Language/Central-khmer/Grammar/Pronouns
Hi Central Khmer learners! π
In this lesson, we will learn about Central Khmer pronouns, which are words that replace nouns. They help us avoid repetition and make sentences sound more natural. Pronouns are used in daily conversation, writing, and formal speeches. They are essential in any language for fluent communication.
Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Describing Actions and States & How to Use Be.
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns show who is speaking (first person), who is being spoken to (second person), and who is being spoken about (third person). In Central Khmer, personal pronouns change depending on the gender and the level of formality used. Let's look at some examples:
| Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| αααα»α (khnhom) | knyom | I/me |
| α’ααα (anak) | neak | you (singular) |
| α’αααΈααα (avday) | avdai | he/him, she/her/it |
| ααΎα (yerng) | yuong | we/us (including the person addressed) |
| α’αααααΎα (anak yerng) | neak yuong | you (plural, including the person addressed) |
| αα»αααα (pom pheak) | pom peak | they/them (male/mixed gender) |
| αα»αααΆααααα (pom mean klae) | pom men klach | they/them (female) |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: αααα»α α ααααΉαααΆαα’αααα (Knhom jong doch neak.) (I want to guide you.)
- Person 2: α’ααα»αααΌααΆαα·αα²αααααα»αααΆαα (Arakun kun mean yu knhom ban.) (Thank you, but I can't let you.)
As you can see, the personal pronoun "α’ααα (neak)" changes depending on the social status and relationship between speaker and listener. You can use it for both singular and plural, instead of "α’ααααααααΆααα’αααααΎα (neak somrab kang neak yuong)." This is useful when you're not sure whether to use formal or informal language.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns indicate who owns something or has a relationship to something. They are often used to avoid repetition, but also to avoid ambiguity. The most common Central Khmer possessive pronouns are:
| Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| αααα»α (khnhom) | knyom | my/mine |
| ααααα’ααα (robos neak) | roba neak | your(s) (singular) |
| ααααααΆαα (robos kat) | roba kat | his/hers/its |
| ααααααΎα (robos yerng) | roba yuong | our(s) |
| ααααα’αααααΎα (robos neak yerng) | roba neak yuong | your(s) (plural) |
| αααααα»αααα (robos pom peak) | roba pom peak | their(s) (male/mixed gender) |
| αααααα»αααΆααααα (robos pom mean klae) | roba pom men klach | their(s) (female) |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: αααααααααααα»αααΆααααα’αααααααααααΈα (Pthas robos khnhom mean prabab chhom tmey.) (My house has a new room.)
- Person 2: α ααα»αααααααααΎααα·αααΆαααΎαααα (Heur ney, robos yuong men ban meul te.) (That's why we haven't seen it.)
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of a sentence and can be used to show actions that you do to yourself. In Central Khmer, reflexive pronouns use the word "α―α (eang)" and are added to personal pronouns. Here are some examples:
| Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| αααα»αα―α (khnhom eang) | knyom oong | myself |
| α’αααα―α (anak eang) | neak oong | yourself (singular) |
| ααΆααα―α (kat eang) | kat oong | himself/herself/itself |
| ααΎαα―α (yerng eang) | yuong oong | ourselves (including the person addressed) |
| α’αααααΎαα―α (anak yerng eang) | neak yuong oong | yourselves (plural, including the person addressed) |
| αα»αααα α―α (pom pheak eang) | pom peak oong | themselves (male/mixed gender) |
| αα»αααΆαααααα―α (pom mean klae eang) | pom men klach oong | themselves (female) |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: αααα»αα―αα αΌααααααααααααααΆαα (Knhom oong chol kraporpert ban.) (I can adapt myself to any situation.)
- Person 2: ααΎα’αααα―αα’ααααααΎα’αααΎαα? (Tov neak oong at tver ampuh te?) (Haven't you regretted it?)
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out something or someone. They distinguish between what is near (this/these) and what is far (that/those). In Central Khmer, they use the words "ααα (neyh)" and "ααα (noh)" respectively. Here are some examples:
| Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ααα (neyh) | ney | this/these |
| ααα (noh) | noh | that/those |
| ααΆαα ααα (vathav neyh) | vathao ney | here |
| ααΆαα ααα (vathav noh) | vathao noh | there |
| ααααααα’αααααΆαααααΈα (Neyh dol neak men kley.) | Ney dal neak men klai. | Give this to your sister. |
| ααΆαα’αααΈαααα ααααΎαααααααααα? (Men avday jong laos noh meun te?) | Men avdai jong les noh mean te? | Do you want anything on that side? |
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things in general, without specifying who or what. They are often used when you don't know or don't need to know the identity of the subject. In Central Khmer, indefinite pronouns use the words "αα·αααΆα (men mean)" and "ααΆα (men)" for negative and positive forms respectively. Here are some examples:
| Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| αα·αααΆαα’αααΈαα (men mean avy te) | men mean avey te | Nothing/no one |
| ααΆαα’αααΈαααααααααΆ (men avey krapnae) | men avei krabnae | Anything/everything |
| ααΆαααααΆαααα·αααΌαα αΎα (men mnas mean kou hey) | men mnas mean kou hey | Someone/maybe someone |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: ααΎαααα’αΆα αα½ααααα»αα’αΆααα? (Dar lok ach joo-ee knyom baan te?) (Can you help me read this?)
- Person 2: αααα»ααα·αα’αΆα αα½αααααααααΆαααα (Knhom men aoch chea lok noh ban te.) (I can't help that person.)
Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative pronouns start questions and help us get information about people or things we don't know. They are often used to start a conversation or clarify something. In Central Khmer, interrogative pronouns use the word "α’αααΈ (avy)" for general questions and "ααΎ (tov)" for yes/no questions. Here are some examples:
| Central Khmer | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| α’αααΈ (avy) | avey | What?/Which? |
| ααΆα (neang) | neng | Who? |
| ααΎ...αααα¬αα? (tov...daiy koch tey?) | tov...day arng tie? | Is...? |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: α’αααΈααααΆααα·αααΏααα? (Avey psar men l'uen te?) (What market isn't fast?)
- Person 2: ααΌααα½ααααα»ααααααααΈααΆαααΆαα’αααΈααΆα? (Somchou aoch knhom lok srey neang men avey baan?) (Can you help me, sir, what does that lady have?)
To improve your Central Khmer Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources
Other Lessons
- How to Use Be
- Gender
- Adjectives
- Plurals
- Negation
- How to Use Have
- Questions
- Give your Opinion
- Conditional Mood