Prepositions of Place

What you’ll learn

Describe where something is using common place prepositions.

ពណ៌នាទីតាំងរបស់វត្ថុ ដោយប្រើធ្នាក់ទីកន្លែងដែលជួបញឹកញាប់។

Meaning and use

A place preposition shows the relationship between a person or thing and a location. In often describes being inside an area or container. On often describes contact with a surface. Under means below something. Next to, between, behind, and in front of describe positions relative to other things. Use a complete phrase, such as under the table. English prepositions do not always translate word for word, so learn them in short phrases.

ធ្នាក់ទីកន្លែងបង្ហាញទំនាក់ទំនងរវាងវត្ថុ និងទីតាំង។ In ជាទូទៅមានន័យថានៅខាងក្នុង ហើយ on ជាទូទៅមានន័យថានៅលើផ្ទៃ។ Under សម្រាប់នៅក្រោម។ រៀនជាឃ្លាខ្លីៗ ដូចជា under the table ព្រោះការបកប្រែមិនតែងតែត្រូវគ្នាមួយពាក្យទល់មួយពាក្យទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Inside an area or container	in the room; in the bag
On a surface	on the table
Below something	under the chair
Beside something	next to the bank
Other relative positions	between the shops; behind the house; in front of the school

Examples

1. The book is on the table.

   សៀវភៅនៅលើតុ។

2. The keys are in my bag.

   កូនសោនៅក្នុងកាបូបរបស់ខ្ញុំ។

3. The cat is under the chair.

   ឆ្មានៅក្រោមកៅអី។

4. The café is next to the bank.

   ហាងកាហ្វេនៅជាប់ធនាគារ។

Everyday conversation

Maly: Where are my keys?

Dara: They are in your bag.

Maly: Where is the bag?

Dara: It is under the table.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
The café is next the bank.	The café is next to the bank.	The phrase is next to, including to.
The book is the table.	The book is on the table.	Use a preposition to show the intended location on the surface.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Choose for something inside a bag: in / on the bag.
2. Choose for something resting on a table’s top surface: in / on the table.
3. Complete: The café is next ___ the bank.
4. Use between: The bank has one shop on each side.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. in the bag

   In describes the inside location.

2. on the table

   On describes contact with the surface.

3. to

   Next to is the complete phrase.

4. The bank is between the two shops.

   Between describes its position relative to the shops.

Quick recap

• Learn place prepositions together with noun phrases.
• In often means inside, on often means on a surface, and under means below.
• Keep all parts of phrases such as next to and in front of.