How to say “already” in Khmer · particle

When to use it

Finished something? Stick ហើយ (haey) on the end. That’s “already.”

• ▶
  Haey

  ហើយ · already
• ▶
  Nham

  ញ៉ាំ · eat
• •
  Nham bay haey

  ញ៉ាំបាយហើយ · I’ve eaten already.

Not yet: មិនទាន់ (min toan)

Haven’t done it? Say មិនទាន់ (min toan) before the verb, and ទេ (te) at the end.

• ▶
  Min toan

  មិនទាន់ · not yet
• •
  Min toan nham te

  មិនទាន់ញ៉ាំទេ · I haven’t eaten yet.

The big question: haey reu nov?

Khmer people ask this all day. …ហើយឬនៅ? (haey reu nov?) means “…already, or not yet?”

• •
  Nham bay haey reu nov?

  ញ៉ាំបាយហើយឬនៅ? · Have you eaten yet?
• •
  Nham haey

  ញ៉ាំហើយ · Yes, I’ve eaten.
• •
  Min toan te

  មិនទាន់ទេ · Not yet.

Learn this one question and you have a real conversation starter.

Haey vs baan

• បាន (baan) before a verb = it happened: ខ្ញុំបានទៅផ្សារ (khnhom baan teuv psaa) “I went to the market.”
• ហើយ (haey) at the end = it’s done already: ខ្ញុំទៅផ្សារហើយ (khnhom teuv psaa haey) “I’ve already been to the market.”
• Use both for extra punch: ខ្ញុំបានទៅផ្សារហើយ (khnhom baan teuv psaa haey).

• ▶
  Baan

  បាន · did / got
• ▶
  Teuv

  ទៅ · go

Say these next

• ▶
  Ach

  អាច · can / be able to

Asking permission? Say បានទេ? (baan te?) — “Can I?” →