Khmer · Khmer letters

Khmer Alphabet

Khmer is written in the Khmer script, read left to right with no spaces between words (a space marks a pause or the end of a phrase). It is an abugida: each of the 33 consonants carries a built-in vowel, and vowel signs written above, below, before or after it change that vowel. The consonants belong to two series: the a-series carries the built-in vowel a and the o-series carries o, and the same vowel sign is read differently after each, so the consonant cards show the letter with its built-in vowel (ka, ko) and the vowel-sign cards give both readings, first on ក (a-series) and then on គ (o-series). Two consonants in a row are written by putting the second one underneath the first as a small subscript form (a cheung, 'foot', made with the sign ្ called coeng). Sounds use the lessons' plain tourist spelling without accents: kh, chh, th and ph for the aspirated consonants, ch for ច, nh for ញ, ng for ង, aa and ea for ា, ii and ei for ី, and eu, ae, ai, ao, uo and ie for the other vowels. A final ស is said h, and a final រ is often silent. Khmer has its own digits (១ ២ ៣ …), used on prices, licence plates and signs next to 1 2 3.

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Consonants: velar (k)

កkaa-series consonant · k as in 'sky', no puff of airកូន (kon) child

ខkhaa-series consonant · aspirated k, with a puff of air as in 'kite'ខែ (khae) month

គkoo-series consonant · k as in 'sky' (same sound as ក, but it reads vowel signs the o-series way)គាត់ (koat) he, she

ឃkhoo-series consonant · aspirated k, the same sound as ខឃ្លាន (khliaen) hungry

ងngoo-series consonant · ng as in 'sing'; it can start a wordងូតទឹក (ngut tuk) take a bath

Consonants: palatal (ch)

ចchaa-series consonant · ch, softer and with less breath than in 'church'ចេញ (chenh) go out

ឆchhaa-series consonant · aspirated ch as in 'church', with a puff of airឆ្វេង (chhveng) left

ជchoo-series consonant · ch, the same sound as ចជា (chea) to be

ឈchhoo-series consonant · aspirated ch, the same sound as ឆឈ្មោះ (chhmuoh) name

ញnhoo-series consonant · ny as in 'canyon'ញ៉ាំ (nham) eat

Consonants: retroflex (d, t)

ដdaa-series consonant · d, said with a quick pull of air inward (implosive), as in Vietnamese đដៃ (dai) hand

ឋthaa-series consonant · aspirated t like ថ; rare, found in Sanskrit and Pali wordsភោជនីយដ្ឋាន (phochoniyathan) restaurant

ឌdoo-series consonant · d, the same sound as ដ; rare, found in Sanskrit and Pali wordsបណ្ឌិត (bandit) scholar, doctor of a university

ឍthoo-series consonant · aspirated t, the same sound as ធ; very rare, a few Pali words only (unverified)

ណnaa-series consonant · n as in 'no'; the only nasal in the a-seriesណា (naa) which

Consonants: dental (t)

តtaa-series consonant · t as in 'stop', no puff of airតូច (touch) small

ថthaa-series consonant · aspirated t as in 'top', with a puff of airថ្លៃ (thlai) expensive

ទtoo-series consonant · t as in 'stop', the same sound as តទឹក (tuk) water

ធthoo-series consonant · aspirated t, the same sound as ថធំ (thom) big

នnoo-series consonant · n as in 'no'នេះ (nih) this

Consonants: labial (p)

បbaa-series consonant · b said with a pull of air inward at the start of a syllable; p at the end of a syllableបី (bei) three

ផphaa-series consonant · aspirated p as in 'pie', with a puff of airផ្លូវ (phlov) road

ពpoo-series consonant · p as in 'spin', no puff of airពីរ (pii) two

ភphoo-series consonant · aspirated p, the same sound as ផភ្នែក (phnaek) eye

មmoo-series consonant · m as in 'mom'មួយ (muoy) one

Other consonants

យyoo-series consonant · y as in 'yes'យើង (yerng) we

រroo-series consonant · r, a quick tap or light roll of the tongue; often not said at the end of a wordរត់ (rot) run

លloo-series consonant · l as in 'love'លើ (leu) on, above

វvoo-series consonant · v/w, between English 'v' and 'w'វែង (veng) long

សsaa-series consonant · s as in 'sun'; at the end of a syllable it is said hសួស្តី (suostei) hello

ហhaa-series consonant · h as in 'hat'ហៅ (hav) call

ឡlaa-series consonant · l as in 'love'; used in a few words and loans, and it has no subscript formឡើង (laeng) go up

អaa-series consonant · glottal stop, the catch in 'uh-oh'; it carries a vowel when a word begins with a vowel soundអាច (ach) can

