Maia

Learn Cantonese.

粵語

Learn Cantonese -- not Mandarin. A course designed for its six tones, unique grammar, and the colloquial written forms that textbooks rarely teach.

Start your Cantonese course

Why Cantonese

Cantonese is the language of Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong province, spoken by over 85 million people worldwide. It's the Chinese language of most overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Most language apps offer Mandarin and call it "Chinese." If your family speaks Cantonese, or you're interested in Hong Kong culture, cinema, or music, Mandarin won't get you there. Cantonese is its own language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and cultural context.

What makes Cantonese challenging — and how Maia helps

Six tones

Cantonese has six lexical tones (compared to Mandarin's four). The same syllable with different tones means completely different things. Maia uses Jyutping romanization and targeted exercises to build tone awareness from the start.

Written vs. spoken forms

Standard written Chinese uses Mandarin grammar. Colloquial written Cantonese -- used in texts, social media, and subtitles -- has its own characters and grammar. Maia teaches the spoken language you'll actually use.

Sentence-final particles

Cantonese uses particles at the end of sentences to convey mood, attitude, and nuance. There are dozens of them. Maia introduces these in context so you develop an intuitive feel for them.

What your course includes

  • •Conversational lessons using Jyutping romanization and characters
  • •AI podcast episodes with Cantonese and English hosts
  • •Tone drills, vocabulary, and grammar exercises
  • •Spaced repetition for characters and vocabulary
  • •Adaptive curriculum for your level and goals

Sample lesson topics

  1. 1.Cantonese tones: hearing and producing the six tones
  2. 2.Greetings and self-introduction: neih hou and basic phrases
  3. 3.At the cha chaan teng: ordering food in Cantonese
  4. 4.Numbers, counting, and measure words
  5. 5.Sentence-final particles: aa, laa, gaa, and expressing nuance
  6. 6.Getting around: directions and transportation in Hong Kong
Start learning Cantonese

Free to start. No credit card required.