Shopping and Prices

In this unit, a customer visits a barber shop where they discuss haircuts, waiting turns, and personal news. The barber mentions that his wife just had a baby. The dialogue also introduces vocabulary for completive actions (finishing tasks) and personal services. The unit practices shopping-related interactions, small talk, and expressing preferences about services.

Basic Dialogue

Between a Barber and a Customer:

#	Cambodian	English
1	ñceeñ ŋkuy leeŋ məphlɛɛt’ tɨh. dol veen look alew’ əh.	Please have a seat for a moment. It’ll be your turn right away.
2	baat, m ɛy’ teh, oo kun’ neh.	Never mind, thanks.
3	baat, som ñceeñ,,	Sure, come on!
4	ou, khñom nɨw cam puu inoh’ teh,	Oh, I’ll wait for you over there.
5	ñceeñ ŋkuy leeŋ meel səphɨw leeŋ’ tɨh.	Have a seat and read a magazine.
6	som ñceeñ, look.. look sok səbaay’ cia teh?	Next, sir. How are you?
7	baat, khñom sok səbaay’ cia teh, coh puu mian ɛy phlaek’ teh?	I’m fine. What’s new with you?
8	baat, khmian ɛy phlaek’ teh,	Nothing much new.
9	taɛ mesel meñ, pəpún khñom chlooŋ thlee, baan koun sɛy muoy,	Yesterday my wife gave birth, and we have a daughter.
10	coh kɔ́t sok səbaay’ cia teh?	How are they, all right?
11	baat,	Sure.
12	look coŋ ləbiep mɛc, medooŋ nɨh?	What style do you want this time?
13	ou, khñom coŋ tuk oy vɛɛŋ medooŋ,	Oh, I guess leave it long.
14	baat, mian ɛy?	Okay.
15	peñap ntɛc’ neh. khñom mian kaa phooŋ,	Hurry a little, will you? I’ve got something else to do.

Key Vocabulary

Cambodian	English
kat soʔ	to cut hair
koʔ so	to shampoo
khat sbaek-ceeŋ	to shine shoes
thee tesay	to massage
kao puk mɔ́t	to shave
crep puk mɔ́t	to trim the beard
veek cehieŋ	to make a part
ut aaw	to press a coat
liaŋ day	to wash hands
cam veen	to wait one’s turn
chlooŋ thlee	to give birth
bañ sat (baan)	to shoot animals
stuuc trey (baan)	to catch fish
thoot ruup	to take pictures
ruup thoot	photographs
thoot ruup baan	can take pictures
tɨñ kəphleeŋ (baan)	to buy guns
kèah (krah)	thick
vɛɛŋ	long
sʔaat	clean
teŋ	firm, full
sdaeŋ	thin
khley	short
kekhvoʔ	dirty
thuu	loose, slack

Grammar Notes

1. Completive verbs: Cambodian uses general completive verbs to indicate the completion of an action. The most common are /baan/ ‘to get, be able,’ /tón/ ‘to have time for,’ /kòan/ ‘to be complete,’ /oh/ ‘to be used up,’ and /dol/ ‘to arrive, get somewhere.’

2. Incomplete vs. Complete actions: Compare /rien/ ‘to study’ vs. /rien cop/ ‘to graduate’; /tɨñ/ ‘to shop for’ vs. /tɨñ oh/ ‘to buy up (all of)’; /tɨñ baan/ ‘to buy, get by purchasing.’

3. Adjective opposites for services: The barber shop context introduces paired adjectives: /kèah/ ‘thick’ vs. /sdaeŋ/ ‘thin’, /vɛɛŋ/ ‘long’ vs. /khley/ ‘short’, /sʔaat/ ‘clean’ vs. /kekhvoʔ/ ‘dirty.‘

Practice Drills

Drill A: Response — Haircut Preferences

Cambodian	English
soʔ, kat oy khley ntɛc, look? (tuk oy vɛɛŋ)	The hair, shall I cut it a little short? (leave long)
tee, tuk oy vɛɛŋ medooŋ,	No, leave it long.
sac, kat oy sdaeŋ ntɛc, look? (tuk oy krah)	The meat, shall I cut it a little thin? (leave thick)
tee, tuk oy krah medooŋ,	No, leave it thick.
smaw, kat oy khley ntɛc, look? (tuk oy vɛɛŋ)	The grass, shall I cut it a little short? (leave long)
tee, tuk oy vɛɛŋ medooŋ,	No, leave it long.

Drill B: Response with Antonyms

Cambodian	English
tuk oy krah medooŋ, look? (kat oy sdaeŋ)	Shall I just leave it thick? (cut it thin)
tee, kat oy sdaeŋ’ ntɛc.	No, cut it a little thin.
tuk oy vɛɛŋ medooŋ, look? (kat oy khley)	Shall I just leave it long? (cut it short)
tee, kat oy khley’ ntɛc.	No, cut it a little short.
tuk oy kekhvoʔ medooŋ, look? (liaŋ oy sʔaat)	Shall I just leave it dirty? (clean it up)
tee, liaŋ oy sʔaat’ ntɛc.	No, clean it up a little.
tuk oy thuu medooŋ, look? (sop oy teŋ)	Shall I just leave it low? (pump it up)
tee, sop oy teŋ’ ntɛc.	No, pump it up a little.