Signification
Refusing or not agreeing.
Contexte culturel
In Cambodia, saying 'min prom' directly can be seen as quite strong. People often prefer to say 'It's difficult' (pi-bak) to avoid a direct refusal. In a business meeting, if a partner says 'min prom,' it's a sign that the negotiation has hit a serious wall. It's time to offer a concession. Younger Cambodians use 'ot prom' (the casual version) very frequently on social media to disagree with memes or opinions. In Khmer law, 'min yol prom' is the official term used when a defendant does not plead guilty or agree to a settlement.
The 'Te' Rule
Always add 'te' (ទេ) at the end of your sentence to sound like a native speaker. 'Khnhom min prom' sounds like a robot; 'Khnhom min prom te' sounds like a person.
Don't be too blunt
If you say 'min prom' too loudly or quickly, it can sound angry. Soften it with a smile or a 'som toh' (sorry).
Signification
Refusing or not agreeing.
The 'Te' Rule
Always add 'te' (ទេ) at the end of your sentence to sound like a native speaker. 'Khnhom min prom' sounds like a robot; 'Khnhom min prom te' sounds like a person.
Don't be too blunt
If you say 'min prom' too loudly or quickly, it can sound angry. Soften it with a smile or a 'som toh' (sorry).
Use 'Ot' for friends
Swap 'min' for 'ot' (អត់) when talking to friends. 'Ot prom' is the secret to sounding like you've lived in Phnom Penh for years.
The Silent Refusal
Sometimes Cambodians say 'prom' but their body language says 'min prom.' Watch for hesitation; it might mean they are just being polite.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank to say 'I don't agree to go.'
ខ្ញុំ___ទៅទេ។
'មិនព្រម' (min prom) is used for refusing an action like 'going'.
Which sentence means 'The seller refuses to lower the price'?
Choose the correct Khmer sentence:
'Min prom jous thlay' is the standard phrase for refusing to lower a price.
Match the Khmer phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are the key variations of agreement and refusal.
Complete the dialogue.
A: តើអ្នកចង់ទៅញ៉ាំបាយជាមួយខ្ញុំទេ? B: សុំទោស ខ្ញុំរវល់ណាស់ ខ្ញុំ___ទៅទេ។
B is declining the invitation to go eat.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesខ្ញុំ___ទៅទេ។
'មិនព្រម' (min prom) is used for refusing an action like 'going'.
Choose the correct Khmer sentence:
'Min prom jous thlay' is the standard phrase for refusing to lower a price.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the key variations of agreement and refusal.
A: តើអ្នកចង់ទៅញ៉ាំបាយជាមួយខ្ញុំទេ? B: សុំទោស ខ្ញុំរវល់ណាស់ ខ្ញុំ___ទៅទេ។
B is declining the invitation to go eat.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt's not inherently rude, but it is very direct. In Khmer culture, directness can be perceived as harsh, so it's best to use it with a polite tone or a reason.
Not exactly. 'I don't want' is 'min jong'. 'Min prom' is specifically about not agreeing to a proposal or action.
'Min prom' is 'not agree' (conversational), while 'ba-de-set' is 'to reject' (formal/official).
You can say 'Khnhom min prom dach khat' (ខ្ញុំមិនព្រមដាច់ខាត).
Yes! 'Khnhom min prom te, pruos...' (I don't agree, because...).
Khmer doesn't change the verb. Just add 'm-sel-men' (yesterday) to the start of the sentence.
Only if the question is 'Do you agree?'. If the question is 'Are you going?', you should say 'ot tov te'.
It means 'to agree' or 'to consent'.
Mey khnhom min prom te (មេខ្ញុំមិនព្រមទេ).
Yes, very often in heartbreak songs where one person 'min prom' (refuses) to let go.
Expressions liées
យល់ព្រម
contrastTo agree/understand and consent
បដិសេធ
synonymTo reject/deny
មិនហ៊ាន
similarDon't dare
មិនអាច
similarCannot
សុខចិត្ត
builds onWillingly agree
