The importance of local language in Cambodia

What is the local language spoken in Cambodia? Did you learn and use it? How difficult was it to learn?

Are there any resources or services available to help expats learn the local language? What are your tips?

How important is the local language for daily tasks such as shopping, transport, health and other services in Cambodia?

Khmer (pronounced "kʰmae" with silent "r") is the official of Cambodia. Although the pronunciation of some words and the writing system is more complicated than Thai and Lao, it's not particularly difficult, and many expats know at least a few common words and phrases.

There are some local teachers available for private lessons and a number of good video lessons from channels on youtube.

However, for daily life in urban areas, Cambodians involved in service areas (hotels, restaurants, transport companies, pharmacies, etc.) speak fairly good English, so there not much incentive for expats to study the local language deeply.

It is good to know the local names of various things and how to negotiate a financial transaction when you want to buy or need something outside of tourist areas, for example buying fruit at markets.

I have to admit I am a laggard with Khmer. Alin teaches me some basic words and I learn by listening to her talking to her friends. Even the Khmer place we go almost every day for soup, people will greet me in English and enquire how I am. Our favorite coffee shop is the same. So I am lazy and I could have a teacher or teachers if I wanted. Alin's friends in the neighborhood would be happy to help me. But... I am lazy. Alin happens to speak very good English so around the house, while I hear her talking to friends in Khmer, English is just always spoken. I also help her friend's son  with learning English at school. When all the kids go swimming in our pool, such a mix of languages. two of them speak perfect English so they love to practice. I also ask them to tell the other children in Khmer when it's time to get out of the pool, go eat, get back to their parents.

So I have no doubt just like when I lived in Vietnam, language is so important. I did not learn much there either. All of my Vietnamese friends spoke really good English and when we went out to dinner Vietnamese was not spoken at all except to order food and beer.

I guess in the last bit of laziness, Alin just takes care of stuff like shopping for food, buying me clothes, and whatever else I could want. When we travel somewhere in Cambodia, she does all the work with food, bus or van tickets, lodging where we go.  She also takes care of finances now with ABA Bank so negotiations or bartering or haggling, I don't get involved with. She does give me an allowance to live on each week. LOL.

We go visit Khmer family in the province and she always happily translates for our mum. Yeah. I'm spoiled. And I love it.

I think it depends on your lifestyle. I lived and worked in Vietnam for a number of years and because many of the Vietnamese staff I worked with did not speak English I had to learn some of the language to communicate. Also Vietnamese uses English characters, so its easier to learn to read and write.

I have been in Siem Reap for about 4 years, retired, and all my friends are expats. The Cambodians I come into contact with generally speak enough English to get by, so I have never had to learn more than a few polite expressions, such as 'hi, how are you" or 'Thank you", or 'can I have the bill".

@hdgh29 definitely the lifestyle thing. I know few expats either here or in Vietnam. I think just enough so I don’t desire more expat company. Day to day I see many more Cambodian people and I like it that way too. It was the same in Vietnam. I did not wish to meet more expats. So I didn’t. I did enjoy my Vietnamese friends much more. It just happened they all spoke very good English. Here I have Alin so I am lazy.

Khmer lessons each Friday for one hour. Simple conversational words and phrases. The locals laugh when I have an attempt. My teacher says they would love I’m having a go. It’s good when shopping at the market.