Signification
Commenting on a high price.
Contexte culturel
The 'Two-Price' system is common. Vendors often quote a higher price to foreigners. Using 'Thlay Nas' shows you understand the local economy. Bargaining is a social interaction. It's not just about the money; it's about the conversation. Never get angry while saying something is expensive. Fixed prices are becoming more common in malls and supermarkets. Don't use 'Thlay Nas' as a bargaining tool in places like Aeon Mall. The word 'Thlay' is also used in the word for 'Liver' (ថ្លើម - Thlaem), which is culturally seen as the seat of courage and value.
The 'Oho' Factor
Start your sentence with 'Oho!' to sound more like a native. 'Oho! Thlay nas!'
Don't be aggressive
If you say it too loudly or with a mean face, the seller might refuse to sell to you at all.
Signification
Commenting on a high price.
The 'Oho' Factor
Start your sentence with 'Oho!' to sound more like a native. 'Oho! Thlay nas!'
Don't be aggressive
If you say it too loudly or with a mean face, the seller might refuse to sell to you at all.
Gendered endings
Women often add 'Ona' at the end to sound softer: 'Thlay nas ona!'
Teste-toi
Choose the correct word order to say 'This shirt is very expensive.'
អាវនេះ _______ _______
In Khmer, the adjective (ថ្លៃ - expensive) comes before the intensifier (ណាស់ - very).
Complete the market dialogue.
Seller: ត្រីនេះ ១០០០០ រៀល។ Buyer: អូ! ________! ៨០០០ បានទេ?
The buyer is asking for a lower price (8000), so they should first express that the original price (10000) is 'very expensive'.
Match the Khmer phrase with its English meaning.
1. ថ្លៃណាស់, 2. ថោកណាស់, 3. ចុះថ្លៃបានទេ?, 4. ថ្លៃពេក
ថ្លៃ (expensive), ថោក (cheap), ចុះថ្លៃ (discount), ពេក (too).
Fill in the blank with the correct intensifier for 'Really/Truly expensive'.
ឡាននេះថ្លៃ_______។
'មែនទែន' (men ten) means 'really' or 'truly' and is used for high emphasis.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Intensifiers for 'Thlay'
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesអាវនេះ _______ _______
In Khmer, the adjective (ថ្លៃ - expensive) comes before the intensifier (ណាស់ - very).
Seller: ត្រីនេះ ១០០០០ រៀល។ Buyer: អូ! ________! ៨០០០ បានទេ?
The buyer is asking for a lower price (8000), so they should first express that the original price (10000) is 'very expensive'.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
ថ្លៃ (expensive), ថោក (cheap), ចុះថ្លៃ (discount), ពេក (too).
ឡាននេះថ្លៃ_______។
'មែនទែន' (men ten) means 'really' or 'truly' and is used for high emphasis.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's a standard part of market culture. Just keep your tone friendly.
No, that would be very strange. Use 'mean tamlai' if you want to say someone is valuable.
'Nas' means very, 'Pek' means too/excessively. Use 'Pek' if you definitely won't buy it.
No, Khmer often omits the verb 'to be' with adjectives.
Say 'Choh ban te?' (Can you lower it?)
In formal reports, 'មានតម្លៃខ្ពស់' (mean tamlai khpuos) is preferred.
Yes, repeating 'nas' adds even more emphasis, common in texting.
Then say 'តម្លៃសមរម្យ' (tamlai som rom) - reasonable price.
No, Khmer adjectives never change for plurality.
Yes, 'Thlay sahav' (brutally expensive) is popular with youth.
Expressions liées
ថោកណាស់
contrastVery cheap
ចុះថ្លៃបានទេ?
builds onCan you lower the price?
មានតម្លៃ
similarValuable
ថ្លៃពេក
specialized formToo expensive
ហួសថ្លៃ
specialized formOverpriced
