If i speak mandarin chinese,will i be understood in hong kong ?

Question

If i speak mandarin chinese,will i be understood in hong kong ?

Answer 1

Ya guys are only half right. There are a lot of people who don't understand mandarin in HK, in fact it is pretty hard for some people in HK to even pronouce a word right in mandarin. Hong Kong was a dependent territory of the United Kingdom from 1898 until the transfer of its sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. so about 90% people understand English. So if you speak English you'll be Okay. I can speak mandarin and I went there in 2001, but a lota people didn't understand mandarin so I had to speak English.

Edit: My mistake xD yeah hes answers better i guess

More edits... Well, I am pretty sure I DID NOT said 1/3 people there speaks English there. I been there couple times and from the look of it it SEEMS like 90%people speak English is only my opinion or estimation xD (I don't do big reserch)

and the elders speaks better English then the youngster, Just think of it this way Hong Kong was a dependent territory of the UK for almost a Century, the elders had a good English education when young, but the youngster in HK are starting to pay big attention on mandarin so they put less focus on English.

OK I MADE ALL THE CORRECTIONS XD btw you answer getting better and better...

Answer 2

Eventhough most HK people speak Cantonese, they also speak Mandarin. Since HK now is part of China and of course, China's official language is Mandarin. And yes, like the other answerer said, some HK people do speak English besides Mandarin and Cantonese.

Answer 3

lots of Hong Kongians speak mandarin but even more speak English.

Answer 4

Yes.Mandarin is the official language.Every Chinese will be able to understand it.

Answer 5

yes..

Answer 6

No: 90% | Yes: 10%.

If you speak Cantonese, it'd be the other way around.

The majority of Hong Kong's people understand Cantonese. Young people who have had an education will know English [Hong Kong was annexed to Britain from 1898-1997]. Do not attempt to speak to an elderly in English. They might or might not understand you. It's better to speak Cantonese to the elderly or anyone older than you. The person who said 1842 was incorrect. 1842 was when they ended the First Opium War[1839-1842] and "Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking."  So, what happened between 1842 & 1898? [The Second Opium War or Second Anglo-China War: 1856-1860],, the Taiping Rebellion[1850 to 1864], Qing Restoration [of peace after Taiping Rebellion: 1861-1876], & Boxer Rebellion[1898-1901] The official languages of Hong Kong were  and still are Cantonese followed by English. It was after 1997, after  being returned to Chinese government, that people in Hong Kong increasingly learned Mandarin, as a form of communication with the Chinese government [most speak Mandarin with a Cantonese accent, or say it according to Cantonese, when they don't know the Mandarin equivalent.] Mandarin is not an official language of Hong Kong, because Hong Kong has been given special status as an SAR[Special Autonomous Region].

"so about 90% people understand English.": Phil, you are wrong: Maybe 90% of those whom you've spoken to were young people, but I'm sure it's not 90% of all the people in Hong Kong? Otherwise, if you spoke to an elderly, they might not know English.

"English, also an official language, is widely understood, being spoken by more than one-third of the population."

The above quote is from the first link below.

I do not think 1/3 = 90%. Better go back to math(s) class.

In the first link below, scroll down until you see the word People, then under that, scroll down until you see Language.

Answer 7

A lot will since it is taught in most schools. But Cantonese is the best way around. If that won't do then English...