Language/Central-khmer/Grammar/Give-your-Opinion

Central Khmer Grammar - Give your Opinion

Hi Central Khmer learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to express opinions in Central Khmer. Giving opinions is an essential part of communication, whether it's about food, movies, or current events. We will cover five grammar points related to expressing opinions. After learning these grammar points, you will be able to share your thoughts and feelings like a pro!

Vocabulary

Before we start with the grammar, let's cover some useful vocabulary to use when discussing opinions.

Central Khmer	Pronunciation	English
គិតឃើញ	/kit kʰəə nəəw/	In my opinion
ខ្ញុំចាប់ខ្ញុំងាយធ្វើការ	/kʰɲum cab kʰɲum ŋaaj tʰwəə kaː/	I think
ខ្ញុំមើលទៅ	/kʰɲum məəl tɨw/	I see
ខ្ញុំត្រូវតែ	/kʰɲum trɔɔv tae/	I have to
ខ្ញុំពិតជាក់ស្តែង	/kʰɲum piət caəstaeŋ/	I am absolutely sure

1. 1. In my opinion:

• Person 1: គិតឃើញ មានរាង្គុម្នេះស្រឡាញ់ខ្លួន។ (/kit kʰəə nəəw mean raaŋkgumnei sralanh klaun/ - In my opinion, this group of friends is very interesting)
• Person 2: យើងបានស្វែងរកជម្ងឺនេះអ្វីដែលអ្នកបាននឹងគិតឃើញមិនយល់ព្រមទាំងអស់។(/yəəng baan saevaeŋ rɔɔk chɑmŋoh nɨə niəng kɨt kʰəə nəəw miən yolɑpɑt aasəəng/ - We have researched this disease, and in my opinion, you don't understand everything).

1. 1. I think:

• Person 1: ខ្ញុំចាប់ខ្ញុំងាយធ្វើការបានល្អ។ (/kʰɲum cab kʰɲum ŋaaj tʰwəə kaː baan laɨ/ - I think I did a good job.)
• Person 2: សូមអញ្ជើញមកខ្ញុំមើលវា។ (/suəm anjeəng mɔk kʰɲum məəl veə/ - Please show me.)

1. 1. I see:

• Person 1: ខ្ញុំមើលទៅថែម្ដែកយើងធ្វើការនេះគ្រោះថ្នាក់ក្រុមយើងមិនបានគិតឃើញ។ (/kʰɲum məəl tɨw teadaek yəəng tʰvəə kaan nih krocheaar məən baa nɨəng kɨt kʰəə nəəw/ - I checked and I see that we didn't mention the group assignment.)
• Person 2: អញ្ជើញរកមើលម្តងទៀត។ (/anjeəng rok məəl məətdɑŋ tiə/ - Please look at it again.)

1. 1. I have to:

• Person 1: ខ្ញុំត្រូវតែចាប់យកវាទៅផ្សារ។ (/kʰɲum trɔɔv tae cab yaek vaa tɨw pisaar/ - I have to take it to the market.)
• Person 2: អញ្ជើញចាប់យកខ្ញុំទៅ។ (/anjeəng cab yaek kʰɲum tɨw/ - Please take me with you.)

1. 1. I am absolutely sure:

• Person 1: ខ្ញុំពិតជាក់ស្តែងថាគាត់មិនបានធ្វើការយ៉ាងហោចណាស់។ (/kʰɲum piət caəstaeŋ tʰaa kaadt mɨən baaŋ tvae kʰɲɑ/ - I am absolutely sure he didn't do anything wrong.)
• Person 2: បងបំផ្ដុំទៅដើម្បីបង្កើតសត្វដែលខ្ញុំចូលប្រើនិងលិចខ្លះៗ។ (/baŋ bam pɗom tɨw daeəmbAe baŋkAe saːdt dael kʰɲum cul bruənɨəɲ nhɨənhluəklɑh/ - You need to create some animals that I can use and play with.)

Grammar

Grammar Point 1: Verb + ថារាង

The first way to express opinion in Khmer is to use ថារាង (taa raang) which is a structure that translates to, "I think that." To use it, you first use a verb followed by ថា (taa), then follow it with the rest of your opinion. The verb can be in any tense or form.

For singular subjects, you use ខ្ញុំ (k’nom - I) as the subject. For plural subjects, you use យើង (yŏəng - We) as the subject.

Central Khmer	Pronunciation	English
ខ្ញុំថារាងទាំងអស់មានប្រយុទ្ធយូធំ។	/kʰɲum taa raang tam aasaa mɨən proeut juumɨt/	I think everyone has a big dream.
ខ្ញុំថារាងថាខ្ញុំកំពុងអានសេចក្តីជួបចិត្តបង្កើតពីរ។	/kʰɲum taa raang taa kʰɲɑm puok aʔnik se1k tɨəə cɔɔt brɑɑhɑ tae/	I think I am currently reading a speech about creating peace.
យើងទាំងអស់មានការស្វែងរកការងារថ្វីកំរិតដែលបានឆ្លងកាត់មុនថ្ងៃនេះ។	/yŏəng tam aasaa mɨən kaaj saevaeŋ rok kaatrivaat tviok mirath diel baaŋ klɑŋkaat mɔn tʰngai nih/	We all think about looking for a previous job experience before today.

Grammar Point 2: Verb + គឺ

The second way to express opinions in Khmer is to use the verb plus គឺ (koo), which gives the meaning of "to be." គឺ (koo) is added to the main verb of the sentence. In this construction, the verb is always in present tense, and the verb គឺ (koo) is placed after the subject.

Central Khmer	Pronunciation	English
ខ្ញុំចាប់ចុះសំណើរឡើងនៅទីនេះគឺគ្របប្រទានសណ្ឋាន។	/kʰɲum cab joh samneər leəŋ niəv tii nih koo krahb brohtbrataaneisantɔɔfnɑɑn/	I am applying for the position here, and I think I am well qualified.
ខ្ញុំចាប់សរសេរគម្រូបង្រៀនខ្មែរនៅរាជធានីគឺមានប្រយោជន៍ចំពោះខ្ញុំ។	/kʰɲum cab sah se1k kmaaree baaŋriən kmae nih reaheitheanei koo mɨən proeutchaomnhɨəŋ cɑmpɔh kʰɲɑm/	I am writing a Khmer instructional manual in Cambodia and find it useful for me.
ខ្ញុំពិតជាថាការចង់រីកភាសាទាំងអស់នៅមហាវិទ្យាល័យដែលរីកចិត្តបានល្អ.	/kʰɲum piət caəstaeŋ taa kaachong rikhaasaatey tam aasaa nih mʰeachveatealiəng diel rikchit baa nɨəng laɨ/	I am certain that studying all languages at university is really good.

Grammar Point 3: Verb + ខ្លះ

When you want to express an opinion with a bit of doubt, you can use ខ្លះ (klah) which means "maybe" or "sometimes." It's placed after the verb, and the sentence is usually followed by a question word.

Central Khmer	Pronunciation	English
ខ្ញុំនឹងកំពុងទំនាក់ទំនងជាមួយសិស្សនេះខ្លះនៅក្នុងកែវៗវាមានមនុស្ស។	/kʰɲum nɨəng kɑmpuok