explorer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:14 pm

kps wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:43 pm At the noodle shop, how do you say "dine in/take away"?

In Khmer, the word for a take away food container is pro-op.

If you dont know if they have take away, you can say:

mian pro-op

which is: have take away food container?

If you want to take the food away, you can say:

du(c) pro-op

which is: put (in) take away container.

They mostly use plastic bags for the noodles. Would pro-op cover this?

I assume you refer to the white styrofoam containers.

I also look for a way to address the most obnoxious tuk-tuk drivers in the tourist areas. When the third guy in the group asks the same question and calls me brother/friend I reply
Thngai ni ort traukae, bong.
But what can I exchange bong for? It should absolutely not be rude, just intimate, as stupid as an unknown tuk-tuk guy calling me brother.

Maybe mutt-phae is ok?
Or do they call their friends brother? bong-bro comes up in Google.

kps wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:39 pm I also look for a way to address the most obnoxious tuk-tuk drivers in the tourist areas. When the third guy in the group asks the same question and calls me brother/friend I reply
Thngai ni ort traukae, bong.
But what can I exchange bong for? It should absolutely not be rude, just intimate, as stupid as an unknown tuk-tuk guy calling me brother.

Maybe mutt-phae is ok?
Or do they call their friends brother? bong-bro comes up in Google.

Bong by itself doesnt mean brother, it just means elder, bong bros mean elder brother, bong srey means elder sister, bong is just an honorific element to someone of similar age or that of someone who would be around the age of an elder sibling), unlike words like Pu or Ming which directly mean Uncle and Aunt, Bong is really just more of an age indicator, if that makes sense

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:43 pm

kps wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:39 pm I also look for a way to address the most obnoxious tuk-tuk drivers in the tourist areas. When the third guy in the group asks the same question and calls me brother/friend I reply
Thngai ni ort traukae, bong.
But what can I exchange bong for? It should absolutely not be rude, just intimate, as stupid as an unknown tuk-tuk guy calling me brother.

Maybe mutt-phae is ok?
Or do they call their friends brother? bong-bro comes up in Google.

Bong by itself doesnt mean brother, it just means elder, bong bros mean elder brother, bong srey means elder sister, bong is just an honorific element to someone of similar age or that of someone who would be around the age of an elder sibling), unlike words like Pu or Ming which directly mean Uncle and Aunt, Bong is really just more of an age indicator, if that makes sense

That makes sense. bong-bro might be what I am looking for.
Chinese has a good one for that - "lao-biao" which can be interpreted as "highly honorable cousin from the countryside" but you dare not use that straight to anyone

kps wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:00 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:43 pm

kps wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:39 pm I also look for a way to address the most obnoxious tuk-tuk drivers in the tourist areas. When the third guy in the group asks the same question and calls me brother/friend I reply
Thngai ni ort traukae, bong.
But what can I exchange bong for? It should absolutely not be rude, just intimate, as stupid as an unknown tuk-tuk guy calling me brother.

Maybe mutt-phae is ok?
Or do they call their friends brother? bong-bro comes up in Google.

Bong by itself doesnt mean brother, it just means elder, bong bros mean elder brother, bong srey means elder sister, bong is just an honorific element to someone of similar age or that of someone who would be around the age of an elder sibling), unlike words like Pu or Ming which directly mean Uncle and Aunt, Bong is really just more of an age indicator, if that makes sense

That makes sense. bong-bro might be what I am looking for.
Chinese has a good one for that - "lao-biao" which is interpreted as "highly honorable cousin from the countryside" but you dare not say that straight to anyone

yeah and for someone younger, you would use Oun/P'oun which means younger and used for someone that would be the age of a younger sibling, Oun/P'oun bros - younger brother, Oun/P'oun Srey - younger sister, P'oun being a bit more polite, Oun can be seen as more flirty, sometimes used with caution depending on the familiarity/situation etc, mainly used between couples, family and close friends, being a foreigner its quite easy to get away with it, but if you come across as having an understanding of the language girls might take offense more easily

kps wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:33 pm

explorer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:14 pm

kps wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:43 pm At the noodle shop, how do you say "dine in/take away"?

In Khmer, the word for a take away food container is pro-op.

If you dont know if they have take away, you can say:

mian pro-op

which is: have take away food container?

If you want to take the food away, you can say:

du(c) pro-op

which is: put (in) take away container.

They mostly use plastic bags for the noodles. Would pro-op cover this?

I assume you refer to the white styrofoam containers.

Yes, this refers to the styrofoam containers.

For plastic bag use ថង់ / tong.

Historically, Cambodians just used bong or puoen. They didnt specify male of female. Anyone could see by looking.

When foreigners came along with the words brother and sister, the words pro(s) and srai were added for translation of brother and sister.

So to speak traditional Khmer, you would just say bong for older brother or sister, and puoen for younger brother or sister.

Taking this a step further.

Bong is used by a wife to a husband to mean darling.

Oun (not puoen) is used by a husband to a wife to mean darling. It is also used by parents to children to mean darling.

So if you call a girl oun, who is old enough to get a boyfriend, there may be misunderstandings. Although, if it is in a place like a restaurant, she may not think a lot of it.

kps wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:39 pm I also look for a way to address the most obnoxious tuk-tuk drivers in the tourist areas. When the third guy in the group asks the same question and calls me brother/friend I reply
Thngai ni ort traukae, bong.
But what can I exchange bong for? It should absolutely not be rude, just intimate, as stupid as an unknown tuk-tuk guy calling me brother.

Maybe mutt-phae is ok?
Or do they call their friends brother? bong-bro comes up in Google.

When you come across obnoxious tuk tuk drivers and other Cambodians being stupid, 99% of the time it is best just to ignore them. Stupid people dont know they are stupid. You dont want to get into too many conflicts with stupid people.

However, I believe in trying to help people understand. On some occasions I do speak up. Some people have learnt from me. Others have just been upset.

One time I walked out of a guest house. In a fairly loud voice, a tuk tuk driver said: Do you want a tuk tuk. Where are you going. Do you want a tuk tuk. Where are you going. Do you want a tuk tuk. Where are you going. Do you want a tuk tuk. Where are you going. Do you want a tuk tuk. Where are you going.

I said in a loud voice: sooer mdong teeut, mdong teeut, lngoong. Then I walked for 30 seconds and got in another tuk tuk.

That means: ask again and again. Lngoong translates as dumb. In English we might say stupid.

He got the message I wasnt happy, and he didnt get my business. I hope he learns from it.

If people stand up to the most obnoxious tuk tuk drivers, they should learn. Too many people say, this is Cambodia, we just go along with it. So they continue to be obnoxious.

I suggest, at a minimum, dont give your business to obnoxious people. Help them learn.

I have found in various situations when they wont listen, when I raise my voice they listen.

A bit more

Sometimes it is best not to say anything at all. As soon as you say anything, they will ask you another question. They are trying to be a fake friend so they will get your business another day.

It is OK just to say no in English. If they are not being too bad, you can say it nicely. If they are being obnoxious, you can say it in a loud voice.

If you have a bicycle, they will normally leave you alone.

Learning a new language is cool... Learning it like in the matrix is awesome!!!

Doh... Wish i wasnt so old bc it would have been a lot easier in my youth