ទ + ◌ឹ
ទឹ
+
ក
Alphabets
The Khmer alphabet អក្សរខ្មែរ
Meet every letter of Khmer, hear how it sounds, and learn how letters join to make words.
About Khmer
Khmer is written in the Khmer script (អក្សរខ្មែរ) from left to right. Each of its 33 consonants belongs to one of two series: with the same vowel sign, an a-series consonant and an o-series consonant are read with different vowels. A second consonant in a cluster is written small, under the first, with the coeng sign (្).
- 33
- consonants
- 2
- consonant series
- 23
- dependent vowels
- L → R
- writing direction
Vowels ស្រៈ
Vowel signs are written around the consonant – shown here on ក.
Consonants ព្យញ្ជនៈ
The consonants are arranged by where in the mouth the sound is made. Tap a letter to hear it.
Velar ក-វគ្គ
from the back of the throat
Palatal ច-វគ្គ
tongue against the palate
Retroflex ដ-វគ្គ
tongue curled back
Dental ត-វគ្គ
tongue at the teeth
Labial ប-វគ្គ
with the lips
Others អវគ្គ
semivowels, sibilant and h
The subscript sign ្ (coeng) writes a consonant small under another: ស + ្ + ត = ស្ត, as in សួស្តី (hello).
How letters join to make words
Khmer words are built syllable by syllable. Three simple rules cover almost everything.
-
1
Consonant + vowel sign
A vowel sign is written around the consonant.
ក +◌ា =កា -
2
Two series
The same sign sounds different on an o-series consonant: កា (kaa) but គា (kea).
គ +◌ា =គា -
3
Subscript consonants
The coeng puts a consonant under another.
ខ +◌្ +ម =ខ្ម
Build real words
ផ្ + ទ + ◌ះ
ផ្ទះ
ខ្ + ម + ◌ែ
ខ្មែ
+
រ
Ready to type in Khmer?
Use the on-screen keyboard to write these letters, or translate your first sentence.