A1 Basic Verbs 1 min read Leicht

Stative Verbs as Adjectives

Als gelernt markieren
Jetzt üben

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Khmer, many words that translate to English adjectives are actually verbs, so you don't need a 'to be' verb.

  • Use the verb directly after the subject: 'The house is big' becomes 'House big'.
  • Negate with 'min... te': 'House not big' becomes 'ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ'.
  • Ask questions by adding 'te' at the end: 'House big?' becomes 'ផ្ទះធំទេ?'.
Noun + Stative Verb (+ ទេ for negation/question)

Stative Verb Sentence Structure

Type Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + Verb
ផ្ទះធំ (House big)
Negative
Subject + មិន + Verb + ទេ
ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ (House not big)
Question
Subject + Verb + ទេ?
ផ្ទះធំទេ? (House big?)
Very
Subject + Verb + ខ្លាំង
ផ្ទះធំខ្លាំង (House very big)
Not very
Subject + មិនសូវ + Verb + ទេ
ផ្ទះមិនសូវធំទេ (House not very big)
Comparison
Subject + Verb + ជាង
ផ្ទះធំជាង (House bigger)

Meanings

Khmer uses stative verbs to express qualities or states of being. Unlike English, these verbs function as the main predicate without a copula.

1

Describing qualities

Expressing physical or abstract attributes of a noun.

“ផ្ទះនេះធំ (This house is big)”

“អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់ (This food is delicious)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Stative Verbs as Adjectives
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
S + V
ខ្ញុំសប្បាយ (I am happy)
Negative
S + មិន + V + ទេ
ខ្ញុំមិនសប្បាយទេ (I am not happy)
Question
S + V + ទេ?
អ្នកសប្បាយទេ? (Are you happy?)
Intensifier
S + V + ខ្លាំង
ខ្ញុំសប្បាយខ្លាំង (I am very happy)
Comparison
S + V + ជាង
ខ្ញុំសប្បាយជាង (I am happier)
Softened
S + មិនសូវ + V + ទេ
ខ្ញុំមិនសូវសប្បាយទេ (I am not very happy)

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់ពិសា។

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់ពិសា។ (Dining)

Neutral
អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់។

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់។ (Dining)

Informell
ម្ហូបនេះឆ្ងាញ់។

ម្ហូបនេះឆ្ងាញ់។ (Dining)

Umgangssprache
ម្ហូបនេះម៉ាអែម!

ម្ហូបនេះម៉ាអែម! (Dining)

Stative Verb Clusters

Stative Verbs

Size

  • ធំ big
  • តូច small

Taste

  • ឆ្ងាញ់ delicious
  • ជូរ sour

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

ផ្ទះនេះធំ។

This house is big.

2

សៀវភៅនេះល្អ។

This book is good.

3

គាត់ស្អាត។

She is beautiful.

4

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់។

This food is delicious.

1

ផ្ទះនេះមិនធំទេ។

This house is not big.

2

សៀវភៅនេះល្អទេ?

Is this book good?

3

គាត់មិនស្អាតទេ។

She is not beautiful.

4

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់ទេ?

Is this food delicious?

1

ផ្ទះនេះធំខ្លាំងណាស់។

This house is very big.

2

សៀវភៅនេះល្អជាងសៀវភៅនោះ។

This book is better than that one.

3

គាត់មិនសូវស្អាតទេ។

She is not very beautiful.

4

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់បន្តិច។

This food is a little delicious.

1

ផ្ទះនេះធំល្មមសម្រាប់គ្រួសារខ្ញុំ។

This house is big enough for my family.

2

សៀវភៅនេះល្អគួរឱ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍។

This book is interestingly good.

3

គាត់ស្អាតបែបធម្មជាតិ។

She is naturally beautiful.

4

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់លើសពីការរំពឹងទុក។

This food is delicious beyond expectations.

1

ផ្ទះនេះធំធេងណាស់។

This house is immense.

2

សៀវភៅនេះល្អឥតខ្ចោះ។

This book is perfect.

3

គាត់ស្អាតប្រៀបដូចជាទេពអប្សរ។

She is as beautiful as an Apsara.

4

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់កម្ររកបាន។

This food is rarely delicious.

1

ផ្ទះនេះធំសម្បើមអស្ចារ្យ។

This house is magnificently huge.

