Everything You Need To Learn Khmer

Everything You Need To Learn Khmer

Khmer (also known as Cambodian) is the official language of Cambodia, spoken by some 15 million people. It’s part of the Mon-Khmer language family that includes Mon and Vietnamese.

The Khmer language is written using the Khmer alphabet, which is based on the Tamil-Brahmi script – an abugida, which means that each letter represents a consonant plus an inherent vowel.

uTalk over 150 languages - 20% off discount

Unlike many of the other Mon-Khmer languages, which are tonal, Khmer is not; this means that there are no tones or inflections in the language that change word meaning.

If you’re thinking of learning Khmer, you’ll find that there isn’t much in the way of suitable learning materials. Below is everything we could find.

Khmer Language Learning Books

A good place to start learning Khmer is with a beginner’s Khmer course book that packs all the essentials into an easy-to-follow format. You’ll learn all the language basics like vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, building a solid foundation from which to expand your knowledge with native-language material.

Grab yourself a Khmer dictionary and phrasebook while you’re at it, as this will be invaluable during your language journey. This type of book will introduce you to the most common words and phrases you need to get around Cambodia.

As Khmer uses a writing system that’s probably alien to you, it might be wise to get a Khmer alphabet practice work book to get comfortable writing in the language.

Khmer Children’s Books

Khmer children’s books are a good way to get familiar with the Khmer language and structure, and they’re also great for improving your reading comprehension in the language.

Khmer-language books for kids often use short, simple sentences to get the story across, and they tend to use a lot of repetition, making them ideal for beginners.

Khmer Digital Courses

Having a Khmer language course that is taught through audio and video offers several benefits over traditional books. You’ll pick up the language much faster, plus you can pause or rewind as often as needed to ensure complete comprehension.

Khmer audio/video courses are great for getting beginners speaking and understanding the language in a short space of time. This makes them perfect for those planning a trip to Cambodia in the near future, as they’ll be able to use their new skills to communicate with the locals.

Udemy’s Khmer course is an extremely affordable option that comes with 3.5 hours of video instruction and plenty of downloadable worksheets. As standard, you get lifetime access and the ability to use the course on or offline, on any device.

KHMER UDEMY COURSES

Udemy Khmer