Here are some useful Khmer words and phrases, written phonetically, that will come in handy. Khmer may sound confusing. But with a little patience and practice, you can get by. Also please follow up these : “Ai” is pronounced as in Thai; “ay” as in pay; “dt” takes the t sound while “bp” takes the p sound. “Oo” is pronounced as in cook and “ao” as in Laos.
| English | Khmer (Cambodia) | English | Khmer (Cambodian) |
| Welcome words | Days & Year | ||
| Hello | jum-reab-sou-a | Yesterday | M’serl menh |
| How are you? | sok Sa-bay-chea-te? | Today | T’ngai nih |
| Good Morning | arun-sou sdei | Tomorrow | T’ngai sa-aik |
| Good Afternoon | te-vea-sou-sdei | Month | Khaeh |
| Good everining | ti-vea-sou-sdei | Year | Ch’nam |
| Good night | Reat-trey-sou-sdei | Last year | Ch’nam moon |
| What is your name ? | taer-neak-chhmous-ey ? | New year | Ch’nam thmey |
| My name is ….. | knhom Chhous….. | Next year | Ch’nam groy |
| Yes | Bat | Month of the year | |
| No | Te | January | Ma-ka-raa |
| Please | som-met-ta | February | Kompheak |
| Thank you | or-kun | March | Mee-nah |
| Excuse me | saum tos | April | Meh-sah |
| Sorry | saum tos | May | oo-sa-phea |
| Good bye | Joom-reab-leah | June | mi-thok-nah |
| I don’t understand | K’nyom men yoo-ul-te | July | Ka kada |
| I want a….. | K’nyom chorn baan… | August | Say ha |
| Water | Teuk | September | Kan’ha |
| Tea | tai | October | Too-la |
| Rice (cooked) | bia | November | Wech a ka |
| meat | saich | December | T’noo |
| fish | T’rey | Number | |
| Chicken | Moan | One | Moo-ay |
| bread | Num pang | Two | Bpee |
| Restaurant | Hang bay | Three | Bay |
| Where is the…? | …noev eahnah? | Four | Boun |
| Market | P’sah | Five | Bpram |
| Bank | Tun nea kea | Six | Bpram moo-ay |
| Post office | Bprai sa nee | Seven | Bpram pee |
| Doctor | Peth | Eight | Bpram bay |
| Bus | Laan ch’noul | Nine | Bpram boun |
| Train | Ra dteah pleang | Ten | Dahb |
| Cycle | See kloa | Eleven | Dahp moo ay |
| Polisceman | Police or noh ko bal | Twenty | M’pay |
| Turn left | Bot ch’weng | Thirty | Saam seup |
| Turn right | Bot s’dam | Forty | Sai seup |
| Go straight | Tov dtrong | Fifty | Ha seup |
| Days of week | Sixty | Hok seup | |
| Sunday | T’ngai aa-teut | Seventy | Jeht seup |
| Monday | T’ngai chan | Eighty | Bpait seup |
| Tuesday | T’ngai ong-kea-a | Ninety | Gao seup |
| Wednesday | T’ngai bpoot | Hundred | Mo-ay roy |
| Thursday | T’ngai pro-hoa-a | Ten Thousand | Moo-ay meun |
| Friday | T’ngai sok | Hundred thousand | Moo-ay sain |
| Saturday | T’ngai sao | Million | moo-ay lee-un |
