Learn Khmer (Cambodian)
Learn Khmer fast with an app that gets you speaking in minutes. Build the confidence to chat with family and friends across Cambodia, or get by more easily in daily life there.
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Learn to speak Khmer like a local
Many people want to learn the Khmer language to connect with Cambodian family and friends, settle into daily life in Cambodia, or explore Khmer culture during their travels in the country. But many resources focus on reading and writing first, rather than helping you build the speaking and listening skills you need from day one.
uTalk is the solution. We’ll help you avoid:
- Wrestling with unfamiliar script before learning a single useful phrase
- Relying on textbooks instead of listening to native speaker audio
- Losing confidence because you have no way of checking your pronunciation
Learn Khmer online today and start joining in with everyday conversations.
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Three steps to learn Khmer fast
No classes to schedule. No confusing jargon. Just a clear path to learning Khmer.
Start in minutes
Subscribe now, download the app or open the web app. Choose Khmer and select your first category.
Get StartedPractise real phrases
Work through short lessons with native speaker audio and memory-boosting games. Reviews focus on the words you find hardest, so you learn faster.
Speak like a local
Try your Khmer in real life. Beginners and more experienced learners can build practical spoken language and start enjoying real conversations across Cambodia.
Why uTalk is the best Khmer learning app
uTalk helps you recognise and use a wide variety of essential Khmer words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
Speak first
Practical content covering greetings, travel, work and daily life. Everything you need to start speaking from day one.
Authentic speakers
Learn from real Khmer speakers, not computer voices. Hear the language exactly as it's spoken across Cambodia.
Beginner friendly, fun and effective
Game-like practice builds your confidence and listening skills. Lessons are short, focused and based on real-life situations.
Learn Khmer online — Common phrases and audio
uTalk helps you learn how to speak and recognise key words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
ខ្ញុំសូមកាហ្វេមួយ ។
khjom saum cafe mouy.
I’d like a coffee, please.
សួស្ដី!
Sour Sdey
Hello.
បាទ (ចាស)!
Bat (chas)!
Yes.
បាទ (ចាស) អរគុណ!
Bat (chas) arkun!
Yes please.
អត់ទេ ។
Ort te.
No.
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អត់ទេ អរគុណ ។
Ort te arkun.
No thanks.
សូម
Saum
Please.
អរគុណ!
Arkun
Thank you.
សូមអរគុណច្រើន ។
Saum arkun chreun
Thank you very much.
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មិនអីទេ!
Min ey te!
You’re welcome.
សូមប៊ីយែរពីរកែវ ។
Saum bier pi kaev.
Two beers, please.
ឡានក្រុង
Lan krong
bus
កូនឡាន
Kaun lan
car
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តាក់ស៊ី
Taxi
taxi
រទេះភ្លើង
Rotes pleung
train
ស្ថានីយ៍រទេះភ្លើង
Sthany rotes pleung
railway station
ព្រលានយន្តហោះ
Prolean yon hos
airport
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សណ្ឋាគារ
Santhakea
hotel
លិខិតឆ្លងដែន
Likhit chhlang den
passport
ទូរស័ព្ទ
Tu-rosapp
telephone
សូមអត់ទោស ។
Saum ot tos.
Excuse me.
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តើម៉ោងប៉ន្មានហើយ?
Teu maung pun man heuy?
What time is it?
សូមអ្នកនិយាយម្តងទៀតបានទេ?
Saum neak niyeay mdong tiet ban te?
Can you repeat that please?
សូមនិយាយយឺតបន្តិច ។
Saum niyeay yeut bantic.
Please speak more slowly.
ខ្ញុំអត់យល់ទេ!
Khjom ort yol te!
I don’t understand.
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សូមទោស!
Saum tos!
Sorry.
បន្ទប់ទឹកនៅឯណា?
Bantub teok nov aena?
Where are the toilets?
បន្ទប់ទឹកស្រី
Bantub teok srey
Ladies’ Toilet
បន្ទប់ទឹកប្រុស
Bantub teok bros
Gents’ Toilet
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តើមាត់សមុទ្រនៅឯណា?
