what are the Teochew equivalent for 才 and 而已

YouTube just sent me this video on learning Chinese.  This post is good for those who want to learn Teochew via Mandarin or want to learn Teochew and Mandarin. You will notice that for these set of examples, there is a mark difference between Teochew and Mandarin Chinese. 

First 才 to mean only - we say this as ziaⁿ3 正 in Teochew and he used this Mandarin sentence 我今天才發現其實寶寶是一個男的。He has used a Mandarin grammar 是 . . . 的 which we do not use in Teochew. So how do we say this sentence in Teochew.

Ua2 gim1rig8 ziaⁿ3 huag4hing7 ki4sig8 gim1gong1 si6 da1bou1 - 我今日正發現其實金公是丈夫。I have only discovered today that the baby is actually a boy. 

People from Gig'Io could say 發現 as huag4hiang7. 

Another sentence he used was 我不知道我是四點半才到。

We would say this in Teochew as ua2 m6zai1 ua2 si3diam2buaⁿ3 ziaⁿ3 gao3 - 我唔知  我四點半正到。I do not know, I have only arrived at 4:30. [note si6 是 is omitted!] 

而已 is said in Teochew as diaⁿ7 定

So how do we say 我才三十歲而已。in Teochew. 我正三十歲定。 Ua2 ziaⁿ3 saⁿ1zab8 huê3 diaⁿ7.

The next set of sentences he used were 今天天氣很冷! 對啊! 才三十五度而已!

It is very cold today. Right! It is only 35 F that is all. 

We say this in Teochew as: 今日天時過凝 Gim1rig8 tin1si5 guê3 ngang5! 著啊 dioh8 a7! 正卅五度定。 ziaⁿ3 sab4ngou6 dou7 diaⁿ7

Guê3 ngang5 is more than cold and if you were to say 真凝 zing1 ngang5 then it means very cold and it is trendy to say guê3 ngang5 nowadays!

剛才 as in just now or a moment ago is said in Teochew as 從早 tang5za2.

How does one say 我剛才吃晚餐。"I have eaten dinner just now." in Teochew?

We say this as 我從早食暝頓。 Ua2 tang5za2 ziah8 mêⁿ5deng3.

剛剛 is said as ziaⁿ3 正 and 我們剛剛吃完晚餐。 is said in Teochew as

阮正食了暝頓。  uang2 ziaⁿ3 ziah8 liao2 mêⁿ5deng3 - we have just finished eating dinner. 

uang2 means we 我們

ziaⁿ3 a moment ago 剛剛

ziah8 eat, eaten, ate 吃

liao2 finish 完

mêⁿ5 night, evening 晚

mêⁿ5deng3 dinner 晚餐

我剛剛才到。I have just only arrived. is said in Teochew as 我正到。Ua2 ziaⁿ3 gao3.

I hope that by listening to the young man explaining in English and then observing his Mandarin sentences said in Teochew will help you to have a better understanding of our mother tongue. 

If you have any questions, please ask.