Module 4: Real Life – Conversational Khmer
Welcome to Module 4! You have the script, the vocabulary, and the grammar. Now it's time to put it all together in real-world situations. This module focuses on practical dialogues to build your confidence in speaking and listening.
Lesson 4.1: At the Restaurant: Ordering and Paying
Let's learn how to handle one of the most common travel situations: ordering food.
Dialogue: Ordering Food
Waiter: ជំរាបសួរបង! (chum-riep-suor bong!) - Hello!
You: បាទ! សូមយកម៉ឺនុយ។ (baat! soom yok meuh-nuy.) - Yes! Please bring the menu.
Waiter: បាទ! នេះគឺជាម៉ឺនុយ។ តើបងចង់បានអ្វីដែរ? (baat! nih keu-chea meuh-nuy. Tael bong chong baan a-vey dae?) - Yes! Here is the menu. What would you like?
You: ខ្ញុំចង់បានសាច់គោឆា។ ហឹរទេ? (khnhom chong baan sach-ko chaa. Hoer dtei?) - I want the stir-fried beef. Is it spicy?
Waiter: មិនហឹរទេបង។ ចុះភេសជ្ជៈវិញ? (min hoer dtei bong. Choh phey-sak-cheat vinh?) - No, it's not spicy. And for a drink?
You: សូមយកទឹកស្អាតមួយដប។ (soom yok tuk-sa'aat muoy dop.) - Please bring one bottle of clean water.
You (later): បង! សូមគិតលុយ។ (bong! soom kit-luy.) - Brother! The bill, please.
Key Vocabulary: Restaurant
| Menu | ម៉ឺនុយ (meuh-nuy) |
| Drink | ភេសជ្ជៈ (phey-sak-cheat) |
| Spicy | ហឹរ (hoer) |
| To calculate money (the bill) | គិតលុយ (kit-luy) |
Lesson 4.2: At the Market: Shopping and Polite Bargaining
Dialogue: Buying a T-shirt
You: អាវនេះតម្លៃប៉ុន្មាន? (aav nih tamlai pon-maan?) - How much is this shirt?
Vendor: ប្រាំដុល្លារបង។ (pram dolar bong.) - Five dollars.
You: អូ! ថ្លៃណាស់! ចុះតម្លៃបានទេ? បីដុល្លារបានទេ? (Oo! thlai nah! choh tamlai baan dtei? bei dolar baan dtei?) - Oh! Very expensive! Can you lower the price? Is three dollars okay?
Vendor: បីមិនបានទេបង។ បួនដុល្លារបាន។ លក់ជូនពិសេស។ (bei min baan dtei bong. buon dolar baan. luok choun pi-seh.) - Three is not okay. Four dollars is okay. Special price for you.
You: បាទ! អរគុណបង។ ខ្ញុំយកមួយ។ (baat! ar-kun bong. khnhom yok muoy.) - Okay! Thank you. I'll take one.
Key Vocabulary: Market
| Expensive | ថ្លៃ (thlai) |
| To lower the price | ចុះតម្លៃ (choh tamlai) |
| To be able to / can | បាន (baan) |
| To sell | លក់ (luok) |
| Special | ពិសេស (pi-seh) |
| To take | យក (yok) |
Lesson 4.3 & 4.4: Getting Around
Asking for Directions
Getting lost is part of the adventure. Here's how to ask for help.
Key Phrase: ...នៅឯណា? (...nov-ae-na?) - Where is...?
Example: សុំទោស ផ្សារធំថ្មីនៅឯណា? (soom-dtoh, phsar thom thmey nov-ae-na?) - Excuse me, where is the Central Market?
Common Responses:
ទៅមុខត្រង់ (tov muk trang) - Go straight ahead.
បត់ឆ្វេង (bât chveng) - Turn left.
បត់ស្តាំ (bât sdam) - Turn right.
Taking a Tuk-Tuk
When you get in a tuk-tuk, state your destination clearly and agree on the price before you go.
Key Phrase: ខ្ញុំចង់ទៅ... (khnhom chong tov...) - I want to go to...
Example: ខ្ញុំចង់ទៅវត្តភ្នំ។ ប៉ុន្មាន? (khnhom chong tov Wat Phnom. pon-maan?) - I want to go to Wat Phnom. How much?
Lesson 4.5: Making Small Talk
Cambodians are friendly people. A few simple questions can start a good conversation.
| Khmer Phrase | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| អ្នកសុខសប្បាយទេ? | neak sok-sa-bai dtei? | How are you? |
| ខ្ញុំសុខសប្បាយ។ ចុះអ្នកវិញ? | khnhom sok-sa-bai. choh neak vinh? | I'm fine. And you? |
| អ្នកមកពីណា? | neak mork pi na? | Where are you from? |
| ខ្ញុំមកពី... | khnhom mork pi... | I am from... |
| ថ្ងៃនេះក្តៅណាស់! | thngai nih kdau nah! | It's very hot today! |
Lesson 4.6 - 4.10: Advanced Situations
Making a Reservation (Lesson 4.6)
Example: ខ្ញុំចង់កក់តុសម្រាប់ពីរនាក់ ម៉ោងប្រាំពីរ។ (khnhom chong kok tok som-rap pii neak, maong pram-pii.) - I want to book a table for two people at 7 o'clock.
Visiting a Home (Lesson 4.7)
Asking for Help (Lesson 4.8)
Key Phrase: សុំជួយខ្ញុំបានទេ? (soom chuoy khnhom baan dtei?) - Can you please help me?
Agreeing & Disagreeing (Lesson 4.9)
Agreeing: បាទ/ចាស ត្រូវហើយ។ (baat/chaa, trov haeuy.) - Yes, that's right.
Disagreeing Politely: ខ្ញុំគិតថាវាមិនដូច្នោះទេ។ (khnhom kit tha vea min doh-chnoh dtei.) - I think it is not so.
Expressing Likes & Dislikes (Lesson 4.10)
Likes: ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្ត... (khnhom chol-chet...) - I like...
Dislikes: ខ្ញុំមិនចូលចិត្ត... (khnhom min chol-chet...) - I don't like...
Lesson 4.11: Role-Play Challenge
Simulate a Market Transaction
Now it's your turn to practice. Imagine you are at the market. Use the vocabulary from this module to construct a full conversation to buy a Krama (the traditional Khmer scarf).
Vocabulary Needed:
- Krama: ក្រមា (kror-maa)
- How much?: ប៉ុន្មាន? (pon-maan?)
- Expensive: ថ្លៃ (thlai)
- Lower the price: ចុះតម្លៃ (choh tamlai)
- Okay / Can: បាន (baan)
- To take: យក (yok)
Steps:
- Greet the vendor politely.
- Ask "How much is this Krama?"
- React to the price (e.g., "Oh, expensive!").
- Politely ask for a discount. Suggest a lower price.
- Negotiate to a final price.
- Agree to the price and say you will take it.
- Say thank you.
Practice this dialogue out loud. The more you say it, the more natural it will feel!