1.4 The Question Words for “What and Where”
The word for “what” is “Ey”. Sometimes it is pronounced A-vey, a formal word. In contrast to English, it comes at the end of a sentence.
Examples:
- Neak[1] chmuah ey? “What is your name?”
The word for “where” is “Naa”. Like “Ey”, this question word comes at the end of the sentence.
Examples:
- Neak mook bpii bprɔɔ-dteh naa? “Where are you from?”
Test Yourself
1. Speaking
Suppose you do not know the people in the pictures, how would you ask the following questions in Cambodian?
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What’s her name? _________________ Where is she from? _________________ |
What’s her name? _______________ Where is she from? _______________ |
2. Listening
Listen to the conversation between Smith (A) and Sokha (B) and then indicate the order of the sentences by dragging a number to its corresponding sentence.
3. Reading
[1] The word “Neak“ is the general term for “you”. It is commonly used by both genders of the same age.
[2] “Lia-sən-haəy” is informal for “good-bye”. The formal and polite good-bye is “Jom-riab-lia”