2

សៀវភៅនេះល្អលើសលប់។

This book is overwhelmingly good.

3

គាត់ស្អាតផូរផង់។

She is radiantly beautiful.

4

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់ពិសា។

This food is exquisite.

Leicht verwechselbar

Stative Verbs as Adjectives vs. Stative vs Dynamic Verbs

Learners often try to use 'កំពុង' with stative verbs.

Stative Verbs as Adjectives vs. គឺ vs Stative Verbs

Learners think 'គឺ' is mandatory for all sentences.

Stative Verbs as Adjectives vs. ទេ vs ដែរ

Learners mix up the negative particle and the 'also' particle.

Häufige Fehler

✗

ផ្ទះគឺធំ

✓

ផ្ទះធំ

Do not use 'គឺ' (is) with stative verbs.
✗

ផ្ទះមិនធំ

✓

ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ

Negation requires 'ទេ' at the end.
✗

ផ្ទះធំ?

✓

ផ្ទះធំទេ?

Questions need the 'ទេ' particle.
✗

ខ្ញុំកំពុងធំ

✓

ខ្ញុំធំ

Stative verbs don't take 'កំពុង' (progressive).
✗

ផ្ទះនេះគឺធំ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំ

Still adding 'គឺ' unnecessarily.
✗

ផ្ទះមិនធំខ្លាំង

✓

ផ្ទះមិនធំខ្លាំងទេ

Negation must enclose the verb phrase.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំជាងនោះទេ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំជាងនោះ

Don't add 'ទេ' to comparisons.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំជាងគឺផ្ទះនោះ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំជាងផ្ទះនោះ

Avoid unnecessary copulas in comparisons.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំខ្លាំងណាស់ទេ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំខ្លាំងណាស់

Don't add 'ទេ' to intensifiers.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំដែរ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំដែរ

This is actually correct, but often misused.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំឥតខ្ចោះទេ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំឥតខ្ចោះ

Absolute adjectives don't take negation.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំសម្បើមគឺ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំសម្បើម

Avoid dangling copulas.
✗

ផ្ទះនេះធំប្រៀបដូចជាទេ

✓

ផ្ទះនេះធំប្រៀបដូចជា...

Incomplete comparison.

Satzmuster

___ នេះ ___ ។

___ នេះមិន ___ ទេ ។

___ នេះ ___ ទេ?

___ នេះ ___ ជាង ___ ។

Real World Usage

Texting constant

ផ្ទះធំ!

Social Media very common

ស្អាតណាស់!

Job Interview common

ខ្ញុំល្អសម្រាប់ការងារនេះ។

Ordering Food very common

ឆ្ងាញ់ទេ?

Travel common

បន្ទប់នេះថ្លៃ។

Food Delivery App common

ឆ្ងាញ់ខ្លាំង។

💡

Drop the 'is'

Whenever you want to say 'is [adjective]', just say the adjective. Your brain will want to add 'is', but stop it!
⚠️

Don't forget 'ទេ'

In negative sentences, 'ទេ' is like the closing bracket. If you don't include it, the sentence feels incomplete.
🎯

Use intensifiers

Add 'ខ្លាំង' (very) after the verb to sound more natural and expressive.
💬

Be humble

When describing yourself, it's often better to use 'មិនសូវ' (not very) to avoid sounding boastful.

Smart Tips

Don't translate 'is'. Just say the noun and the quality.

ផ្ទះគឺធំ → ផ្ទះធំ

Always remember the 'ទេ' at the end.

ផ្ទះមិនធំ → ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ

Add 'ទេ' at the end of the statement.

ផ្ទះធំ → ផ្ទះធំទេ?

Use 'ជាង' after the verb.

ផ្ទះធំជាង → ផ្ទះនេះធំជាងផ្ទះនោះ

Aussprache

ធំ (thum) - low tone

Stative Verb Intonation

Stative verbs usually carry a falling or level tone depending on the vowel.

Question

ផ្ទះធំទេ? ↗

Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of the stative verb as a 'sticky' label you just slap onto the noun.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a big house with a giant sticker on it that says 'BIG' (ធំ). You don't need a glue stick (the word 'is') because the sticker is already sticky.

Rhyme

No 'is' or 'are' in the Khmer land, just put the verb right at hand.

