Cantonese for the
life you lead
Where would you like your Cantonese to take you?
A learning plan built around you
Private coaching
Develop your Cantonese through one-to-one lessons tailored to your goals and current ability. Strengthen your listening, pronunciation and conversational confidence for family life, social situations, travel or work.
Prepare for a real situation
Practical Cantonese
Prepare for conversations with Cantonese-speaking family through a structured practical programme, or discuss coaching for a particular task. Focus on the language for the people and situations that matter to you, with guided practice to build confidence joining in.
Learn and practise with others
Group Courses
Start learning Cantonese with other adult beginners in a small group of 3–6 learners. Build your skills through structured live online lessons, guided practice and feedback from a native-speaking teacher.
Bring your Cantonese into everyday life
Cantonese can bring you closer to conversations with family, friends and people in your community. For learners in Singapore, it can also be useful when visiting Hong Kong or communicating with Cantonese-speaking colleagues and partners.
Learning Cantonese can help you:
join conversations with relatives, including older family members
feel more involved at family gatherings and social occasions
communicate more comfortably when travelling or working in Hong Kong
understand more of the language used in Cantonese films, television and everyday conversation
Our Cantonese courses support adults in Singapore who want to use the language more confidently, including:
beginners learning Cantonese for family or personal relationships
adults who understand some Cantonese but find it difficult to respond
learners reconnecting with a language they heard or spoke growing up
professionals and travellers communicating with Cantonese speakers in Singapore or abroad
Cantonese-speaking families may use different words, pronunciations and everyday expressions depending on where they come from and which languages they use together. The names and phrases you hear at home are useful clues to the Cantonese you want to understand.
Think about the exchanges you want to join: greeting an older relative, following a family story, discussing meals or explaining your work. Identifying the people, family terms and recurring topics gives your learning a concrete focus.
If your relatives mainly speak Mandarin, explore our Mandarin courses. Confirming the language they use helps you choose an appropriate starting point.
Teaching that
adapts to you
A teacher matched to you
Practice for real situations
A course plan that adapts
Cantonese course levels
Our courses use the internationally recognised Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to describe language proficiency. Explore the levels below through examples of everyday, social, study and workplace communication relevant to learners in Singapore.
These are broad guides to learning at each stage. Your starting level and goals help determine the appropriate course and focus.
Beginner A1
Joining Simple Family Conversations
Start responding in Cantonese during familiar encounters in Singapore. Build short, supported exchanges that help you greet people, share basic information and participate at home or around the table.
Practise how to:
- greet older relatives and introduce yourself to someone’s family
- answer simple questions about your work, studies or daily routine
- ask whether someone has eaten and offer food or drinks
- express simple preferences during a meal
- ask someone to repeat a word or speak more slowly
Elementary A2
Cantonese for Everyday Family and Social Life
Move beyond brief replies to exchange everyday news and make simple arrangements. Develop more confidence using Cantonese with relatives, friends and people in your community.
Practise how to:
- tell a relative about your day or weekend plans
- arrange a meal or visit with family members
- ask about someone’s wellbeing and respond to familiar questions
- describe a recent outing or family celebration
- handle simple food and shopping exchanges with Cantonese-speaking stallholders or shop staff
Lower Intermediate B1
Taking a Fuller Part in Cantonese Conversations
Sustain conversations and contribute more of your own experiences. Develop the language to stay involved when family and friends move beyond routine questions.
Practise how to:
- share a story from work, school or home
- ask an older relative about their experiences and follow up on their answers
- explain your preferences when discussing family plans
- discuss a familiar neighbourhood issue or practical problem
- describe something you watched and explain your reaction
Upper Intermediate B2
Cantonese for Detailed Discussion
Express your views more fully and respond with greater spontaneity. Take a more active part in longer family conversations, social discussions and workplace interactions.
Practise how to:
- join a lively conversation at a family meal and build on someone’s point
- explain a concern about a shared arrangement and suggest alternatives
- discuss changes in Singapore life with relatives or friends
- clarify a complicated request with a Cantonese-speaking customer or colleague
- disagree politely and explain the reasons for your view
Advanced C1–C2
Cantonese for Nuance and Closer Relationships
Refine your expression when conversations involve humour, sensitive subjects or meanings that are not stated directly. Develop greater flexibility across family, social and professional relationships.
Practise how to:
- discuss a sensitive family matter with care and precision
- recognise teasing, indirect comments and implied concerns
- explore family history and differences between generations in Singapore
- compare perspectives in Cantonese-language news, films or discussions
- adapt your tone for an elder, close friend or professional contact
What would you like to do with Cantonese?
Ask about your course
Your questions, answered
Which Cantonese course should I choose?
Choose private coaching if you want to develop your Cantonese through personalised teaching and continued practice. Practical courses suit a specific task, role or situation, with either tailored coaching or a structured programme.
If you’re unsure, tell us what you want to achieve and we can recommend a suitable option.
Can beginners join, and how do I find my starting level?
Beginners can join any of our private Cantonese packages. Choose the length according to how much teaching and practice you want: Builder provides 6 hours, Development 12 hours and Core 18 hours. Core offers the most time to practise, apply feedback and consolidate what you learn. Some practical courses may require an existing foundation; check the course details.
You don’t need to know your CEFR level before contacting us. For Builder, Development and Core, the first lesson includes spoken placement alongside teaching. A standalone assessment is available if you need a separate assessment of your Cantonese.
How are practical courses different from private coaching?
Private coaching supports your ongoing language development, with lessons shaped around your goals and starting level.
Practical courses address a particular purpose. You can prepare for your own communication task or follow a structured programme built around a role or situation.
Both routes offer one-to-one teaching. The difference is the scope and purpose of the learning.
What is the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin?
Cantonese and Mandarin differ in pronunciation, tones, vocabulary and everyday expressions. Speaking Mandarin does not automatically mean you can understand or speak Cantonese.
Choose according to who you want to communicate with. For conversations with Cantonese-speaking relatives or friends in Singapore, Cantonese may be the more relevant choice.
How can I improve my spoken Cantonese if I already understand it?
Understanding Cantonese and producing your own replies are different skills. Start with familiar conversations, practise forming short responses and gradually extend what you can say.
Personalised coaching can build on what you already understand, with guided speaking practice and feedback for conversations with relatives, friends or colleagues.
Can I learn Cantonese without reading Chinese characters?
Yes. You can develop listening, pronunciation and conversational skills without already being able to read Chinese characters.
Reading and writing may become useful depending on your goals. If your priority is joining family or social conversations, tell us so we can discuss an appropriate balance.