18+ Easy Terms: Country And Nationality In Khmer

In the search for the terms used to describe a country and nationality in Khmer? We got you covered! In today’s post, we will walk you through all the best words to use and give you pronunciation tips too related to ប្រទេស (brates) and សញ្ជាតិ (sanhcheate). Having knowledge of this can certainly help you introduce yourself better to the locals. Ready to learn more? Read on below!

Learning a new language always opens the door to interacting with native speakers or people who are also learning the same language. Just like learning the Khmer language, if you have an opportunity to speak to Khmer people, they surely ask where you come from. So you would impress them by saying your nationality in Khmer. But wait, before jumping into the whole list, let us share a bit about Cambodia with you.

Country And Nationality In Khmer

Languages In Khmer

Introduce Yourself In Khmer

Example 1

• ខ្ញុំមកពីប្រទេសអាល្លឺម៉ង់ [khnhom mok pi brates aleumang] I came from Germany

Example 2

• ខ្ញុំមិននិយាយភាសាកូរ៉េទេ [khnhom min niyeay pheasa kore te] I do not speak Korean
• ខ្ញុំនិយាយភាសាអ៊ីតាលី [khnhom niyeay pheasa itali] I speak Italian

Cambodia At A Glance

Are you familiar with the name Angkor Wat? Contrary to common belief, this place is not located in Thailand. In fact, you can find it in Cambodia, where it’s hailed as the world’s largest religious monument and the country’s previous capital. To head over here, you can simply cross the border from Thailand by walking. From there, take a local taxi to Siem Reap, and enjoy the next sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Where Is Cambodia Located?

Based on the above, you can already guess that Cambodia (also known as កម្ពុជា or Kampuchea) is close to Thailand. Since it is part of Indochina, it is also very near Laos and Vietnam. What connects these four countries is the Mekong River. The country’s capital is Phnom Penh, which is known as the busiest place for locals and tourists. Basically, Phnom Penh is where you can find some of the best architectural pieces which reflect the country’s history and the locals’ beliefs.

Currently, Cambodia’s population is over 15 million making it quite an overpopulated country. Apart from Khmer people, there are Vietnamese, Chinese, and other ethnic minorities such as the ethnic Khmer Loeu residing in the country.

What Is Cambodia’s Real Name?

Until now, many are still confused about what to call Cambodia’s people. We will clarify that by going over some parts of Cambodian history.

The official name of Cambodia is the Kingdom of Cambodia. If you want to sound close to the native people, you could pronounce it as Kampuchea. Throwback to the past, the term Cambodia was found on the stone inscription during the ninth century. Due to that, they chose to define the land as a country with the term Cambodia.

Interestingly, historians referred to Cambodia as the Khmer Empire or Angkorian Empire from the ninth to the fifteenth century. If you remember, we mentioned that Angkor Wat is the old capital, so there is no surprise people used to call Angkorian Empire.

On the other hand, Khmer is the first word found on the stone inscription during the 7th century. Moreover, evidence shows that people specify Cambodia’s inhabitants, language, and nationality with the term Khmer. At the same time, in 2015, the Cambodian government announced their official language as Khmer. Also, their national IDs are mentioned as Khmer Identity Card. And looking closely at their currency, it is KHR or Khmer Riel.

Is It Cambodian Or Khmer?

Generally, you can say both Cambodian and Khmer relating its people and their language. Everyone will get the same message because Cambodian is just another term for Khmer. So if you want to talk about people, nationality, and language, you can say Khmer and Cambodian. On the other hand, if you define the country, so say Cambodia.

Summary

Whether planning to visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia or learn Khmer for fun, the first question people usually come up to you is about the country you are originally from. We bet locals will be impressed when you answer them in Khmer. It is never too late to collect more Khmer vocabulary, so you will be ready to introduce yourself when meeting Khmer people. Remember that practicing every day is the best way to memorize new words faster.

Learn Khmer Faster With The Ling App

Are you planning to visit Asia and go backpacking around after the pandemic? We bet Cambodia would be a must-visit country on your list. So do not waste your time confused on the sidewalk of Kampuchea. Whether going to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, it is better to learn and use daily Khmer vocabulary.

Let us introduce you to a more brilliant way to learn Khmer more efficiently than before. Especially if you will travel to Cambodia any time soon, we suggest you download the Ling App from Apple Store and Google Play Store for free. Then you will not miss out on our fantastic features like speaking practice, pronunciation recheck, and the most proudly present chatbot. You can prepare a daily conversation anywhere and get familiar with the native accent.

Ready to become proficient in Khmer and 60+ other languages? Learn more about Ling App’s features and download it today!