Language/Central-khmer/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be
Hi Central Khmer learners! π
In this lesson, we will learn how to use "be" in Central Khmer. Using "be" will help you express what someone or something is, was or will be. It's a very important verb to learn, especially for intermediate learners who want to improve their sentence structure. To help you understand this topic better, I will also share some cultural information and interesting facts along the way. Let's get started! π
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Basic Word Order & Using Conjunctions.
The verb "be"[edit | edit source]
The verb "be" in Central Khmer is called "ααΆαα" (chab). This verb is often used to describe nouns and pronouns in a sentence. Below are some examples:
Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
αααα»α ααΆ αα·αααα | knhom chaa siss | I am a student. |
ααααΈ ααΆ ααΌααααααα | srei chaa kunmeang | She is a child. |
ααΆαα αα·α ααΆ ααααααααααααα | katei min chaa saopaaneakmae | He is not Cambodian. |
αα·ααααα’αΆα ααΆ ααα»ααααααα»αα | min del aac chaa mounbersruong | It cannot be a man. |
In the examples above, we use "ααΆ" (chaa) to link the subject noun and pronoun to the predicate, which describes that subject.
The three forms of "be"[edit | edit source]
In Central Khmer, the verb "be" has three forms depending on the tense, namely:
1. Present tense: ααΆαα ααΆ ααααΌαααααα (katei chaa krupeatey) - He is a teacher.
2. Past tense: αα·α ααΆα ααΆ ααααΈα (min baan chaa srei) - She was not.
3. Future tense: αααα»α ααΉα ααΆ ααΆαααααΎααααΆαα ααΈαα·αα (knhom nung chaa baanprohbaas jivit) - I will be using a computer tomorrow.
These forms help differentiate when an action happens, happened, or will happen.
Understanding subject and predicate[edit | edit source]
To fully understand how to use "be" in Central Khmer, it's important to learn about subject and predicate. In a sentence, the subject is a person, place or thing, while the predicate is the action or description of the subject. Let's take the example below:
αααα»α (subject) ααΆ (predicate) αα·αααα (predicate complement) (knhom chaa siss)
So, in the example above: - "αααα»α" (knhom) is the subject, which means "I". - "ααΆ" (chaa) is the linking verb that connects the subject and predicate complement. - "αα·ααα" (siss) is the predicate complement, which means "a student".
In this way, we use "be" to connect the subject to the predicate complement, as shown in the "chaa" example above.
Using negatives with "be"[edit | edit source]
To create negative sentences with "be" in Central Khmer, we use the word "αα·α" (min). Let's take a look at this example:
ααΆαα (subject) αα·α (negation) ααΆ (predicate) ααααααααααααα (predicate complement) (katei min chaa saopaaneakmae)
So, in the example above: - "ααΆαα" (katei) is the subject, which means "he". - "αα·α" (min) means "not". - "ααΆ" (chaa) is the linking verb that connects the subject and predicate complement. - "αααααααααααα" (saopaaneakmae) is the predicate complement, which means "Cambodian".
In this way, we create a negative sentence using "be" by placing "αα·α" (min) before the linking verb.
More examples in context[edit | edit source]
To further illustrate the use of "be" in Central Khmer, here is a dialogue between two people:
- Person 1: α’ααα ααΆ α’ααααα αααα»αααααααααΆ? (neng chaa neng novknom bratei naa?) - Where are you from?
- Person 2: αααα»α αα ααααα»ααΆα (knhom novkampuchea) - I am from Cambodia.
- Person 1: ααΌα αααααΆααααΈααΆααΆααααααααααα’αααααΆααα? (soum bongchak pi phiasaakmae robsaa neng baan te?) - Can you tell me more about your Khmer language?
- Person 2: αααα»α α’αΆα αα·ααΆα ααΆααΆαααααααΆαα (knhom ac niyeay phiasaakhmae baan) - I can speak Khmer language.
- Person 1: ααααΎααααΆααααΆ αα½αααΉα Polyglot Club ααΎααααΈααααΎα±ααα’αααααΆααααααααΆααΆαααααααΆαααααΎααΆαα αααΎαααααααα (baebrasaa chaa moux nung Polyglot Club daombanh tee derm sa methey phiasaakhmae mean bongmnekaraa chet dai) - Use Polyglot Club to practice more and improve your Khmer language skills.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we've learned how to use "be" in Central Khmer. It's a simple but crucial verb to learn, especially for forming sentences. By understanding the three forms of "be", subject and predicate, and using negatives with "be", you can create more complex sentences and express a wide range of meanings. Don't forget to also use the Find native speakers and ask them any questions. And, for more Khmer [1] help, visit the Polyglot Club website. π
β‘ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
β‘ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. π
Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Future Tense & Describing Actions and States.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- How to Use Have
- Pronouns
- Give your Opinion
- Conditional Mood
- Negation
- Adjectives
- Questions
- Plurals
- Gender