What This Guide Covers
Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ) is the official language of Cambodia, spoken by over 16 million people. It belongs to the Austroasiatic language family — making it unrelated to neighboring Thai or Vietnamese. The great news for travelers: Khmer is not tonal, so pronunciation is far more forgiving than other Southeast Asian languages.
This guide covers 289+ essential phrases across 24 categories — from basic greetings and food ordering to emergency phrases and market bargaining. Each phrase includes Khmer script, friendly phonetic transliteration, and cultural context. You can also test yourself with our interactive quiz, practice with flashcards, or for offline use.
Why Learn Some Khmer?
Even a few Khmer words will delight locals and open doors. Cambodians deeply appreciate any effort to speak their language. Don't worry about perfect pronunciation — a friendly attempt goes a long way! Learning just 10 phrases transforms you from tourist to honored guest. For deeper cultural understanding, see our Culture & Etiquette Guide.
🔑 Pronunciation Key
Khmer is not tonal — unlike Thai or Vietnamese. Focus on vowel sounds for clearer communication.
Vowel Sounds
aaas in "father"eyas in "say"euas in "put"ohas in "go"eeas in "see"ooas in "food"Consonant Sounds
chas in "chair"ngas in "sing"nyas in Spanish "ñ"khas in "cat" (breathy)phas in "pin" (breathy)thas in "top" (breathy)
Khmer phonetics overview — focus on vowel sounds for clearer communication
Cultural Tip
The sampeah (hands pressed together with a bow) is the traditional greeting. The higher the hands, the more respect shown.
Hello
សួស្ដី
Suosdey
Universal greeting
Hello (formal)
ជំរាបសួរ
Chomreap suor
More respectful
Goodbye
លាហើយ
Lea haey
Goodbye (formal)
ជំរាបលា
Chomreap lea
Thank you
អរគុណ
Awkun
Thank you very much
អរគុណច្រើន
Awkun chraen
You're welcome
អត់អីទេ
Ot ei teh
Yes
បាទ / ចាស
Baat (male) / Chaas (female)
No
ទេ
Teh
Please
សូម
Soom
Excuse me / Sorry
សុំទោស
Som toh
How are you?
សុខសប្បាយទេ?
Sok sabay teh?
I'm fine
សុខសប្បាយ
Sok sabay
What is your name?
តើអ្នកឈ្មោះអី?
Tae neak chmuoh ey?
My name is...
ខ្ញុំឈ្មោះ...
Knyom chmuoh...
Nice to meet you
រីករាយដែលបានជួប
Rikreay del ban chuop
Practicing Khmer phrases at a local restaurant — even basic attempts earn genuine smiles
Pronunciation Tips
📝 Reading the Phonetics
- aa – long "a" as in "father"
- ey – like "ay" in "say"
- eu – like "u" in "put"
- ch – as in "chair"
- ng – as in "sing"
- ny – like Spanish "ñ"
💡 Quick Tips
- • Khmer is not tonal — tones matter less than in Thai/Vietnamese
- • Men and women use different words for "yes" (baat/chaas)
- • Add "teh" at the end to make questions
- • "Soom" (please) makes everything more polite
- • Smile! Cambodians love a warm demeanor
- • Practice with tuk-tuk drivers and market vendors
💬 Example Dialogues
Practice these real-world conversations to build confidence before your trip.
You
Hello! Menu, please.
សួស្ដី! សូមម៉ឺនុយ
Suosdey! Soom menu
Staff
Here you go. What would you like?
នេះ។ អ្នកចង់បានអ្វី?
Nih. Neak chong ban avey?
You
Fish amok, not spicy please.
អាម៉ុកត្រី មិនហឹរ
Amok trei, min her
Staff
Okay, anything to drink?
បាទ។ ផឹកអ្វី?
Baat. Pheuk avey?
You
Iced coffee, no sugar. Thank you!
កាហ្វេទឹកកក អត់ស្ករ។ អរគុណ!
Kafei tuk kok, ot skor. Awkun!
You
Hello! How much to the Central Market?
សួស្ដី! ទៅផ្សារថ្មី ប៉ុន្មាន?
Suosdey! Tov Psar Thmey ponman?
Driver
Five dollars.
ប្រាំដុល្លារ
Pram dollar
You
Too expensive! Three dollars okay?
ថ្លៃពេក! បីដុល្លារ បានទេ?
Tlai pek! Bei dollar ban teh?
Driver
Okay, let's go!
បានហើយ ទៅ!
Ban haoy, tov!
You
How much is this?
នេះប៉ុន្មាន?
Nih ponman?
Seller
Fifteen dollars.
ដប់ប្រាំដុល្លារ
Dap pram dollar
You
Can you reduce? Eight dollars?
ចុះថ្លៃបានទេ? ប្រាំបីដុល្លារ?
Choh tlai ban teh? Pram bei dollar?
Seller
Ten dollars, last price.
ដប់ដុល្លារ ចុងក្រោយ
Dap dollar chong kraoy
You
Okay, I'll take it. Beautiful!
ខ្ញុំយក។ ស្អាត!
Knyom yok. Saat!
You
Excuse me, where is the temple?
សុំទោស តើវត្តនៅឯណា?
Som toh, tae wat nov ena?
Local
Go straight, then turn left.
ទៅត្រង់ បន្ទាប់មកបត់ឆ្វេង
Tov trong, bontoap mok bot chweng
You
Is it far?
ឆ្ងាយទេ?
Chngay teh?
Local
Not far, five minutes.
មិនឆ្ងាយ ប្រាំនាទី
Min chngay, pram neati
You
Thank you very much!
អរគុណច្រើន!
Awkun chraen!
🃏 Flashcards
Tap to flip, swipe through cards. A great way to memorize key phrases.
English
Hello
Universal greeting
Tap to flip →
Khmer
សួស្ដី
Suosdey
Tap to flip →
🧠 Test Your Knowledge
Ready to test what you've learned? Take our interactive quiz to reinforce your Khmer vocabulary.
Phrase Quiz
Test your Khmer knowledge! Select a category and quiz mode to begin.
Cultural Note: The Sampeah
The sampeah is the traditional Cambodian greeting — hands pressed together at chest level with a slight bow. The higher the hands, the more respect shown. Use it with "chomreap suor" for a respectful greeting that locals will appreciate. Learn more about Cambodian customs in our Culture & Etiquette Guide.
📚 Related Cambodia Guides
Put your Khmer phrases into practice with these practical guides.
Culture & Etiquette Guide
Understand Cambodian customs, the sampeah greeting, and social norms.
Emergency Numbers & Safety
Key contacts and safety phrases for emergencies in Cambodia.
Food & Restaurant Guide
Navigate Cambodian cuisine with confidence using food-ordering phrases.
Shopping & Bargaining Tips
Put your bargaining phrases to use at markets across Cambodia.
Cost & Budget Guide
Know the numbers — prices, budgets, and how to talk money in Khmer.
Cambodian Glossary
Quick-reference dictionary of Cambodian terms travelers encounter.
Cambodia Promotion Songs
Listen to 60 original tracks celebrating Cambodia — including 5 Khmer-language songs.
Khmer Language FAQ
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