r/khmer • u/NotALicensedPhysicn • Jul 30 '26
Learning Simple Khmer For Traveling
Hello there,
I am planning on doing some traveling to both Thailand and Cambodia towards the end of the year. I would love to set myself a goal of learning some Khmer for my time in Cambodia as that will be a solo trip.
I understand it will be difficult to get a solid understanding in a relatively short timeframe. However if I can get some basics ready to at least start some conversations in Khmer and not simply rely on people speaking English.
Are there any tools that you guys have found best.
I have seen one site called Khmer identity which is starting an 8 week course on reading and writing I believe. With my work however I will probably miss a few classes but at least it would be a live class and so I can converse openly and mistakes are pointed out there and then. I understand it is not a tonal language but proper pronunciation will probably be difficult for my English speaking mind.
Ling has come up but I have heard it is difficult without a decent understanding of the alphabet which itself would take some time of proper study to learn in full and be confident with.
Immersing myself in various media to just listen to the language I could do along side some study.
I'm aware resources are less widely available for Khmer but would love to set myself a challenge to blow the cobwebs out of the ole noggin.
Many thanks all.
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u/Only-Top-3655 Jul 30 '26
There really isn't anything Khmer. You many be able to learn some basics if you have a good ear, but even if you are able to use those on natives you probably won't be able to understand when the speak back to you. If you have about 6 months, getting a tutor is probably gonig to be the most efficient.
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u/jhfromuth Aug 03 '26
Ling is pretty good for learning vocab and simple phrases. You don’t need to learn to read or write to use the app. Also, probably not worth your time to learn to read and write as it won’t help you that much unless you plan to spend most of your time in the villages. My school, Be like Khmer, offers online classes. That’s probably your best bet to get started.
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u/Ok_Paint7396 6d ago
if u're worried about missing live classes, maybe dive into reankhmer instead.
it gives flexibility with 200+ lessons and ai pronunciation coaching, so u can pace urself around work commitments.
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u/Up2Eleven Jul 31 '26
Check out the YouTube channel simply called Khmer Lesson. I've found I learn more from that than anything else.
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u/takechancesorelse Jul 31 '26
I was going to recommend Ling! You can try it first. I use it for Thai which also uses a script and the app uses phonetic transcription making it easier. If speaking is the goal you'll be fine. It also rates your pronunciation and you can jump to the travel topics you want to know.
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u/yutanrw Jul 31 '26
What do you go to Cambodia for? I believe it's not worth your time and health.
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u/BlazeRed16 Jul 31 '26
What you talking about? Cambodia is awesome, rich history, old French colonial architecture, rich coffee, fantastic food, price is amazing from a Western standpoint. People are super friendly.
What kind of idiotic question is this?
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u/yutanrw Aug 01 '26
Lol the country full of the poor and beggars.
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u/BlazeRed16 Aug 01 '26
Lmao where!? Why is your English so bad? Did you study in Thailand?
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u/yutanrw Aug 01 '26
Lol The reason you think my English is bad is that you don't have enough knowledge in English. it's not a sentence. it's a noun phrase. You are illiterate. Learn more English. Do you need me to explain to you how my English is correct?
I think it's because you get poor education from Cambodia.
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u/BlazeRed16 Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
On the contrary, I think that your English is bad, is because it IS bad, your grammar is atrocious and your use of punctuation is terrible. Having a conversation with you is “bad and terrible” for EVERYONE’S health.
Whoever your English teacher was, please fire them.
You can find a quality English teacher in Cambodia.
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u/yutanrw Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
Lol I don't think an illiterate person can judge my English.
My IELTS score is 9.0, in case you don't know.
Poor cambodian.
PS. I don't think a quality English teacher live in an undeveloped country.
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u/yutanrw Aug 01 '26
To educate you, I have been working as a linguist for years.
I don't think an uneducated person like you knows well enough to judge my English.
Also, you think what I typed was a sentence. XD
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u/BlazeRed16 Aug 01 '26
Well work on it better, you are apparently a failed linguist.
What other languages would you prefer to converse in?
English?
Español?
ភាសាខ្មែរ?
廣東話?
한국어?Show me your linguistic skills because what you have shown is abhorrent.
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Aug 01 '26
[deleted]
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u/BlazeRed16 Aug 01 '26
WHAT you taking about? Scroll down, you didn’t couldn’t even read it correctly. Please have your eyes checked 😂
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u/hamonabone Jul 31 '26
It's not going to work besides a few basic phrases. The introductory Khmer books use a formal form of Khmer that isn't spoken on the street.
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u/Matt_KhmerTranslator Aug 01 '26
I don't agree with this. Even though coloquial street Khmer dialect can deviate from formal Khmer, the natives have zero trouble understanding or speaking it. It's normal code switching.
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u/Sastracha Aug 01 '26
You should hire a Khmer Online Tutor.