Teu moat samot nov aena?
Where is the beach?
តើធនាគារនៅឯណា?
Teu thor-nea-kea nov aena?
Where is the bank?
តើថ្លៃប៉ុន្មាន?
Teu thlai punman?
How much does this cost?
កាតឥណទាន
Card innatean
credit card
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អេធីអិម
ATM
cash machine
លាសិនហើយ ។
Lea sin heuy.
Goodbye.
ថ្នាំប៉ារ៉ា
Thnamm para
paracetamol
កូនសោ
Kaun sou
keys
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ផែនទី
Paenti
map
ឆ្វេង
Chhveng
left
ស្តាំ
Sdamm
right
មួយ
Muoy
one
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ពីរ
Pi
two
បី
Bei
three
Where is it spoken?
Cambodia
Number of speakers
16,000,000
Language family
Austroasiatic
Mon-Khmer
Eastern Mon-Khmer
Fun facts | Khmer
- Khmer is written without spaces, and consonants are stacked on top of each other.
- Basic numbers only exist for 1 to 5, so 6 is 5 + 1, 7 is 5 + 2, 8 is 5 + 3 etc.
- There is a separate word for 'yes' depending on whether you're a man - 'bat' - or a woman - 'chas'.
How our Khmer lessons work
Learning the Cambodian language should feel straightforward and simple from the start. Begin with greetings and high-frequency words, then move into practical categories covering family, food and everyday phrases. Every word you hear is voiced by native speakers, helping you quickly become familiar with the language's sounds and rhythms. Each word or phrase is paired with a picture to create stronger memories, and the lessons test what you've learned to boost your recall. Reviews adapt to focus on the words you find trickiest so you can make fast progress.
Pick a category and the app organises the content so you get quick wins early on. You'll be practising and improving your pronunciation right from the start, so you quickly build confidence. Slow down the native speaker audio whenever you want to focus on finer pronunciation details, and save your favourite words in the in-app phrasebook for easy access. Follow a guided learning path or choose for yourself what to learn and when. Switch categories any time, learn online or offline, on mobile or desktop. If you have any questions, just get in touch with our support team—they're always happy to help.
Khmer vs. Thai
Khmer and Thai share a border and have a long history of contact — but how similar are the two languages?
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Key points
- Khmer and Thai are neighbouring languages that are often grouped together, partly because Cambodia and Thailand share a border and partly because Khmer has historically influenced Thai vocabulary and the Thai writing system.
- But the two languages aren't related: Khmer belongs to the Austroasiatic family, while Thai belongs to the Kra-Dai family, and speakers of one can't generally understand the other.
- In uTalk, Khmer is taught as its own language, separate from Thai, so you can focus on the version actually spoken across Cambodia.
Khmer and its Southeast Asian neighbours
- Khmer is spoken across Cambodia, but mainland Southeast Asia is home to a number of other major languages.
- Whether you have connections elsewhere in the region or simply want to explore further, uTalk also offers Thai, Lao, Burmese and Vietnamese.
“We help make learning Khmer easy.”
“We understand it can feel daunting to tackle a language with its own script and unfamiliar sounds, especially when many resources jump straight to writing. At uTalk, we believe speaking comes first, which is why we recorded native Khmer speakers, so you can hear exactly how the language is genuinely spoken, not just how it's written in a textbook.”
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Richard Howeson
uTalk Founder
Why learners trust uTalk for Khmer
At uTalk, we are passionate about supporting languages that other apps often overlook. Our Khmer content is recorded by native speakers, so every lesson gives you audio you can trust.
The app works for English speakers and for speakers of more than 140 other languages. Check our reviews and see how learners are turning daily practice into real progress.
Your Khmer language learning journey
Maybe you've got Khmer-speaking family members you want to connect with. Maybe you're moving to Phnom Penh or you're planning to travel across the country. Finding lessons that focus on real spoken Khmer, rather than dense writing drills, can feel like a challenge.
