Riding a Tuk Tuk plus learning Khmer vocabulary about transportation (ការដឹកជញ្ជូន kar doekachonhchoun) to talk with the locals equals an unforgettable travel experience. Cambodia, unlike other countries, is still much carts and motorcycles as means of local transportation. One fact about Cambodia is that roads have never been excellent in Cambodia, but this won’t stop you from finding joy in your travel experience.
This blog will learn the different Khmer vocabulary about transportation that will help you make your whole trip memorable. These transport-related words and phrases will expand your vocabulary and fall in love with the Khmer language more.
Khmer Words About Transportation
Cambodian transport covers land, water, railroad, and air transportation. Riding public transportation in Cambodia is something that you must experience when you would like to go on a trip to their country. Here are examples of Khmer vocabulary about transportation that you must learn. Please take note that you must also learn the correct pronunciation because it is essential in spoken language.
Land Transport
Most of the transportation in Cambodia is through the land. Khmer vocabulary about transportation-related to land transport.
1. ទុកទុក (Tuk-Tuk)
English Translation: Tuk-Tuk Autorickshaw/ three-wheeled vehicle
Example Sentence: ខ្ញុំចង់ជិះរ៉ឺម៉កកង់បី khnhom chng chiah reumk kng bei – I want to ride a tuk-tuk.
Note: Tuk-Tuk is the most common public transport that you can use to go around the cities of Cambodia. These are two-wheel carriages being pulled out by motorbike. Just a tip, make sure to negotiate the price to avoid over-charging. Nowadays, they have this thing called PassApp, where you can find a tuk-tuk ride without haggling.
2. កង់ (Korng)
English Translation: bicycle
Example Sentence: ខ្ញុំ ជិះ កង់ ទៅ សា លា រៀន។ (Knhom chis korng tov sa la rean) -I ride a bicycle to school.
Note: Another popular mode of transport in Cambodia is bicycles. It is not expensive, and you can usually see this piled with firewood, roots, and greens.
3. ម៉ូតូ (Moto)
English Translation: motorcycle
Example Sentence: គាត់ ជិះ ម៉ូតូ ទៅ សួន សត្វ។ (Kot chis moto tov soun sat) -He rides a motorcycle to the zoo.
Note: If you plan to ride a motorcycle, you need to secure your safety because most drivers don’t carry spare helmets for passengers. Most of them also don’t know how to speak English, so learning some Khmer vocabulary about transportation and essential Khmer words and phrases would be helpful.
4. ឡាន (Lan)
English Translation: car
Example Sentence: ខ្ញុំ បើក ឡាន ទៅ ផ្សារ។ (Knhom beuk lan tov psa) -I drive a car to the market.
Note: Almost everyone will agree that having your car is an advantage when you travel. But, if you don’t have much budget to rent ( ជួល chuol), sharing a taxi can be an alternative.
5. តាក់ ស៊ី (Tak si)
English Translation: taxi
Example Sentence: នាង ទៅ ផ្សារ ទំ នើប តាម តាក់ ស៊ី។ (Neang tov psa tum neub tam tak si) -She goes to the supermarket by taxi.
Note: Taxis can be a costly mode of transport in Cambodia. If you want to use a taxi, you may need a ride with others. Just beware because you might get along with large families or people with food boxes and even chickens.
6. ឡាន ក្រុង (Lan krong)
English Translation: bus
Example Sentence: អ្នក ទៅ ផ្សា រតាម ឡាន ក្រុង។ (Nak tov psa tam lan krong) -You go to the market by bus.
Note: Not so long ago, Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city, welcomed its first local bus service. This is a new mode of transport in Cambodia which is why it only runs limited routes. What’s interesting about their bus transport is that you can download Stops Near Me app to see important information like the route and timetable. You can also use CamboTicket that will let you see reviews of international buses based on safety, reliability, and service, and they can book online.
Rail Transport
Cambodia’s transport system is continuously improving. Here is some Khmer vocabulary about transportation related to railroad transport.