Vowel signs on ក and គ

កាkaa / keasign ◌ា · long vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads kaa; after គ (o-series, គា) it reads keaការ (kar) work, matter; ជា (chea) to be

កិke / kisign ◌ិ · short vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads ke; after គ (o-series, គិ) it reads kiតិច (tech) a little; មិត្ត (mit) friend

កីkei / kiisign ◌ី · long vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads kei; after គ (o-series, គី) it reads kiiត្រី (trei) fish; ពី (pii) from

កឹkoe / keusign ◌ឹ · short vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads koe; after គ (o-series, គឹ) it reads keuខឹង (khoeng) angry; ព្រឹក (preuk) morning

កឺkoe / keusign ◌ឺ · long vowel, the same sound as ឹ held longer; rare after a-series letters · after ក (a-series) it reads koe; after គ (o-series, គឺ) it reads keuឈឺ (chheu) sick; យឺត (yeut) slow

កុko / kusign ◌ុ · short vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads ko; after គ (o-series, គុ) it reads kuខុស (khos) wrong; លុយ (luy) money

កូkoo / kuusign ◌ូ · long vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads koo; after គ (o-series, គូ) it reads kuuកូន (kon) child; ជូរ (chuu) sour

កួkuo / kuosign ◌ួ · vowel, the same sound after both series · after ក (a-series) it reads kuo; after គ (o-series, គួ) it reads kuoមួយ (muoy) one; សួរ (suor) ask

កើkaeu / kersign ◌ើ · vowel · after ក (a-series) it reads kaeu; after គ (o-series, គើ) it reads kerបើក (baeuk) open; យើង (yerng) we

កឿkeua / keuasign ◌ឿ · vowel, written eu in some lessons words; the a-series reading is unverified · after ក (a-series) it reads keua; after គ (o-series, គឿ) it reads keuaជឿ (cheu) believe (a-series reading unverified; the lessons spell it eu)

កៀkie / kiesign ◌ៀ · vowel, the same sound after both series · after ក (a-series) it reads kie; after គ (o-series, គៀ) it reads kieខៀវ (khiev) blue-green; ទៀត (tiet) more, again

កេke / kesign ◌េ · long vowel, written before the consonant and said after it; the same sound after both series · after ក (a-series) it reads ke; after គ (o-series, គេ) it reads keចេញ (chenh) go out; ទេ (te) no

កែkae / kaesign ◌ែ · vowel, written before the consonant and said after it; the same sound after both series · after ក (a-series) it reads kae; after គ (o-series, គែ) it reads kaeខែ (khae) month; ភ្នែក (phnaek) eye

កៃkai / keysign ◌ៃ · vowel, written before the consonant and said after it; the o-series reading is unverified · after ក (a-series) it reads kai; after គ (o-series, គៃ) it reads keyដៃ (dai) hand; ព្រៃ (prey) forest (o-series reading unverified)

កោkao / kosign ◌ោ · vowel, written around the consonant · after ក (a-series) it reads kao; after គ (o-series, គោ) it reads koដោយ (daoy) by, with; គោ (ko) cow

កៅkav / kovsign ◌ៅ · vowel, written before the consonant and said after it · after ក (a-series) it reads kav; after គ (o-series, គៅ) it reads kovក្តៅ (kdav) hot; ទៅ (tov) go

កុំkom / kumsign ◌ុំ · vowel with final m · after ក (a-series) it reads kom; after គ (o-series, គុំ) it reads kumខ្ញុំ (khnhom) I; ទុំ (tum) ripe

កំkom / kumsign ◌ំ · sign for a final m (nikahit); it adds -m and the vowel is short · after ក (a-series) it reads kom; after គ (o-series, គំ) it reads kumអំពី (ompi) about; នំ (num) cake

កាំkam / keamsign ◌ាំ · long a plus final m · after ក (a-series) it reads kam; after គ (o-series, គាំ) it reads keamចាំ (cham) wait; ទាំង (teang) all, both

កះkah / keahsign ◌ះ · sign for a final h (reahmuk); the vowel is short · after ក (a-series) it reads kah; after គ (o-series, គះ) it reads keahខ្លះ (khlah) some; ក្រពះ (krapeah) stomach

កិះkeh / kihsign ◌ិះ · short i plus final h; the same sound as េះ · after ក (a-series) it reads keh; after គ (o-series, គិះ) it reads kihជិះ (chih) ride; the a-series form is rare

កុះkoh / kuhsign ◌ុះ · short u plus final h · after ក (a-series) it reads koh; after គ (o-series, គុះ) it reads kuhចុះ (choh) go down

