Meaning
Commenting on the good taste of food.
Cultural Background
It is polite to say 'Chhnganh Nas' even if you only find the food average. It shows respect for the cook's effort. Street food culture is huge. Vendors love hearing this from foreigners; it's a great way to build rapport. Food is often shared. When you say 'Chhnganh Nas', you are often inviting others to try that specific dish. The concept of 'umami' in Cambodia is often linked to Prahok (fermented fish paste). If a dish has Prahok and you say it's delicious, locals will be very impressed.
The 'Nas' Rule
You can use 'Nas' with almost any adjective. Hot? Kdov Nas. Cold? Tra-cheak Nas. Beautiful? S-at Nas.
Body Language
Nod your head slightly while saying it to show sincerity.
Meaning
Commenting on the good taste of food.
The 'Nas' Rule
You can use 'Nas' with almost any adjective. Hot? Kdov Nas. Cold? Tra-cheak Nas. Beautiful? S-at Nas.
Body Language
Nod your head slightly while saying it to show sincerity.
Don't overdo it
Saying it 20 times in one meal might seem insincere. 2-3 times is perfect.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence to say 'The coffee is very delicious.'
កាហ្វេនេះ_______ណាស់
Chhnganh means delicious. S-at means beautiful, and Thom means big.
Which is the correct word order?
How do you say 'Very delicious'?
In Khmer, the intensifier 'nas' always comes after the adjective.
What should the learner say after tasting the food?
Host: ញ៉ាំទៅ! (Eat!) Learner: ________!
While 'Or-kun' (Thank you) is good, 'Chhnganh Nas' is the specific compliment for the food.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a street stall and the pork is amazing.
You use this to praise the food.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Things that are Chhnganh Nas
Food
- • Amok
- • Nom Banh Chok
- • Bai Sach Chrouk
Drinks
- • Fruit Shake
- • Iced Coffee
- • Sugar Cane Juice
Practice Bank
4 exercisesកាហ្វេនេះ_______ណាស់
Chhnganh means delicious. S-at means beautiful, and Thom means big.
How do you say 'Very delicious'?
In Khmer, the intensifier 'nas' always comes after the adjective.
Host: ញ៉ាំទៅ! (Eat!) Learner: ________!
While 'Or-kun' (Thank you) is good, 'Chhnganh Nas' is the specific compliment for the food.
You are at a street stall and the pork is amazing.
You use this to praise the food.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
3 questionsUsually, we say 'Teuk nis tra-cheak l-or' (This water is good and cold), but for juice or soda, 'Chhnganh Nas' is perfect.
Yes, it is gender-neutral. Both men and women use it exactly the same way.
You can say 'Ot sov chhnganh te' (Not very delicious), but it's quite blunt. Better to just say 'I'm full'.
Related Phrases
ឆ្ងាញ់មែនទែន
similarReally/truly delicious
ពិសា
specialized formTo eat (formal)
ញ៉ាំ
builds onTo eat (informal)
ផ្អែម
specialized formSweet