Story

Sok is a builder. He looks at a house and says 'House big' (ផ្ទះធំ). He looks at a small hut and says 'House not big' (ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ). He asks his friend 'House big?' (ផ្ទះធំទេ?).

Word Web

ធំតូចល្អឆ្ងាញ់ស្អាតថ្លៃថោក

Herausforderung

Look at 5 objects in your room and describe them using [Noun] + [Stative Verb] in 5 minutes.

Kulturelle Hinweise

In Cambodia, modesty is valued. Over-describing oneself as 'good' (ល្អ) can be seen as arrogant.

Khmer stative verbs are indigenous to the Austroasiatic language family.

Gesprächseinstiege

“

អាហារនេះឆ្ងាញ់ទេ?

“

ផ្ទះអ្នកធំទេ?

“

សៀវភៅនេះល្អទេ?

“

ថ្ងៃនេះអាកាសធាតុល្អទេ?

Tagebuch-Impulse

Describe your room.
Describe your favorite food.
Describe your best friend.
Compare your city to another city.

Häufige Fehler

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

ផ្ទះនេះ ___ ។ (big)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ធំ
Stative verbs follow the noun directly.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

ផ្ទះគឺធំ។

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះធំ។
Remove 'គឺ'.
Choose the correct negative form. Multiple Choice

ផ្ទះនេះ ___ ។

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: មិនធំទេ
Negation needs 'មិន' and 'ទេ'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ
Subject + Negation + Verb + Particle.
Translate to Khmer. Übersetzung

Is it delicious?

Answer starts with: ឆ្ង...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ឆ្ងាញ់ទេ?
Add 'ទេ' for questions.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Subject: អាហារ, Verb: ឆ្ងាញ់

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: អាហារឆ្ងាញ់
Simple Subject + Verb.
Sort the words. Grammar Sorting

Positive vs Negative

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះធំ, ផ្ទះតូច
Positive sentences.
Match the adjective. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Small
Vocabulary match.

Score: /8

Ubungsaufgaben

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

ផ្ទះនេះ ___ ។ (big)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ធំ
Stative verbs follow the noun directly.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

ផ្ទះគឺធំ។

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះធំ។
Remove 'គឺ'.
Choose the correct negative form. Multiple Choice

ផ្ទះនេះ ___ ។

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: មិនធំទេ
Negation needs 'មិន' and 'ទេ'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

ទេ / ធំ / ផ្ទះ / មិន

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះមិនធំទេ
Subject + Negation + Verb + Particle.
Translate to Khmer. Übersetzung

Is it delicious?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ឆ្ងាញ់ទេ?
Add 'ទេ' for questions.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Subject: អាហារ, Verb: ឆ្ងាញ់

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: អាហារឆ្ងាញ់
Simple Subject + Verb.
Sort the words. Grammar Sorting

Positive vs Negative

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ផ្ទះធំ, ផ្ទះតូច
Positive sentences.
Match the adjective. Match Pairs

ធំ - Big, តូច - ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Small
Vocabulary match.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

No, stative verbs act as the verb.

Use 'មិន' before and 'ទេ' after.

Only for equating nouns, not adjectives.

Add 'ទេ' at the end.

They are verbs that function like adjectives.

Yes, they are standard.

It sounds incomplete or like a question.

No, Khmer has no gender agreement.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Japanese high

i-adjectives

Japanese has a specific class of adjectives, whereas Khmer treats them as verbs.

Chinese high

Adjectival verbs

Chinese requires 'hen' before the adjective in positive sentences.

Spanish low

Ser + Adjective

Spanish requires a copula verb.

French low

Être + Adjective

French requires a copula verb.

German low

Sein + Adjektiv

German requires a copula verb.

Arabic moderate

Nominal sentence

Arabic uses gender/number agreement, which Khmer does not.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Adjectives after Nouns

Related Grammar Rules

A1

Common Action Verbs
A2

Directional Verb Particle 'Vinh' (Back/Return)

Overview Welcome to one of the most useful little words in the Khmer language: `vinh`. If you have ever wanted to say "...
B1

Reciprocal Actions with 'knea' (Each other)

Overview Welcome to the heart of Khmer social life! In Cambodia, everything is better when done together. The word `kne...
Was this helpful?

Kommentare (0)

Zum Kommentieren Anmelden
Noch keine Kommentare. Sei der Erste, der seine Gedanken teilt!