SihanoukVille, Cambodia

Khmer. The language of Cambodia

Golden Lions
Khmer Cambodian Language Speak Read Write

What you name?

and where is the bathroom?

It all started in India...

thousands of years ago.  And came to Cambodia at least 1,300 years ago.  We know this from examining the writings on the temples of the Angkor Wat complex.  Also, the sounds of the current Khmer alphabet are very similar to the modern day Hindi alphabet and several words sound similar. The writing also has many similarites.

    Since those times, the Khmer writing has been made much more complex (and difficult to read) by adding letters and extra swirls and lines to the the letters.   Also, above the letters, below them on both sides of one letter, and all three at the same time.

     This original Hindi language is one of the root languages, not only of Khmer (Cambodian Language), but also of Thai, Laotian, and Burmese.  While the written system of the language has many similarities throughout all these countries, the numbers are all written the same or very similar.
     
     Khmer is written from left to right, top to bottom, withnospacesbetweenthewords and with very little punctuation   There are 3 styles of writing:  a script type which is used in handwriting, a block form used in books, magazines and newspapers, and a rounded style used on signs, titles of books and magazines, and in places on official documents and formal invitations.

     The Khmer alphabet is considered to have 33 consonants and 23 vowels.  There are many more consonants and vowels not included in the standard alphabet. No one knows how many.

     The spoken language has no particular tone, as the Thai and Vietnamese languages do.  There are no regional dialects, but people from the countryside do speak a little differently from the people in the cities.

     And now..... on to some Khmer words and phrases.

What is your name?
Nayaak chmooa away?
(you name what?)

Where are you from?
Nayaak chun cheeit away?
(you country of origin what?)

How old are you?
Nayaak ayoo poonmaan hi?
(you old how much already)

Where are you coming from?
Mao pee na?
(come from where?)

Where are you going?
Dto na?
("dt" is a cross between a "d" and a "t")

How much does it cost?
Tlai poonmaan?
(cost how much)

I
Kinyum

you
Nayak

He or She
Go aht

Us
Yoong

They
Poouk Gay

Please
Som (at the beginning of a sentence)
Pawng (at the end of a sentence)

Thank You
Aakoon

One more please
Som mooey teeut
(please one more)

I don't want it
Awt yaw or Awt chung baan
(not take or not needed)

Yes (for a man speaking)
Baat

Yes (for a woman speaking)
Chaa

No
Awt tay

O.K.
O.K.

Stop
Choop sun

Go
Dto

Wait a minute
Cham mooey plet

What
Ay?,  S'ay?,  Away? (three different ways to say the same word)

I don't understand what you say
kinyum sadaap mun baan
(I understand not good)

I understand what you say
kinyum sadaap ban
(I understand good)

I don't understand
Kinyum mun jool
(I not understand)

I understand
Kinyum jool hi
(I understand already)

How much for one beer
Be yair mooey tlai poonmaan
(Beer one cost how much)

Check please
Ketloy



One
Mooey

Two
Pee

Three
Bay

Four
Booun

Five
Bram

Six
Bram Mooey (same as five one)

Seven
Bram Pee

Eight
Bram Bay

Nine
Bram Booun

Ten
Dawp

Eleven
Dawp Mooey

(numbers from 11 to 19 are pronounced as the word ten, followed by the second number. 16 would be Dawp (10) Bram Mooey (6).

20
Maapay

21
Maapay Mooey

30
Saamsup

40
Sie Sup

50
Haasup

60
Hoke sup

70
Jetsup

80
Bairtsup

90
Gaowsup

100
Mooey Roy

1000
Mooey Pawn

10,000
Mooey Mun

There is a fly in my soup
Meeun roy kanung soop kinyum
(have fly in soup mine)

No extra charge
Aut time loy tay
(No extra money)

Where is the bathroom?
Bantoop duk no I na?
(room water where is?)

No problem
Aut bine yaha

How are you?
Saak sabai tay?

I'm fine
Sok sabai

Goodbye
Som leea hi
(please goodbye already)

See you tomorrow
Sa aik chooup kaneea
(tomorrow, meet you again)

I want to go to SihanoukVille
Kinyum chung dto Sayhanoo veel

(I want go SihanoukVille)

Months


Month
Ki (like the word “hi” but with a “K”)

January
Ki mooey

February
Ki pee

Just add the number of the month onto “Ki”

Year
Chnaam

Day
Ting eye

Week
ahtit

Morning
Pruk

12 O’Clock Noon
Payl ahtreeut

Evening
Lingeeik

Night
Yoop

Your cow is parked in my parking space.
Go robaw nayaak chawt no gawnline kinyum.

Help me!
Chewy Pawng!

A coconut hit me on the head.
Doang mooey bok kbal kinyum.

Your wife (husband) is very beautiful.
Brawpoon (biday) nayaak sa’at men ten.

I want to play mini golf.
K'nyum chung wee ay goan gole

Give me three of those.
Yaw bay.

Please lower the price.
Som joe tlai bawntek.

Please lower the price more.
Som joe tlai bawntek teeut.

Too expensive
Tlai Payk

Cheap
Taok

The End.
Choop Hi.

 

Good bye.
By By, Lea Sun Hi.

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