Khmer language – just a bit grammar

Actually there is no grammar in Khmer, at least not in the sense that we are used to in our language. The words are simply strung together without any diffraction. A sentence like: ”I’m sorry, I have not understood” is in Khmer “at-tooh khgnom men yul tea” which literally means – “Sorry, I not understood no”.

Past and future are indicated with additional Words such as yesterday or tomorrow. Khmer consists of 33 consonants, 24 vowels and combinations known as diphthongs. Diphthongs of two different vowels as well as 14 initial vowels (Pali and Sanskrit-words) and various additions and signs.

Khmer probably has the most letters among the world’s alphabets

The Khmer alphabet is one of the largest alphabets in the world. There is no real unified spelling of the sounds and often words are also pronounced differently, as they are written.
It’s interesting that women and men use different words for “yes” . Women say “djah” and men say “baat”. The word “No” is the same for both men and women and means “tea”.

For son and daughter there are no specific words. A daughter is simple woman-child ”con-Srey” and a son is a man-child “con-Proh”.

Here is a household name in Khmer script. Who knows what he means?

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