About Cantonese A1
A1 is the entry-level tier in CEFR — the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. At A1 you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about personal details, and hold a basic conversation provided the other person speaks slowly and clearly. The words at A1 are the high-frequency words that show up in the overwhelming majority of everyday speech: greetings, numbers, family, food, weather, directions, time. Mastering A1 words is the foundation of Cantonese fluency — every later level is built on these words.
All 1016 words at A1
Click any word to see its full breakdown: reading, translation, and a real example word.
A1 vocabulary in example sentences
See how each word is actually used before you memorise it. Tap the speaker to hear the pronunciation.
Practise this vocabulary
How to study Cantonese A1
Spend your first 4-6 weeks on A1 words. The 45–65-minute daily loop is enough — review the A1 deck with spaced repetition until your recall rate is above 90%, then start adding A2 words one batch per week. Pair the deck with a basic grammar primer for Cantonese verb forms (or sentence-final particles, for languages like Korean and Japanese) so you can start producing your own sentences from day one.
Common questions about Cantonese A1
How many A1 words do I need to handle basic situations in Cantonese?
Around 500 of the highest-frequency A1 words cover the vast majority of everyday exchanges — greetings, directions, numbers, food and family. This deck gathers exactly those, ordered by how often native speakers really use them.
Is A1 Cantonese enough to hold a real conversation?
With A1 you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple personal questions, and follow slow, clear speech. It is the foundation — real fluency is built from A2 to B1 — but A1 genuinely gets you through basic daily situations politely and understandably.