Basic Khmer Phrases

Trying to learn and use Khmer (/k'mai/; sorta rhymes with high) seems like an important effort to make as an outsider. It feels pretty arrogant to come into a new place as some authority on the English language without even trying to speak the native one. Even if I butcher the pronunciation on someone's name, laughing at myself is always an ice-breaker. Moreover, the attempt is my way to try and alleviate any nervousness about English proficiency. My Khmer skills are laughable, but I want to show my appreciation that these girls are speaking my language to communicate with me.

Here are some basic words and phrases:

Hello - Suostei (soos-day) សួស្

Goodbye (informal) - Lea (lee-hai) លា

Yes (male) - Baat បាទ

Yes (female) - Jah/Chah ចា

No - A-dtay (awt tay) អត់ទេ/ទេ

How are you? - Sokh sabbar chea teh/Sok-sa bai? សុខសប្បាយជាទេ?

Thank you - Arkun (aw-koon) អរគុណ

Please - Soum សូម

Sorry - Som-dtoah (somtoh) សុំទោស

How to address someone older than you, like "big brother/sister:" Bong

Numbers:

0  ០ – សូន្យ (soan)

1  ១ – មួយ (muay)

2  ២ – ពីរ (bee)

3  ៣ – បី (bei)

4  ៤ – បួន (buan)

5  ៥ – ប្រាំ (prahmm)

6  ៦ – ប្រាំមួយ (prahmmmuay)

7  ៧ – ប្រាំពីរ (prahmmbee)

8  ៨ – ប្រាំពី (prahm bei)

9  ៩ – ប្រាំបួន (prahm buan)

10 ១០ – ដប់ (dahp)

For the tuk-tuk ride:

Stop here - Chop tee-nih Turn left - Bot ch’wayng Turn right - Bot s’dum Go straight on - Dtao dtrong ra-hoat

Final key question for now: Where is the toilet? - Bantub dakk noew ay nah? បន្ទប់ទិក​នៅ​ឯណា?

Arkun!

(Candid pic of me trying to figure myself out)