What Is Grammar?

What you’ll learn

Understand what grammar does and how to study one small pattern at a time.

យល់ពីតួនាទីវេយ្យាករណ៍ និងរៀនប្រើទម្រង់ប្រយោគខ្លីៗមួយជំហានម្តង។

Meaning and use

Grammar describes how words work together to make meaning. It helps us show who does something, what happens, and when it happens. A word list gives us vocabulary; a sentence connects those words into a message. Start with short, useful sentences. You do not need to memorize every rule before you speak.

វេយ្យាករណ៍ជួយឱ្យយើងរៀបចំពាក្យជាប្រយោគដែលមានន័យ។ វាអាចបង្ហាញថា នរណាធ្វើអ្វី និងកើតឡើងនៅពេលណា។ ចាប់ផ្តើមពីប្រយោគខ្លីដែលអាចប្រើក្នុងជីវិតប្រចាំថ្ងៃ ហើយហាត់ប្តូរពាក្យក្នុងទម្រង់ដដែល។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
A complete message	I study.
Add more information	I study English.
Ask for information	Do you study English?

Examples

1. I study English.

   ខ្ញុំរៀនភាសាអង់គ្លេស។

2. She is a teacher.

   នាងជាគ្រូបង្រៀនម្នាក់។

3. We live in Cambodia.

   យើងរស់នៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។

4. Do you like music?

   តើអ្នកចូលចិត្តតន្ត្រីទេ?

Everyday conversation

Dara: What do you study?

Maly: I study English.

Dara: Do you practice every day?

Maly: Yes, I do.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
I English study.	I study English.	In this basic statement, put the verb study before the object English.
She a teacher.	She is a teacher.	In this full English sentence, use is to connect she with a teacher.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Choose the standard sentence: (a) We English learn. (b) We learn English.
2. Choose: Grammar helps us (a) connect words into meaningful sentences (b) avoid learning vocabulary.
3. Choose the missing word: She ___ a student. (is / study)

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. (b) We learn English.

   The subject We comes before the verb learn and the object English.

2. (a) connect words into meaningful sentences.

   Grammar and vocabulary work together; both are useful.

3. is

   She is a student identifies who she is.

Quick recap

• Study one useful pattern at a time.
• Read an example aloud, then change a word to make your own sentence.
• Mistakes are part of practice; check the pattern and try again.