Free survival kit

Khmer survival kit

The 20 essential phrases and 100 key words to get by in Khmer when travelling.

20 phrases
100 key words in the PDF

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Greetings

Khmer	English
Suostei	hello
Chum reap suor	respectful hello
Lear haey	goodbye
Aakun	thank you
Aakun chraen	thank you very much
Baat	yes (male speaker)
Cha	yes (female speaker)
Tee	no

Asking for directions

Khmer	English
Phteah	house
Bantup	room
Plov	road, way
Phsar	market

Emergencies

Khmer	English
Kbaal	head
Phnek	eye
Trâchiek	ear
Moat	mouth

At the restaurant

Khmer	English
Toek	water
Toek doh ko	milk
Bay	cooked rice, meal
Angkar	uncooked rice

30 key words to remember

Khmer	English
Ot	not, no
Som tos	sorry, excuse me
Sok sabbay	I'm fine
Soum	please
Soum svaakum	welcome
Chea	to be
Mean	to have
Tov	to go
Mok	to come
Nyam	to eat
Phoek	to drink
Deik	to sleep
Niyeay	to speak, to say
Sdab	to listen, to hear
Kheunh	to see
Doeng	to know
Châng	to want
Ach	can, be able to
Tver	to do, to make
Aoy	to give
Yok	to take
Tinh	to buy
Lok	to sell
Tver kar	to work
An	to read
Sâseu	to write
Yul	to understand
Srolanh	to love, to like
Rean	to learn, to study
Ovpouk	father (formal)

In context: 5 scenes to get by

On arrival

You land in Phnom Penh in the mid-afternoon. The tropical heat welcomes you as soon as you step off the plane. You greet the immigration officer with a respectful "sampeah", say hello in the formal way and thank him when he hands back your passport.

Suostei : hello
Chum reap suor : respectful hello
Lear haey : goodbye
Aakun : thank you

In a taxi

You hop into a tuk-tuk to reach your accommodation. You tell the driver the house where you are staying, the room you have booked, the exact street and the market you want to see along the way. The driver nods and starts the engine.

Phteah : house
Bantup : room
Plov : road, way
Phsar : market

At the café

You sit down in a small neighbourhood restaurant in the early evening. The waitress hands you a laminated menu. You order ice-cold water, coconut milk, a large bowl of cooked rice and a portion of uncooked rice to take away.

Toek : water
Toek doh ko : milk
Bay : cooked rice, meal
Angkar : uncooked rice

In an emergency

You feel unwell after a day in the temples of Angkor. At the pharmacy in Siem Reap, you point to your spinning head, tired eyes, ringing ears and dry mouth. The pharmacist nods and prepares a small bag for you.

Kbaal : head
Phnek : eye
Trâchiek : ear
Moat : mouth

On departure

On the morning of departure, your hosts walk you to the tuk-tuk. You thank them warmly with an "aakun chraen", reply "baat" or "chaa" depending on your gender when they suggest one last photo, and end with a polite "no" for the takeaway coffee.

Aakun chraen : thank you very much
Baat : yes (male speaker)
Cha : yes (female speaker)
Tee : no

Cultural notes

The "sampeah", palms joined at chest level and a slight bow, is the traditional greeting. The height of the hands varies with respect: chest for an equal, mouth for a superior, forehead for a monk or member of the royal family.
Khmer distinguishes "yes" by the speaker's sex: a man says "baat", a woman says "chaa". This rule may surprise at first, but is very important to respect.
Remove your shoes before entering a home, a temple or some shops. This rule is strict in all religious sites. Check whether there are shoes lined up at the entrance.
The head is considered the most sacred part of the body, the feet the most impure. Never touch anyone's head, and never point your feet at a person or a Buddha statue.
In Cambodia, meals are often shared dishes at the centre of the table, eaten with a spoon and fork (the fork pushes, the spoon carries to the mouth). Chopsticks are reserved for noodles and soups.
Buddhist monks are highly respected. Women must not touch their hand nor hand them an object directly: place the item on a surface or cloth so they can pick it up.
Bargaining is usual in markets like Phnom Penh's Psar Tuol Tom Poung or the Angkor market. Stay smiling, start at half the asked price and negotiate up to about two thirds.
The topic of the Khmer Rouge and the genocide remains very sensitive. Many Cambodians lost loved ones. If it comes up, listen respectfully and avoid quick judgements or intrusive questions.

Keep the whole kit on your phone

The 20 phrases, 100 key words and the cultural notes in a PDF to keep offline or print. We also send it to you by e-mail.

A baby laughing in an older woman’s arms

A family language

Reconnect with Khmer

The language of your parents, your grandparents or your partner. The one you want to pass on to your children.

A couple sharing a tender moment — Speaking the language of the country means reconnecting with its people.

A mother and her two daughters — Now, at home, we speak Khmer.

A family in the mountains — Your in-laws speak Khmer to you. Answer them in Khmer.

A father and his daughter on a scooter — Children who speak Khmer are the greatest cultural wealth you can bring to your family.

A grandmother and her grandson — Your grandparents’ Khmer should not end with them.

Finally understand what is said at the table, and answer back.
“Hi Mum, I speak Khmer!”

A language is passed down from generation to generation. Now it is your turn.

Start Khmer for free

About this kit

Khmer is the official language of Cambodia, spoken by around 16 million people. A non-tonal Mon-Khmer language, it is written in the longest Brahmic alphabet in the world and carries the Angkorian heritage. With this kit, you have the basics to greet, eat and find your way from Phnom Penh to the temples of Angkor.

Khmer is the official language of Cambodia, spoken by around 16 million people. It belongs to the Austroasiatic family, Mon-Khmer branch, and stands out from its Thai, Lao or Vietnamese neighbours by being non-tonal. This often makes it more accessible to French speakers, who do not have to wrestle with pitch variations.

Khmer is written in a Brahmic alphabet of Indian origin, derived from the southern Indian Pallava script, inherited from the Angkorian empire. This alphabet holds the record for the largest number of letters in the world: around 74 characters including consonants, dependent and independent vowels, and diacritical marks. Reading requires specific learning, but the spoken language remains widely accessible. Grammar is analytic, with no conjugation or agreement: words do not change, meaning is built through word order and the addition of particles for tense, number or politeness.

The language reflects a society deeply marked by Theravada Buddhism, respect for elders and monks, and an Angkorian heritage still alive in literature, classical apsara dance and architecture. The country is also rebuilding after the trauma of the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979), and culture is reborn brilliantly: a renascent cinema, unique pop music blending 1960s rock with contemporary sounds. This kit gathers the essentials to greet, ask for directions, order a meal, handle an emergency and take leave respectfully. Memorize these phrases before leaving and you will be welcomed with the warm smile that gives Cambodia its reputation, from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.

Sources and references

Every translation is cross-checked against at least two concordant sources among the references below.

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