កេះkeh / kihsign ◌េះ · e plus final h; the same sound as ិះ · after ក (a-series) it reads keh; after គ (o-series, គេះ) it reads kihប្រផេះ (brapheh) grey; នេះ (nih) this

កោះkoh / kuohsign ◌ោះ · vowel plus final h · after ក (a-series) it reads koh; after គ (o-series, គោះ) it reads kuohកោះ (koh) island; ឈ្មោះ (chhmuoh) name

Subscript forms (cheung)

ក្តkdsubscript form (cheung) · ក + subscript ត · said kdក្តៅ (kdav) hot

ក្រkrsubscript form (cheung) · ក + subscript រ · kr; the subscript រ is the most common one of allក្រោយ (kraoy) after, behind

ខ្មkhmsubscript form (cheung) · ខ + subscript ម · khmខ្មែរ (khmer) Khmer

ង្គngksubscript form (cheung) · ង + subscript គ · ngkអង្គុយ (angkuy) sit

ញ្ញnhsubscript form (cheung) · ញ + subscript ញ · the same letter twice, said as one nhសញ្ញា (sanhnha) sign

ន្តntsubscript form (cheung) · ន + subscript ត · ntបន្តិច (bantech) a little

ន្ទntsubscript form (cheung) · ន + subscript ទ · nt, the same sound as ន្តមន្ទីរពេទ្យ (montii pet) hospital

ម្ពmpsubscript form (cheung) · ម + subscript ព · mpកម្ពុជា (kampuchea) Cambodia

ប្រprsubscript form (cheung) · ប + subscript រ · prប្រាំ (pram) five

ផ្សpssubscript form (cheung) · ផ + subscript ស · said psផ្សារ (psar) market

ស្តstsubscript form (cheung) · ស + subscript ត · stសួស្តី (suostei) hello

ស្រsrsubscript form (cheung) · ស + subscript រ · srស្រួល (sruol) comfortable

ត្រtrsubscript form (cheung) · ត + subscript រ · trត្រី (trei) fish

ថ្ងtngsubscript form (cheung) · ថ + subscript ង · tng; the ថ loses its puff of air hereថ្ងៃ (tngai) day, sun

ល្អl'asubscript form (cheung) · ល + subscript អ · the subscript អ adds a short glottal aល្អ (l'a) good

ទ្យtsubscript form (cheung) · ទ + subscript យ · said t; the subscript យ is silent in this wordពេទ្យ (pet) doctor

Independent vowels

ឥeiindependent vowel · short e/ei; used at the start of a few words, mostly from Sanskrit and Paliឥត (eit) without; ឥវ៉ាន់ (ei van) luggage

ឦeiindependent vowel · long ei; rare, only a few Sanskrit wordsឦសាន (eisan) northeast (unverified)

ឧoindependent vowel · short o/u; begins many Sanskrit and Pali wordsឧបករណ៍ (upakor) device, equipment (romanization unverified)

ឪovindependent vowel · ov, like the ending of ទៅ (tov)ឪពុក (ov puk) father

ឫreuindependent vowel · short ru-like vowel; Sanskrit wordsឫស្សី (reusei) bamboo

ឬreuindependent vowel · long version of ឫ; also a word on its ownឬ (reu) or

ឭleuindependent vowel · short lu-like vowel; very rare, a few Sanskrit words onlyឭ appears in a few Sanskrit words (unverified)

ឮleuindependent vowel · long version of ឭ; also a word on its ownឮ (leu) hear

ឯaeindependent vowel · ae; also the word for 'you' or 'he' in casual speechឯណា (ae naa) where

ឰaiindependent vowel · ai; old and nearly obsolete (unverified)ឰ is almost never seen today (unverified)

ឱaoindependent vowel · ao, as in ឲ្យ (aoy) give; ឲ is a variant spelling of the same letterឱសថស្ថាន (aosotsthan) pharmacy

ឳauindependent vowel · au; old and rare (unverified)ឳ is almost never seen today (unverified)

Signs & marks

ក់shortens the vowelbantoc ់ · sits on the last letter of a syllable and keeps its vowel shortគាត់ (koat) he, she; ចង់ (chang) want

ស៊switches to o-seriestriisap ៊ · written over ស ហ ប អ to make them read as o-series; the consonant sound does not changeស៊ី (sii) eat

ម៉switches to a-seriesmuusikatoan ៉ · written over ង ញ ម យ រ វ to make them read as a-series; the consonant sound does not changeម៉ោង (maong) hour; ញ៉ាំ (nham) eat

