Interesting facts about the language

Cantonese (also known as Yue) is one of the most widely spoken languages in China. 22 million people in China and around the world speak Cantonese. It is spoken primarily in southern China (in the provinces of Guangdong and Guanxi). In China's two special administrative regions – Hong Kong and Macau – Cantonese is the official language. There are also notable groups of speakers in places like Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the USA, and Canada. Linguists consider Cantonese a dialect of Chinese. Its language structure, pronunciation, and grammar are so complex that it could also be considered a language in its own right. Cantonese is also historically important within China: the language was widely spoken due to the economically powerful position of the Pearl River Delta in southern China, where Cantonese is spoken. Even today, Cantonese maintains a significant status within China due to the strong economic power of the southern region.

Cantonese differs significantly from Mandarin Chinese. Mandarin has five tones that must be distinguished when pronouncing, whereas the Cantonese dialect has nine. In addition to the differences in pronunciation, there are significant differences in the grammar and vocabulary of the two languages. When discussing the differences between Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese, linguists often compare it to the Romance language family: just because you speak Spanish doesn't necessarily mean you understand French. Therefore, even for people who have already learned Mandarin, learning Cantonese presents a new and interesting challenge.