Khmer for Professional Life

Module 7: Khmer for Professional Life

This module transitions your Khmer skills into the workplace. Whether you're working in an office, in tech, or in tourism, this vocabulary and the associated etiquette will help you navigate professional environments with confidence and respect.

Pronunciation Engine Status: Initializing...

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Lesson 7.1: Vocabulary for the Office and Workplace

These are the foundational words for any professional setting.

English	Khmer	Romanization	Audio
Office	ការិយាល័យ	ka-ri-ya-lai
Company	ក្រុមហ៊ុន	krom-hun
Manager / Boss	ប្រធាន	pro-thien
Colleague	សហសេវិក	sa-ha-se-vik
Meeting	ការប្រជុំ	kaa prɑ-chum
Document	ឯកសារ	aek-ka-saa
Report	របាយការណ៍	ro-bai-kaa
Appointment	ការណាត់ជួប	kaa nat-chuop
Salary	ប្រាក់ខែ	prak-khae

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Lesson 7.2: Participating in a Business Meeting

Politeness and indirect communication are key in a Cambodian business meeting. It is important to listen carefully and show respect to senior members.

Dialogue: Team Meeting

Manager (Sokha): សួស្ដី​អ្នក​ទាំង​អស់​គ្នា។ តោះចាប់ផ្តើមការប្រជុំ។ (suo-sdey neak teang-ah knia. tah chap-phdaem ka-prɑ-chum) - Hello everyone. Let's start the meeting.

Colleague 1 (Dara): បាទលោកប្រធាន។ (baat lok pro-thien) - Yes, Mr. Chairman/Boss.

Manager (Sokha): ខ្ញុំចង់ពិភាក្សាអំពីគម្រោងថ្មី។ តើអ្នកមានគំនិតអ្វីទេ? (khnhom chong pi-pheak-saa am-pi kom-rong thmey. Tael neak mien kom-nit a-vey dtei?) - I want to discuss the new project. Do you have any ideas?

You: ខ្ញុំមានគំនិតខុសគ្នាបន្តិច។ ប្រហែលជាយើងអាច... (khnhom mien kom-nit khos-khnia ban-tich. pro-hael-chea yeung aach...) - I have a slightly different idea. Perhaps we can...

Manager (Sokha): ល្អណាស់។ សូមពន្យល់បន្ថែម។ (l'âw nah. soom pun-yol bɑn-thaem.) - Very good. Please explain more.

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Lesson 7.3: Writing a Formal Email

Formal emails in Khmer have specific openings and closings that convey respect.

Part of Email	Khmer	Romanization	English Equivalent
Formal Opening	សូមគោរពជូន	soom ko-rop chuun	Dear... / Respectfully to...
Subject Line	កម្មវត្ថុ	kam-me-voat-tho	Subject
Formal Closing	សូមអរគុណដោយគោរព	soom ar-kun daoy ko-rop	Thank you with respect / Sincerely

Example Opening: សូមគោរពជូន លោកប្រធាន សុខា (soom ko-rop chuun Lok Pro-thien Sokha) - Dear Director Sokha.

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Lesson 7.4 & 7.5: Phone Calls and Job Interviews

Answering the Phone

Professional Greeting: អាឡូ ក្រុមហ៊ុន [company name] សូមជម្រាប។ (a-loh, krom-hun [company name] soom chum-riep) - Hello, [company name] speaking.

Job Interview Essentials

Common Question / Phrase	Khmer Translation	Audio
Please introduce yourself.	សូមណែនាំខ្លួនអ្នក។
Why do you want this job?	ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នកចង់បានការងារនេះ?
What is your experience?	តើអ្នកមានបទពិសោធន៍អ្វីខ្លះ?
I have experience in...	ខ្ញុំមានបទពិសោធន៍ខាង...

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Lesson 7.6 - 7.9: Sector-Specific Vocabulary

Tech Industry (Lesson 7.6)

Software	កម្មវិធី (kam-me-vithii)
Website	គេហទំព័រ (kei-ha-tum-por)
Developer	អ្នកអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ (neak ak-phi-voat)
Database	មូលដ្ឋានទិន្នន័យ (mul-than tin-no-ney)

Tourism & Hospitality (Lesson 7.7)

Tourist	ភ្ញៀវទេសចរ (phnyiev tei-sa-chaw)
Reservation	ការកក់ (kaa kâk)
Guest	ភ្ញៀវ (phnyiev)
Hotel	សណ្ឋាគារ (san-tha-kie)

Legal & Business (Lesson 7.8 & 7.9)

Contract	កិច្ចសន្យា (key-sa-sa-nya)
Signature	ហត្ថលេខា (hat-tha-lei-kha)
Business Card	នាមប័ណ្ណ (niem-baan)
Negotiate	ចរចា (chaw-chaa)

Networking Tip: When exchanging business cards, it is polite to present and receive the card with your right hand, while your left hand gently supports your right elbow. Take a moment to look at the card you receive before putting it away.

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Lesson 7.10: Role-Play Challenge: A Mock Job Interview

Practice Your Interview Skills!

Find a partner or practice by yourself. One person is the interviewer, the other is the applicant. Use the vocabulary from this module.

Interviewer's Role:

1. Greet the applicant formally (ជំរាបសួរ).
2. Ask them to introduce themselves (សូមណែនាំខ្លួន...).
3. Ask about their experience (តើអ្នកមានបទពិសោធន៍អ្វីខ្លះ?).
4. Ask why they want the job (ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នកចង់បានការងារនេះ?).
5. Thank them for their time (អរគុណសម្រាប់ការចំណាយពេលរបស់អ្នក។).

Applicant's Role:

1. Return the formal greeting.
2. Introduce yourself ("ខ្ញុំឈ្មោះ...").
3. Describe your past work ("ខ្ញុំបានធ្វើការនៅ..." - I worked at...).
4. Answer why you want the job (e.g., "ព្រោះខ្ញុំចូលចិត្ត..." - Because I like...).
5. Thank the interviewer (អរគុណច្រើន).

Module Complete! You are now prepared to use Khmer in a professional context. Remember that politeness and respect are just as important as the words you use.