6 

Not yet.

Or

結完喇

git3 jyun4 laa1

Finished