ក័short a, aysamyok sannya ័ · a short a (sometimes ay) in Sanskrit, Pali and some loan wordsសង្ស័យ (songsay) doubt; នំបុ័ង (num pang) bread

ម៌silentrobat ៌ · written over a letter in a Sanskrit word and usually not saidធម៌ (thoa) dharma, teaching (romanization unverified)

កៈshort, cut-off vowelyuukaleakpintu ៈ · a short vowel stopped at once; Sanskrit and Pali words, mostly at the end of a wordគណៈ (kana) committee (romanization unverified)

ណ៍silenttoandakhiat ៍ · makes the letter under it silent; common at the end of Sanskrit loansឧបករណ៍ (upakor) device, equipment

ៗsay the word twicerepetition sign · repeat the word written before itភ្លាមៗ (phliem phliem) immediately

។full stopkhan · the Khmer full stop; it closes a sentenceit replaces the period at the end of every sentence

៕end of textbariyosan · closes a whole text, article or chapteryou see it at the end of news articles

។ល។lo (etc.)stands for 'and so on'; written as the letter ល between two full stops (reading unverified)ត្រី សាច់ ។ល។ (trei sach lo) fish, meat, etc. (unverified)

Numbers

០0 · sounKhmer digit zero · Khmer digits appear on prices, licence plates and signs, next to 1 2 3សូន្យ (soun) zero

១1 · muoyKhmer digit oneមួយ (muoy) one

២2 · piiKhmer digit twoពីរ (pii) two

៣3 · beiKhmer digit threeបី (bei) three

៤4 · buonKhmer digit fourបួន (buon) four

៥5 · pramKhmer digit fiveប្រាំ (pram) five

៦6 · pram muoyKhmer digit sixប្រាំមួយ (pram muoy) six

៧7 · pram piiKhmer digit sevenប្រាំពីរ (pram pii) seven

៨8 · pram beiKhmer digit eightប្រាំបី (pram bei) eight

៩9 · pram buonKhmer digit nineប្រាំបួន (pram buon) nine

១០10 · dopKhmer digit ten · written with two digits, ១ and ០ដប់ (dop) ten

Signs & menu words

ច្រកចូលchrok cholentranceseen on: gates, shops, airports, temples

ច្រកចេញchrok chenhexitseen on: gates, shops, airports, temples

បង្គន់bangkuntoiletseen on: the door of a public toilet

បុរសboruesmenseen on: toilet doors

ស្ត្រីstreywomenseen on: toilet doors

បើកbaeukopenseen on: shop and office doors

បិទbetclosedseen on: shop and office doors

រុញrunhpushseen on: doors

ទាញteanhpullseen on: doors

ប៉ូលិសpolihpoliceseen on: police stations, uniforms

មន្ទីរពេទ្យmontii pethospitalseen on: road signs and building fronts

ឱសថស្ថានaosotsthanpharmacyseen on: shop signs, often with a green cross

ស្ថានីយsathaaniistationseen on: bus and train stations, fuel stations

ព្រលានយន្តហោះprolean yon hohairportseen on: road signs and the airport building (romanization unverified)

ឡានក្រុងlaan krongbusseen on: bus stops and tickets

សំបុត្រsombotticketseen on: ticket counters and tickets

គ្រោះថ្នាក់kruoh thnakdanger, accidentseen on: warning signs

ហាមជក់បារីham chok bariino smokingseen on: hotels, restaurants, temples

ទឹកtukwaterseen on: bottles and drinks menus

តែtaeteaseen on: menus

កាហ្វេkafecoffeeseen on: cafe signs and menus

ស្រាបៀរsraa bierbeerseen on: menus and beer adverts

បាយbaayriceseen on: menus; it also means a meal

សាច់មាន់sach moanchickenseen on: menus

ត្រីtreifishseen on: menus

ម្ហូបបួសmhop buosvegetarian foodseen on: restaurant signs (unverified: wording varies, អាហារបួស is also used)

ហឹរhuespicyseen on: menus

តម្លៃdomlaipriceseen on: menus and price tags

ឥតគិតថ្លៃeit kit thlaifree of chargeseen on: shop offers

ឈប់chhupstopseen on: road signs, bus stops

ធនាគារthoneakiabankseen on: bank fronts, cash machines

ភោជនីយដ្ឋានphochoniyathanrestaurantseen on: restaurant signs

សណ្ឋាគារsanthaakiahotelseen on: hotel fronts

ផ្សារpsarmarketseen on: market gates and road signs

ផ្លូវphlovroad, streetseen on: street signs

ឆ្វេងchhvengleftseen on: road signs and directions

ស្តាំstaamrightseen on: road signs and directions

Basic Khmer phrases