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Cambodians speak Khmer, which is pronounced "K'mai" or "Kmy"
The following is just a short simple list of a few words you might like to know as an adoptive parent. Goodbye - Lieh HAOY (LEE-uh howie) Thank you - Ah-kun Yes (females) - Chah Yes (males) - Baht No - Aht-tay Cambodian Currency - riel (like the english word "real") Child - Koun (cone) or K'chai Children - koun-k'chai Family - kruesa (crew-ess-AH) Parents - Mae-Eu Mommy - Mae (pronounced "my") Daddy - Eu (or) Pa Grandma - Yiey (between yee-ay and "yay") Grandpa - Taa Older brother - Bong proh Younger brother - P'ohn proh Older sister - Bong srei (the ei sounds like the letter 'A') Younger sister - P'ohn srei Boy child/son - Kaun-proh (the "kaun" is pronounced like "cone") Girl child/daughter - Kaun-srei I love you very much - Knyom sraw-line ne-uh nah (the 'n' in Knyom is so slightly pronounced that it is often not even picked up) This list is courtesy of Ngasha Beck-Huy, author of "Children of Sovanna-Phum, The Golden Land of Cambodia". For additional Khmer vocabulary click here
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