He, She, It: Adding -s and -es

What you’ll learn

Spell and use the third-person singular form in positive present-simple statements.

សរសេរ និងប្រើទម្រង់កិរិយាសព្ទជាមួយ he, she និង it ក្នុងប្រយោគប្រាប់វិជ្ជមាន។

Meaning and use

In positive present-simple statements, an ordinary verb changes with he, she, it, or a singular noun phrase. Most verbs add -s. Verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, and many ending in -o add -es. If a verb ends in a consonant + y, change y to -ies. After a vowel + y, just add -s. Have changes to has; do changes to does; go changes to goes. These endings do not follow does or doesn’t.

ក្នុងប្រយោគប្រាប់វិជ្ជមាន ជាមួយ he, she, it ឬនាមឯកវចនៈ កិរិយាសព្ទភាគច្រើនបន្ថែម -s។ ទម្រង់បញ្ចប់ខ្លះត្រូវបន្ថែម -es។ បើមុន y ជាព្យញ្ជនៈ ត្រូវប្តូរ y ទៅជា -ies។ ក្រោយ does ឬ doesn’t មិនត្រូវបន្ថែម -s ទៀតទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Most verbs: add -s	work → works; read → reads
Common -es endings	watch → watches; wash → washes; go → goes
Consonant + y: change -y to -ies	study → studies
Vowel + y: add -s	play → plays
Irregular or special forms	have → has; do → does

Examples

1. She reads every evening.

   នាងអានសៀវភៅរាល់ល្ងាច។

2. He watches TV after dinner.

   គាត់មើលទូរទស្សន៍ក្រោយអាហារពេលល្ងាច។

3. Dara studies English.

   ដារ៉ារៀនភាសាអង់គ្លេស។

4. My sister plays tennis.

   បងស្រី ឬប្អូនស្រីរបស់ខ្ញុំលេងកីឡាវាយកូនបាល់។

Everyday conversation

Maly: What does Dara do after school?

Dara’s friend: He studies English.

Maly: Does he play football too?

Dara’s friend: Yes. He plays on Sundays.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She study English.	She studies English.	Study ends in consonant + y; change y to -ies with she.
He watchs TV.	He watches TV.	Watch ends in -ch; add -es.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: She ___ here. (work)
2. Complete: He ___ English. (study)
3. Complete: Dara ___ football. (play)
4. Complete: My sister ___ a bike. (have)

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. works

   Most verbs add -s with she.

2. studies

   Change consonant + y to -ies.

3. plays

   A vowel comes before y, so just add -s.

4. has

   Have changes to has with a singular subject.

Quick recap

• Check the subject before choosing the verb ending.
• Use -ies after a consonant + y, but -s after a vowel + y.
• Learn has, does, and goes as common forms.