A great part about travelling is experiencing how things are different to back home – different food, different cultures, different languages. While you may have heard some of the well-known foreign languages spoken by visitors in your home country, chances are slim that you’ve heard a bit of Khmer – the official language of Cambodia (pronounced khy-my).
While you’re killing time on your flight over, why not learn a few basic phrases to help you get around.
Because you are unlikely to learn the Khmer script, we’re using phonetic spelling here.
Greetings (always smile when greeting!)
Chom Reap Sour (chom-reap-sore) / Hello (formal) – As in most Asian countries, the culture in Cambodia is extremely respectful to elders and those of a higher social standing, and so this more formal greeting is used in such cases.
Susadei (Soos-a-day)/ Hello (informal) – This is a more informal greeting that is used between peers or friends. It is also accompanied with a sampeah.
Chom Reap Lear (chom-reep-lear) / Good bye (formal) – Again, this is the formal way to say goodbye to elders and those in higher positions.
Lee hi (lee-hi) / Good bye (informal) – This is the more widely used and casual way to wave goodbye.
Soksaby (soks-a-bye) / How are you and I am fine – It may seem odd, but the Khmer way of asking ‘how are you?’ and replying, ‘I’m fine’ is the same.
Bah (bah) / Yes (male)
Jah (chaa)/ Yes (female)
Ot Teh (ot-tei)/ No
Arkun (Ar-koon) / Thank you
Being polite will get you far in Asia!
Som Dtoh (som-toe) / Sorry/ excuse me
Another polite phrase worth knowing.
Chhmua ei? (cham-moo-ey)/ What is your name?
Knyom Chhmua ___ (knyom-cham-moo)/ My name is _____
Directions
Using a tuk-tuk is your go-to transport in Cambodia, so learning these will be handy. Remember to add the please and thank you!
Baht schweng (bart-shweng) / Turn left
Baht Saddam (bart-sadam) / Turn right
Chop (chop) / Stop
Tini (tinny) / here
Da Trong (da-trong)/ Go straight
Eating out
Chhnang (ch-nang)/ Delicious
Som tach (som tack) / Water please
Som ket loy (som-ket-loy)/ The bill please
Vegetarians take note!
Aht saight / Without meat.
Bon lie/ vegetable. There are a few standard meat-and-rice and meat-and-noodle dishes in Cambodia. Typically they’re all stir-fried in a wok. Adding ‘bon lie’ to the end of your order will let your server know you’d like to swap the meat for vegetables.
At the market
Picking up a few phrases will help you to barter.
Bo man (bow-man)/ How much?
T’lay (t-lay)/ too expensive
Don’t worry too much if you make mistakes – the locals will appreciate that you have tried, and a bit of mime and gesture and google and a calculator will help you to be understood.
