Making Plans

In this unit, a stranger asks a Phnom Penh resident for directions to the Post Office and other places of interest. The dialogue covers various modes of transportation, asking about distances, finding hotels, shopping areas, and landmarks in the city.

Basic Dialogue

Between a Stranger and a Phnompenhois:

#	Cambodian	English
1	som tooh, som pèap phlew khñom tɨw poh məphlɛɛt, baan’ əh?	Excuse me, can you tell me the way to get to the post office, please?
2	baat, mian ɛyʔ phlew tɨw poh suol’ eh, look dae’ ko baan,, cɨh sikhlou’ ko baan.	Sure! It’s easy to get to the Post Office. You can walk there or you can take a cyclo.
3	bae khñom tɨw dae, khñom tɨw taam naa?	If I walk there, which way do I go?
4	baat, pɨɨ nɨŋ tɨw, mɨn pəbaaʔ’ teh,	Well, going from here, it’s not hard.
5	look dae tɨw ceeŋ tòoŋ taam phlew nərodɔm,	You walk straight north along Norodom Street.
6	tədol vɔ́t phnum, bot-tə khaaŋ kaet pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	When you get to Wat Phnom, you turn east for two blocks and there you are.
7	khñom coŋ vay telegraam ntɛc phooŋ. khñom tɨw inaa’ tɨh?	I want to send a telegram, too. Where do I go?
8	ou, suol’ əh.. look tɨw poh sèap’m.	Oh, that’s easy. You go to the Post Office.
9	dol look tədol poh, suo kee’ tɨh.. kee pèapʔ əh.	When you get to the Post Office, just ask them.
10	poh, kee bət maoŋ pəmaan?	What time do they close the Post Office?
11	baat, nɨw kəlaeŋ nuh, kee baek tɔ́l phlɨɨ,	Well, here they stay open all night.
12	khñom lɨɨ kee thaa, nɨw muk poh mian otael muoy, mɛɛn’ əh?	I have heard it said that in front of the Post Office there is a hotel, is that right?
13	baat, mian mɛɛn, otael nuh touc’ tee, taɛ-pəntə sʔaat kuosom,	Yes, there certainly is. That hotel is small, but it’s quite nice.
14	chmúh otael delaa poost,	It’s called the Hotel de la Poste.
15	nɨw cɨt otael’ nɨŋ, mian kəlaeŋ dae leeŋ kmsaan’ teh?	Near the hotel is there anyplace to go for a stroll?
16	baat, look aac tɨw dae leeŋ nɨw vɔ́t phnum.	Yes, you can go for a stroll at Wat Phnom.
17	rɨɨ tɨw kulaeŋ rɔ́m muoy chmúh kampucia, nɨw túl muk géa.	Or you can go to a dance hall called the Cambodia, which is opposite the station.
18	coh bə khñom coŋ tətɨñ əyvan ntɛc-ntuoc, khñom tɨw inaa’ tɨw?	And if I want to do a little shopping, where should I go?
19	baat, nɨw inɨŋ mian kəlaeŋ lúʔ əyvan cəən’ ah.	Well, around there there are lots of places that sell goods.
20	cia pisɛh, nɨw taam ruy ouyee,	Especially along the Rue Ohier.
21	chŋaay’ teh?	Is it far?
22	tee, m chŋaay’ teh, ceñ pɨɨ otael delaa poh, bot-tə thbouŋ pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	No, it’s not far. Coming out of the Hotel de la Poste, you turn south for two blocks and there you are.
23	ou, suol’ əh, ñceŋ. khñom som oo kun cəən’ ah.	Oh, that’s quite easy. Thanks very much.
24	mian ɛyʔ bə mian kaa ɛy tiet, som suo khñom’ moh.	You’re welcome. If there is anything else I can do for you please ask me.

Key Vocabulary

Cambodian	English
poh	post office
telegraam	telegram
otael	hotel
otael delaa poost	Hotel de la Poste
phlew nərodɔm	Norodom Street
vɔ́t phnum	Wat Phnom
kampucia	Cambodia
ruy ouyee	Rue Ohier
géa	station
sikhlou	cyclo
dae	to walk
vay	to send
ceeŋ	north
thbouŋ	south
kaet	east
lec	west
baek tɔ́l phlɨɨ	open all night
suol	easy
kmsaan	to stroll
əyvan	goods, things
lúʔ	to sell

Grammar Notes

1. Directional Terms: This unit introduces the four cardinal directions: /ceeŋ/ ‘north’, /thbouŋ/ ‘south’, /kaet/ ‘east’, and /lec/ ‘west’. These are used with /bot-tə/ ‘turn to’ in giving directions.

2. Reported Speech with /lɨɨ kee thaa/: The pattern ‘I’ve heard that…’ uses /khñom lɨɨ kee thaa/ followed by the reported content.

3. Alternative Actions with /rɨɨ/: The conjunction /rɨɨ/ ‘or’ connects alternative suggestions, as in line 17.

Practice Drills

Drill A: Substitution — Directions from Wat Phnom

Cambodian	English
tɨw dol vɔ́t phnum, bot-tə kaet pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	When you get to Wat Phnom, turn east for two blocks and there you are.
tɨw dol vɔ́t phnum, bot-tə thbouŋ pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	When you get to Wat Phnom, turn south for two blocks and there you are.
tɨw dol vɔ́t phnum, bot-tə lec pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	When you get to Wat Phnom, turn west for two blocks and there you are.
tɨw dol vɔ́t phnum, bot-tə ceeŋ pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	When you get to Wat Phnom, turn north for two blocks and there you are.
tɨw dol vɔ́t phnum, bot-tə sdam pɨɨ phlew, dol’ əh.	When you get to Wat Phnom, turn right for two blocks and there you are.

Drill B: Response — Where to go for services

Cambodian	English
khñom coŋ vay telegraam ntɛc phooŋ. khñom tɨw inaa’ tɨh? (poh)	I want to send a telegram, too. Where shall I go? (Post Office)
ou, suol’ əh. look tɨw poh sèap’m.. kəlaeŋ nuh haəy, dael kee vay telegraam.	Oh, that’s easy. You just go to the Post Office—that’s where they send telegrams.
khñom coŋ tɨñ səphɨw phooŋ. khñom tɨw inaa’ tɨh? (phlew monivúŋ, kee lúʔ)	I want to buy books, too. Where shall I go? (Monivong Street, they sell)
ou, suol’ əh. look tɨw phlew monivúŋ sèap’m.. kəlaeŋ nuh haəy, dael kee lúʔ səphɨw.	Oh, that’s easy. You just go to Monivong Street—that’s where they sell books.
khñom coŋ baek luy phooŋ. khñom tɨw inaa’ tɨh? (boŋ)	I want to draw out money, too. Where shall I go? (bank)
ou, suol’ əh. look tɨw boŋ sèap’m.. kəlaeŋ nuh haəy, dael kee baek luy.	Oh, that’s easy. You just go to the bank—that’s where you draw out money.