Languages and Communication

This unit covers family members, kinship terms, and personal information such as age and address. You will learn to ask about someone’s family, describe family relationships, and use the Cambodian numeral system for higher numbers.

Basic Dialogue

Cambodian (romanized)	English
kùosaa leboh kañaa niw mpifi’ ih?	Is your family in Phnom Penh?
caah, kùosaa khñom niw mpifi.	Yes, my family is in Phnom Penh.
coh opuk-medaay kañaa, kót thee ɛy?	And what do your mother and father do?
caah, paa khñom, kót thee kùu bŋien. maʔ khñom, kót cia chmoop.	My dad is a teacher, and my mom is a midwife.
kañaa mian booŋ-pʔoun pɔmaan néʔ?	How many brothers and sisters do you have?
caah, khñom mian booŋ-pʔoun pmpil néʔ.	I have seven brothers and sisters.
sɛ̀y pɔmaan? pòoh pɔmaan?	How many sisters? How many brothers?
caah, sɛ̀y bey néʔ, pòoh buon néʔ.	Three sisters and four brothers.
kañaa cia koun chbooŋ, mɛɛn’ eh?	You’re the oldest, are you?
caah, m mɛɛn’ tehJ khñom cia koun tii-buonJ	No, I’m not! I am the fourth child.
phtéh kañaa niw tòŋ-naa?	Where is your house?
caah, phtéh khñom niw phlew yuʔkanthóo, leek mɔphey-pmpil.	My house is on Yukanthor Street, No. 27.
opuk-medaay kañaa, kót ayuʔ pɔmaan’ eh?	How old are your mother and father?
caah, opuk khñom, kót ayuʔ hoksep chnam.. medaay khñom, kót ayuʔ haasep-pɛ̀am chnam.	My father is sixty years old, and my mother is fifty-five years old.
soum tooh, booŋ-pʔoun kañaa, kee niw cɔmuoy khnia tŋ-oh’ alew?	Excuse me, but are your brothers and sisters all living together now?
caah teeJ booŋ khñom bey néʔ, kee mian pdɛy-pepún’ eh.	No. Three of my older siblings are married already.
kee mian phtéh sɔbaɛŋ khluon-aɛŋ haey’ ih?	They have their own separate households then?
caahJ khnom haey-niŋ pʔoun khñom bey néʔ tiet niw cɔmuoy opuk-medaay khñom.	Yes. Three of my younger brothers and sisters and myself live with our parents.
opuk kañaa, kót retraɛt haey, mɛɛn’ eh?	Your father has retired, has he?
caah, kót tɛ̀w retraɛt’ eh, ptaɛ riecchkaa som oy kót thee kaa too-tetietJ	Well he should have retired already, but the government asked him to keep on working.
khñom soum oo kun kañaa cɔ̀en ah.	I want to thank you very much.

Key Vocabulary

Cambodian	English
kùosaa	family
opuk	father (formal)
medaay	mother (formal)
paa	dad (informal)
maʔ	mom (informal)
booŋ	older sibling
pʔoun	younger sibling
booŋ-pʔoun	brothers and sisters, siblings
sɛ̀y	female, woman
pòoh	male, man
koun	child
koun chbooŋ	eldest child
pdɛy	husband
pepún	wife
phtéh	house
phlew	street, road
ayuʔ	age
chnam	year
chmoop	midwife
retraɛt	to retire
riecchkaa	government
khluon-aɛŋ	oneself
sɔbaɛŋ	separate

Grammar Notes

Kinship Terms and Pronouns

Khmer kinship terminology distinguishes between older and younger siblings (booŋ vs pʔoun) and formal vs informal terms for parents (opuk/medaay vs paa/maʔ). The third-person pronoun kót is the most respectful; kee is less formal and used for groups; via is impersonal and reserved for animals or objects.

The Numeral System

Higher Cambodian numerals: mɔphey (20), saamsep (30), saɛsep (40), haasep (50), hoksep (60), cɛtsep (70), paɛtsep (80), kawsep (90), mɔróoy (100), pii róoy (200), mɔpón (1,000), mɔmɔin (10,000), mɔsaɛn (100,000), mɔlian (1,000,000).

Practice Drills

Drill I. Multiple Substitution

Cambodian	English
paa khñom, kót thee kùu bŋien.	My dad is a teacher.
booŋ khñom, kót thee kùu bŋien.	My older brother is a teacher.
booŋ khñom, kót cia anuʔpún niw ambasaat khmaɛ.	My older brother is an attaché in the Cambodian Embassy.
pʔoun khñom, kee cia anuʔpún niw ambasaat khmaɛ.	My younger brother is an attaché in the Cambodian Embassy.
pʔoun khñom, kee thee kaa niw kesuoŋ kaa-booreteh.	My younger brother works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
pʔoun khñom, kee cia chmoop.	My younger sister is a midwife.
maʔ khñom, kót cia chmoop.	My mom is a midwife.
maʔ khñom, kót retraɛt haey.	My mom has retired.
paa khñom, kót retraɛt haey.	My dad has retired.
paa khñom, kót thee kùu bŋien.	My dad is a teacher.

Drill J. Expansion

Cambodian	English
phlew yuʔkanthóo.	Yukanthor Street.
niw phlew yuʔkanthóo.	On Yukanthor Street.
khñom niw phlew yuʔkanthóo.	I am on Yukanthor Street.
khñom niw phlew yuʔkanthóo, leek mɔphey pmpil.	I am on Yukanthor Street, Number 27.
phtéh khñom niw phlew yuʔkanthóo, leek mɔphey pmpil.	My house is on Yukanthor Street, Number 27.
phtéh khñom niw phnum pifi, phlew yuʔkanthóo, leek mɔphey pmpil.	My house is in Phnom Penh, Yukanthor Street, Number 27.
caah, phtéh khñom niw phnum pifi, phlew yuʔkanthóo, leek mɔphey pmpil.	Yes, my house is in Phnom Penh, Yukanthor Street, Number 27.