Get StarteduTalk can help. Take your first proper look at Khmer with First Words like អរគុណ (arkoun, thank you), then build everyday phrases you can use in real situations. You'll listen to native Khmer speakers, record yourself copying them and compare the two. Game-like practice makes it fun for beginners, while practical content helps more experienced learners fill gaps in their knowledge. Learn online or offline, follow a guided path or choose for yourself what to work on and when.
The outcome is simple. You'll speak Khmer with confidence and understand more of what people say around you. You'll use your new skills with family, friends and new connections across Cambodia. uTalk fits your life.
Learn real-life categories in Khmer
Explore the Austroasiatic language family
Khmer belongs to the Austronesian language family, which stretches from eastern India across mainland Southeast Asia. Its best-known relative is Vietnamese, although the two languages have developed in very different directions over the centuries.
Vietnamese is tonal and written in a Latin-based alphabet, while Khmer has its own script and a very different sound system, so learning one won't unlock the other.
Get StartedYour Khmer questions, answered
Do you offer live online classes or is it just an app?
uTalk is an app and online language learning software. Lessons are digital, short and practical. If you want a tutor, the app still helps you prepare for class and review between sessions.
Can I start as a beginner?
Yes. The course begins with basic greetings and everyday words and phrases and takes you to an A1–A2 level on the CEFR scale. Some of our topics even cover material you’d learn as you grow your skills to B1 or B2.
What application languages do you support? Can I learn without English?
Yes. uTalk works for speakers of more than 140 languages. Choose the one that suits you in Settings.
How is content selected and ordered?
Topics are based on real-life situations. You can select any category and the app suggests a smart learning order for beginners. You can change it at any time.
How does uTalk compare with YouTube lessons?
YouTube can be useful, but it’s hard to check pronunciation or get structured reviews. uTalk gives you native speaker audio, games that test tricky words more often and a clear path from basic to practical use.
Is Khmer the same as Cambodian?
Khmer is the name of the language spoken in Cambodia. ‘Cambodian’ is sometimes used informally to refer to the language, but it can also refer more broadly to anything from Cambodia. In uTalk, you’ll find the language listed as Khmer.
Is Khmer related to Thai?
No, despite the two sharing a border and some historical influence on vocabulary and script. Khmer belongs to the Austroasiatic family while Thai belongs to the Kra-Dai family, and they aren't mutually intelligible.
What dialect of Khmer does uTalk teach?
We teach standard Khmer, based on the variety spoken in Cambodia’s Central Plains. It is widely understood across the country, including by speakers of other Khmer dialects.
How fast can I learn to speak Khmer?
Short, regular sessions work best. Many learners can handle simple conversations after a few weeks of steady practice. Your progress depends on how often you use the app and how much you review.
Can I learn Khmer for free with uTalk?
Yes. Getting started with uTalk is easy, and you can cancel whenever you want. We want you to love uTalk, so we even offer a 28-Day Money Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied.
Where can I learn Khmer with uTalk?
We’re available on iOS, Android, web, Mac and PC. Get started now and you’ll be directed to download uTalk for your device.
Topics
- First Words
- Transport
- Restaurant
- Food and Drink
- Cooking
- Places
- Directions
- Illness
- Doctor
- Body
- Emergencies
- Social Phrases
- Leisure
- Likes and Dislikes
- Football Match Abroad
- Football Commentary
- Sports
- Shopping Words
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Clothes
- Ingredients
- Home
- Bathroom
- Kitchen
- Tools
- Family
- Occupations
- Animals
- Animals' Bodies
- Farming
- Technology
- School
- Business
- Numbers up to Twenty
- Numbers up to Ten Million
- Essential Phrases
- Adjectives
- Prepositions
- Colours
- Countries
- Calendar
- Time
- Timetable
- Outdoors
- Holiday
- Skiing
- Camping
- Golf
- Sailing
- Driving
- Olympics
- Summer Olympics
- Winter Olympics
- Military Commands
- Military Peace Keeping
- Military Intelligence
- Accommodation
- Shopping Phrases
- Travelling
- Free Starter Words
- Disaster Relief - Volunteers
- Natural Disasters
Get by with basic greetings, words and phrases including 'hello', 'thank you' and 'I'd like a coffee please'.