Asking for Help and Offering Help

What you’ll learn

Make a clear request and respond to an offer.

សុំជំនួយឱ្យច្បាស់ និងឆ្លើយតបការផ្ដល់ជំនួយ។

Situation and purpose

A request is easier to answer when it names a specific task. Could you help me with this form? is clearer than help me with everything. Offers can use shall I or would you like me to. Accept with thanks or decline politely; a person may be unable to help.

សំណើដែលប្រាប់កិច្ចការជាក់លាក់ងាយឆ្លើយ។ Could you help me with this form? ច្បាស់ជាងសុំជំនួយទូទៅ។ អាចទទួលដោយអរគុណ ឬបដិសេធដោយគួរសម។

Useful expressions

Pattern	Example or form
Request help	Could you help me with this form?
Specify task	Could you explain this question?
Offer help	Would you like me to carry that?
Accept or decline	Yes, please. / No, thank you.

Examples

1. Could you show me how to do this?

   តើអ្នកអាចបង្ហាញខ្ញុំរបៀបធ្វើនេះបានទេ?

2. Shall I open the door?

   ឱ្យខ្ញុំបើកទ្វារបានទេ?

3. That would be helpful, thank you.

   វានឹងជួយបាន អរគុណ។

4. Thanks, but I can manage.

   អរគុណ តែខ្ញុំអាចធ្វើបាន។

Model conversation

Dara: You look busy. Would you like some help?

Maly: Yes, please. Could you check these names?

Dara: Of course. Should I check the spelling?

Maly: Yes, and please tell me if a name is missing.

Dara: All right. I’ll start with the first page.

Maly: Thank you. That really helps.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Would you like me carry this?	Would you like me to carry this?	Would like + person uses a to-infinitive.
Could you explain me this question?	Could you explain this question to me?	Explain takes the thing directly and the person after to.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Ask for help understanding question three.
2. Offer to carry a bag.
3. Decline an offer courteously.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Could you help me understand question three?

   Model answer: identify the precise difficulty.

2. Would you like me to carry your bag?

   Model answer: offer a specific action.

3. No, thank you. I can manage.

   Model answer: a brief thanks and clear response are enough.

Quick recap

• Name the task when asking for help.
• Offer a specific action.
• Accept or decline clearly and politely.