quick khmer

Speak Like a Local

Unlock Smiles Instantly. You don’t need to be fluent. Locals are warm and love it when you try. A simple “Hello” with a smile opens doors that English can’t. Here is the real, everyday stuff we use.

🗣️ The Golden Rule: Yes & Politeness

In Khmer, saying “Yes” depends on your gender. Learn this first!

Guys say: “Baht” (Sounds like: Bat)
Ladies say: “Jah” (Sounds like: Cha)

Saralya Superhost Tip: You’ll hear locals say this on the phone constantly (“Baht, baht, baht” or “Jah, jah, jah”). It just means “Yup, I’m listening.”

👋 The Essentials (Greetings & Manners)

Just 5 phrases to make friends instantly.

English	Khmer Word	Sounds Like	When to use it
Hello	Sou-sday	Soo-sday	Casual and easy. Use with Tuk-Tuk drivers, shopkeepers, everyone.
Thank You	Ah-kun	Ah-koon	The magic word. Say it often.
Sorry / Excuse Me	Som-toe	Som-toe	Great for getting a waiter’s attention or if you bump into someone.
Goodbye	Leah-hi	Lee-hi	Simple. See ya later!
Bathroom	Bang-kon	Bang-kon	Ask with a questioning tone.

🍜 Ordering Food & Drink

Get exactly what you want.

English	Khmer Word	Sounds Like	Context
Delicious!	Ch-nganh	Ch-nang	Tell the cook this and watch them beam.
Bill Please	Som ket-loy	Som ket-loy	Literally “Please calculate money.”
Water	Tuek	Took	Som Tuek = Water please.
Ice	Tuek-kork	Took-kok	Essential for those hot days!
Cheers!	Chol-moy!	Chull-moy	Literally “Bump one.” Use when clinking glasses.

📏 Useful Sizes

English	Khmer Word	Sounds Like	Context
Little / Small	Toich	Tik-Tik	Tik-Tik Spicy: just a little
Big	Thom	Tom	Tom beer: Big beer

🔢 Numbers & Haggling

Haggling is expected in markets. Knowing 1-10 helps you get the local price!

Number	Khmer Word	Sounds Like
1	Mouy	Moy
2	Pee	Pee
3	Bei	Bay
4	Boun	Boon
5	Pram	Pram
6	Pram-Mouy	Pram-Moy
7	Pram-Pee	Pram-Pee
8	Pram-Bei	Pram-Bay
9	Pram-Boun	Pram-Boon
10	Dop	Dop

Money Tips

English	Khmer Word	Sounds Like	Saralya Tip
How much?	T-lay pun-man?	T-lay pun-mon	Just say “mon” and have a funny expression pointing at what you want to buy – Essential for markets.
Too expensive!	T-lay nah!	T-lay nah	Smile when you say it to start bargaining!