តើអ្នកសុខសប្បាយជាទេ?
tae anak sok sabbay chea te?
The English phrase "how are you?" is translated into Khmer as តើអ្នកសុខសប្បាយជាទេ? (tae anak sok sabbay chea te?)
While this phrase translates to "how are you?", it is more specifically used to ask if someone is "well" or "at peace" rather than a general inquiry into their current state.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase តើអ្នកសុខសប្បាយជាទេ? breaks down into a question particle, the word for "you" (អ្នក), the word for "happy/well" (សុខសប្បាយ), the verb "to be" (ជា) and a final question particle (ទេ).
How do you pronounce it?
tae anak sok sabbay chea te?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you this, a common way to respond by saying "I am well" is to say សុខសប្បាយ followed by the particle តើ! for emphasis, as in សុខសប្បាយតើ!
Did you know?
- While តើអ្នកសុខសប្បាយជាទេ? is the textbook greeting, Cambodians often ask ញ៉ាំបាយហើយឬនៅ? which means 'Have you eaten rice yet?' This functions as a way of asking 'how are you?' by showing concern for the person's well-being.
- When greeting someone with this phrase, it is customary to perform the សំពះ (sampeah) by placing the palms together in a prayer-like gesture. The height of the hands varies depending on the social status of the person being greeted.
- The word សុខ (sok) in the phrase is derived from the Pali word for 'happiness' or 'ease'. It shares a linguistic root with the concept of 'sukha' found in Buddhist philosophy across Southeast Asia.
Example conversation
Two friends meet on the street.
- រតនៈ Ratanakសួស្តី សុខា តើអ្នកសុខសប្បាយជាទេ?Sua sdei Sokha, tae neak sok sabay chea te?Hi Sokha, how are you?
- សុខា Sokhaខ្ញុំសុខសប្បាយទេ ចុះអ្នកវិញ?Knhom sok sabay te, choh neak vinh?I am doing well, and you?
- រតនៈ Ratanakខ្ញុំក៏សុខសប្បាយដែរ។Knhom kor sok sabay dae.I am doing well too.
- សុខា Sokhaរីករាយដែលបានជួបអ្នក!Rik reay del ban choub neak!Nice to see you!
