Infernal Affairs - Rooftop scene

For the first Cantonese video transcription on this blog, here is the classic rooftop scene from "Infernal Affairs" [無間道] starring Andy Lau (劉德華) and Tony Leung (梁朝偉).

Vocabulary

• 熟手 suk6 sau2 (skilled; experienced)
• 學堂 hok tong4 (college, academy)
• 臥底 ngo6 dai2 (undercover cop; to do undercover work)
• 得意 dak1 ji3 (interesting; strange; funny)  
• 揀親 gaan2 can1 (to always choose...) - here '親' is a particle meaning a habitual action
• 天台 tin1 toi2 (rooftop)
• 未必 mei6 bit1 (not always, not necessarily)
• 曬太陽 saai3 taai3 joeng4 (to sunbathe)
• 機會 gei1 wui6 (opportunity)
• 無得柬 mou4 dak1 gaan2 (to have no choice)
• 法官 faat3 gun1 (judge, magistrate)
• 差人 caai1 jan4 (policeman)

For use of 啫 ze1 as a shorthand for 即係 zik1 hai6 (exactly; precisely the case), see this discussion.

Dialogue

Lau Sir: 幾熟手喎。

gei2 suk6 sau2 wo3

You're pretty good at this.

Chan Sir: 我都入過學堂。

ngo5 dou1 jap6 gwo3 hok6 tong4

I also went to the Academy.

Lau Sir: 哈，你哋臥底真得意嘅，揀親都喺天台呀。

haa1, nei5 dei6 ngo6 dai2 zan1 dak1 ji3 ge3, gaan2 can1 dou1 hai2 tin1 toi2 aa3

Ha, you undercover cops are really strange, always choosing the rooftop. 

Chan Sir: 我唔似得你。我見得光。

ngo5 m4 ci5 dak1 nei5. ngo5 gin3 dak1 gwong1.

I'm not like you. I operate in the light.

Chan Sir: 我要嘅嘢呀？

ngo5 jiu3 ge3 je5 aa3?

How about the items I wanted?

Lau Sir: 我要嘅嘢你未必帶嚟啦！

ngo5 jiu3 ge3 je5 nei5 mei6 bit1 daai3 lai4 laa4!

You probably haven't brought what I want!

Chan Sir: 噉啫點呀？上嚟曬太陽㗎嘛？

gam2 ze1 dim2 aa3? soeng5 lai4 saai3 taai3 joeng4 gaa3 maa3?

So what's the deal? We just came up here to sunbathe?

Lau Sir: 俾我機會講。

bei2 ngo5 gei1 wui6 gong2

Give me a chance to explain.

Chan Sir: 點俾機會你呀？

dim2 bei2 gei1 wui6 nei5 aa3?

Why should I give you a chance?

Lau Sir: 我以前無得揀，我而家想揀返做好人。

ngo5 ji5 cin4 mou4 dak1 gaan2, ngo5 ji4 gaa1 soeng2 gaan2 faan1 zou6 hou2 jan4

I didn't have a choice before, but now I want to make a choice to be a good man again.

Chan Sir: 好呀！同法官講啦！睇吓俾唔俾你做好人。

hou2 aa3! tung4 faat3 gun1 gong2 laa1! tai2 haa5 bei2 m4 bei2 nei5 zou6 hou2 jan4

Great! Tell it to the judge! See if he will let you be a good man.

Lau Sir: 噉啫要我死呀？

gam2 ze1 jiu3 ngo5 sei2 aa3?

So you want me dead?

Chan Sir: 對唔住！我係差人。

deoi3 m4 zyu6! ngo5 hai6 caai1 jan4

Sorry, I am a policeman.

Lau Sir: 邊個知呀？

bin1 go3 zi1 aa3?

Who knows that?