វៀតណាម
viətnaam
The Khmer word for the Vietnamese language is វៀតណាម (viətnaam).
វៀតណាម is used to refer to the Vietnamese language. When you want to specifically name the Vietnamese language in a formal way, it is most natural to use the word ភាសា (language) before វៀតណាម, creating the phrase ភាសាវៀតណាម.
Meaning: language (name)
Which one should you use?
While វៀតណាម is the standard term, យួន is a common colloquial term used to refer to Vietnamese people or the Vietnamese language.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
viətnaam
Did you know?
- The word ភាសា used to specify 'language' is a loanword from the Sanskrit word 'bhāṣā', which is common across many Southeast Asian languages.
- Khmer and Vietnamese are from entirely different language families, meaning that despite their proximity, the words for 'language' share no genetic root.
- In Cambodia, the term យួន was historically used as a neutral descriptor for Vietnamese people before it became heavily charged with political tension.
Examples in context
- ខ្ញុំនិយាយភាសាវៀតណាមបានតែតិចតួចប៉ុណ្ណោះ ។I only speak a little Vietnamese.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say you only speak a little of the language using វៀតណាម.Tatoeba #3671360 by angkorsovannnaga, translation #1542490 by Aomori
- ភាសាវៀតណាមVietnamese (language)This is a way to specify the Vietnamese language using វៀតណាម.
- គាត់រៀនភាសាវៀតណាម។koat rien pheasa vietnam.He is learning the Vietnamese language.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their language classes at a cafe.
- សុខ Sokតើអ្នករៀនភាសាអ្វី?tae neak rien pheasa avei?What language are you learning?
- សុខា Sokhaខ្ញុំរៀនភាសាវៀតណាម។khnhom rien pheasa vietnam.I am learning Vietnamese.
- សុខ Sokតើវាពិបាកទេ?tae vea pibak te?Is it difficult?
- សុខា Sokhaវាមិនពិបាកពេកទេ។vea min pibak pek te.It is not too difficult.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry វៀតណាម, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
