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? បន្ទប់ទិកនៅឯណា?
Arkun!
(Candid pic of me trying to figure myself out)