At the restaurant
❃ At the restaurant
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សួស្ដី តើមានគ្នាប៉ុន្មាននាក់?
[ suosdey, tae mean knea ponman neak? ] -
Hello, how many people?
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មានគ្នាពីរនាក់
[ mean knea pir neak ] -
We are two people
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តើអ្នកមានតុសម្រាប់បួននាក់ទេ?
[ tae neak mean tok somrap buon neak te? ] -
Do you have a table for four?
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សូមអញ្ជើញអង្គុយទីនេះ
[ som anhoeun angkuy ti nih ] -
Please sit here
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តើយើងអាចអង្គុយខាងក្រៅបានទេ?
[ tae yeung ach angkuy khang krav ban te? ] -
Can we sit outside?
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តើយើងអាចអង្គុយខាងក្នុងមានម៉ាស៊ីនត្រជាក់បានទេ?
[ tae yeung ach angkuy khang knong mean masin tracheak ban te? ] -
Can we sit inside with AC?
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តើខ្ញុំអាចសុំមើលម៉ឺនុយបានទេ?
[ tae khnom ach som meul meunuy ban te? ] -
Can I see the menu, please?
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តើអ្នកមានម៉ឺនុយភាសាអង់គ្លេសទេ?
[ tae neak mean meunuy pheasa angkles te? ] -
Do you have an English menu?
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តើមានម៉ឺនុយមានរូបថតទេ?
[ tae mean meunuy mean roup thot te? ] -
Is there a menu with pictures?
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តើនៅទីនេះមានម្ហូបប្រចាំហាងអ្វីខ្លះ?
[ tae nov ti nih mean mhop prochame hang avei khlas? ] -
What is the signature dish here?
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តើអ្នកមានណែនាំម្ហូបអ្វីទេ?
[ tae neak mean naenam mhop avei te? ] -
What do you recommend?
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យើងមិនទាន់គិតរួចទេ
[ yeung min toan kit ruoch te ] -
We are not ready to order yet
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បង សុំកុម្ម៉ង់ម្ហូប
[ bong, som kommang mhop ] -
Excuse me (older sibling), I want to order
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តើមានលក់អាហារពេលព្រឹកទេ?
[ tae mean lok ahar pel preuk te? ] -
Do you serve breakfast?
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តើផ្ទះបាយបិទម៉ោងប៉ុន្មាន?
[ tae pteah bay bet maong ponman? ] -
What time does the kitchen close?
Dining out in Cambodia is an inherently social and communal experience. Unlike Western restaurants where a waiter approaches your table, introduces themselves, and patiently waits for you to order your individual dishes, the dynamic here is much more proactive and shared. When you enter a local eatery, you usually seat yourself. To get the staff's attention, you don't wait for eye contact; you actively call them over. The most respectful and common way to do this is by raising your hand slightly and calling out Bong! (បង!), which means "older sibling," followed by Som kommang mhop (សុំកុម្ម៉ង់ម្ហូប) — "Please, I want to order." Most local spots serve dishes meant to be placed in the center of the table and shared among everyone, typically eaten with rice. If you are struggling with the menu, which might only be in Khmer script, you can politely ask, "Do you have an English menu?" — Tae neak mean meunuy pheasa angkles te? (តើអ្នកមានម៉ឺនុយភាសាអង់គ្លេសទេ?) or ask to see a menu with pictures — Tae mean meunuy mean roup thot te? (តើមានម៉ឺនុយមានរូបថតទេ?). Cambodians are incredibly proud of their culinary heritage, so asking the waiter "What do you recommend?" — Tae neak mean naenam mhop avei te? (តើអ្នកមានណែនាំម្ហូបអ្វីទេ?) is a fantastic way to discover authentic dishes like Amok or sour soups. Embracing this communal dining style and knowing how to respectfully hail a waiter will instantly make you feel less like a tourist and more like a local enjoying a feast.
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