មកនេះ
mok nih
To say "come here" in Khmer, use មកនេះ (mok nih).
មកនេះ is a command used to tell someone to move toward your current location.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb មក (mok), meaning 'to come' and the demonstrative នេះ (nih), meaning 'this' or 'here'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
មកនេះ is informal and can sound blunt or even rude if used with elders or superiors.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase does not change its form based on the number of people being addressed. It can be used for one person or a group.
How do you pronounce it?
mok nih
Did you know?
- In Khmer culture, if an elder tells you មកនេះ, it is often accompanied by a slight beckoning motion with the hand, where the palm faces down and fingers sweep toward the body.
- In very formal settings, such as a palace or a temple, the concept of 'coming' is replaced by entirely different vocabulary that acknowledges the status of the person moving.
- If you want to call a child or someone younger to 'come here' more gently, you might replace មកនេះ with មកនេះមក, adding the particle មក to the end to soften the command.
Examples in context
- មកនេះបន្តិចមក។mok nis bantiat mok.Come here for a moment.
- កូន មកនេះ!kon, mok nis!Child, come here!
- សូមមកនេះ។soum mok nis.Please come here.
Example conversation
Sreyne looks at something interesting and calls Vibol over.
- ស្រីនី Sreynyវិបុល មកនេះមើល!Vibol mok nih merl!Vibol, come here and look!
- វិបុល Vibolមានអ្វី happens?mean avei?What is it?
- ស្រីនី Sreynyមើលផ្កានេះ ស្អាតណាស់។merl phka nih s-at nah.Look at this flower, it is very beautiful.
- វិបុល Vibolអូ មែនហើយ ស្អាតមែន!oh men haey s-at men!Oh yes, it really is beautiful!