1. រថ ភ្លើង (Rut pleung)
English Translation: train
Example Sentence: គាត់ ធ្វើ ដំណើរ តាម រថ ភ្លើង ទៅ ឆ្នេរ សមុទ្រ (Kot tveu domneu tam rut pleung tov chhne samot) -He travels by train to the beach.
Note: Cambodia’s railroad service was re-installed in 2016 after 14 years. This can be an alternative mode of transport for taxis and buses. Just a tip, if you have bicycles with you, it has additional charges when you bring them to the train.
2. រថ ភ្លើង ក្រោម ដី (Rut pleung krom dei)
English Translation: subway
Example Sentence: ពួក យើង ទៅ សាលា តាម រថ ភ្លើង ក្រោម ដី (Puk yerng tov sala tam rut pleung krom dei) – We go to school by subway.
Note: To reduce traffic congestion, the Phnom Penh authority is constructing three more subways. This will make public transport in the capital city more convenient for commuters.
3. រថភ្លើងឫស្សី (Rothaphleung ryssaei)
English Translation: Bamboo Train / Norry
Example Sentence: តើអ្នកចូលចិត្តជិះរថភ្លើងឬស្សីទេ? (tae anak chaulchett chiah rothaphleung ryy ssaei te?) – Do you enjoy riding a bamboo train?
Note: One of the most notable tourist attractions in Cambodia is the bamboo train in Battambang. Sadly, it was halted recently to give way to real rail operations.
Water Transportation
This is the commonly used long-distance mode of transport in Cambodia. Here is some Khmer vocabulary about transportation water transport.
1. សា ឡាង (Sa lang)
English Translation: ferry
Example Sentence: ខ្ញុំ កំ ពុង រង់ ចាំ សា ឡាង Knhom kom pong rong cham sa lang -I’m waiting for the ferry.
Note: Nowadays, Cambodia’s ferry services offer speed ferries that can easily travel in Cambodia and even to different countries. You can book your tickets and check the timetable online.
2. ទូក (Touk)
English Translation: Boat
Example Sentence: ស្ថិតនៅលើទូកនិងតោងអោយជាប់! sthetnow leu touk ning taong aoy cheab! –
Stay on the boat and hold on!
Note: Small boats are commonly used for short transport and sightseeing. Always ensure safety when riding small boats. They have their policy and terms for the safety of the passengers.
Air Transport
Traveling by plane is one of the most expensive yet fun means of transport in Cambodia. Here is some Khmer vocabulary about transportation air transport.
1. យន្ត ហោះ (Yun hors)
English Translation: plane
Example Sentence: យន្ដ ហោះ ចុះ នៅ ម៉ោង ១១ យប់ (Yun hors chos nov morng dobmouy yub) -The plane lands at 11 pm.
Note: Cambodia has its national airline called Angkor Air. This concentrates on serving tourist routes within Cambodia. When riding a plane, make sure to have all the data you need, like your boarding time, flight schedule, and other essential things.
Practice These Khmer Phrases and Sentences About Transportation
Now that you have learned the different transport vehicles in the Khmer language, it’s time to widen your Khmer vocabulary about transportation. Find time to practice both spoken and written the Khmer language. You must know how to pronounce each word right. Here is a list of Khmer phrases and sentences related to transportation:
| Khmer | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| ចំ ណត រថ ភ្លើង | Chom nort rut pleung | a train station |
| ចំ ណត ឡាន ក្រុង | Chom nort lan krong | a bus station |
| សំ បុត្រ រថ ភ្លើង | Som bot rut pleung | a train ticket |
| សំ បុត្រ ឡាន ក្រុង | Som bot lan krong | a bus ticket |
| ចេញ ដំ ណើរ | Jenh dom ner | to depart |
| មក ដល់ | Muk dol | to arrive |
| ហោះ ហើរ | Hors heu | to board |
| ចុះ ចត | Jos jot | to land |
| ឡើង | Leung | to get off |
| ចុះ | Chos | to get on |
| ជើង ហោះ ហើរ | Cheung hors heu | a flight |
| អា កា ស យា ន្ត ដ្ឋាន | Ah kas sa yean na than | airport |
| ក ន្លែង ចុះ ទូក | Kon laeng chos tuk | harbor |
| ប ន្ទាត់ | Bon tort | line |
| សំ បុត្រ យន្ត ហោះ | Som bot yun hors | a plane ticket |
| អ្នក ដំ ណើរ | Nak dom neu | a passenger |
| អ្នក លក់ សំ បុត្ | Nak luk som bot | a ticket seller |
| អ្នក បើក បរ | Nak berk bor | a driver |
| រថ ភ្លើង នេះ ចេញ ពី ចំ ណត នៅ ម៉ោង ១០ ព្រឺក | Rut pleung nis chenh pi chom nort nov morng dob prek | This train departs from the station at 10 am. |
| រថ ភ្លើង នេះ មក ដល់ ម៉ោង ២ ថ្ | Rut pleung nis muk dol morng pi tangai | This train arrives at the destination station at 2 pm. |
| សំ បុត្រ រថ ភ្លើង មាន ត ម្លៃ 100 $ | Som bot rut pleung mean dom lai mouyroy dola | The train ticket costs 100 dollars. |
| មិត្ដ ភក្តិ របស់ គាត់ ធ្វើ ដំ ណើរ តាម យន្ដ ហោះ | Met pheak robos kot tver dom neu tam yun hors | His friend travels by plane. |
| ឥ ឡូវ នេះ ខ្ញុំ នៅ អា កា ស យា ន្ដ ដ្ធាន | Ei lov nis knhom nov ah kas sa yean na than | I am at the airport now. |
| ម៉ោង ហោះ ហើរ គឺ ម៉ោង ពីរ ក ន្លះ ថ្ងៃ។ | Morng hors heu keu morng pi kon las tangai | Boarding time is at 2.30 pm. |
| ឥ ឡូវ នេះ ខ្ញុំ នៅ ចំ ណត ឡាន ក្រុង | Ei lov nis knhom nov chom nort lan krong | I am at the bus station now. |
| សំ បុត្រ ឡាន ក្រុង មាន ត ម្លៃ ២០ ដុ ល្លា | Som bot lan krong mean dom lai mophei do la | A bus ticket costs 20 dollars. |
| អ្នក លក់ សំ បុត្រ មាន លក់ សំ បុត្រ ឡានក្រុងនិង សំ បុត្រ រថ ភ្លើង | Nak luk som bot mean lok som bot lan krong neng som bot rot pleung | The ticket seller sells bus tickets and train tickets. |
| អ្នក បើក បរ ឈប់ នៅ ផ្សារ ទំ នើប | Nak beuk bor chhub nov psa tum neub | The bus driver stops at the supermarket. |
| រថ ភ្លើង ទី ១ ចេញ នៅ ម៉ោង ៥ ព្រឹក | Rot plerng ti 1 jenh nov morng 5 prik | The first train leaves at 5 am. |
| ក ន្លែង ចុះ ទូក នៅ ក្បែរ ចំ ណត រថ ភ្លើង។ | Kon laeng chos tuk nov kbae chom nort rut pleung | The harbor is near the train station. |
| ឡាន ក្រុង ប ន្ទាត់ ពណ៌ បៃ តង រត់ កាត់ ចំ ណត នេះ | Lan krong bon tort por bai torng rut tam chom nort nis | The green line bus passes this station. |
| ញុំ ចុះ ពី រថ ភ្លើង នៅ ចំ ណត ចុង ក្រោយ | Knhom chos pi rut pleung nov chom nort chong kroy | I get off the train at the final station. |
| ញុំ ឡើង ឡាន ក្រុង នៅ ចំ ណត ឡាន ក្រុង | Knhom leung lan krong nov chom nort lan krong | I get on the bus at the bus station. |
| រថ ភ្លើង ចុង ក្រោយ ចេញ នៅ ម៉ោង ១១ យប់ | Rut pleung chong kroy chenh nov morng dobmouy yub | The last train leaves at 11 pm. |
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