Asking for Instructions and Confirming a Task

What you’ll learn

Understand a task before beginning it.

យល់ការណែនាំកិច្ចការ មុនចាប់ផ្ដើមធ្វើ។

Situation and purpose

Task instructions need an action, an expected result, and sometimes a deadline. Ask which file, format, or date is intended when those details are missing. Repeat your understanding in your own words. This checks meaning more effectively than saying yes when the task remains unclear.

ការណែនាំគួរបញ្ជាក់សកម្មភាព លទ្ធផល និងកាលកំណត់។ បើមិនច្បាស់ សួរឯកសារ ទម្រង់ ឬថ្ងៃ ហើយនិយាយការយល់របស់ខ្លួនឡើងវិញ។

Useful expressions

Pattern	Example or form
Ask for instruction	What would you like me to do?
Check a reference	Which file should I use?
Check deadline	When do you need it?
Confirm understanding	So I should check the names and send the list by four?

Examples

1. Should I include the phone numbers?

   តើខ្ញុំគួរបញ្ចូលលេខទូរស័ព្ទទេ?

2. Could you show me an example?

   តើអ្នកអាចបង្ហាញឧទាហរណ៍បានទេ?

3. Do you mean this version?

   តើអ្នកមានន័យថាកំណែនេះមែនទេ?

4. I’ll let you know when it’s finished.

   ខ្ញុំនឹងប្រាប់ពេលវាបញ្ចប់។

Model conversation

Dara: Could you check the attendance list?

Maly: Of course. Which file should I use?

Dara: The one I sent this morning.

Maly: Should I check the spelling and missing names?

Dara: Yes, and please send it back by four.

Maly: Understood. I’ll check it and send it by four.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
What you want me to do?	What do you want me to do?	A direct present-simple question needs do.
When do you need it until? (intended: deadline)	When do you need it by?	By asks for a completion deadline.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Ask which version of a file to use.
2. Confirm a task to check names and send the list by noon.
3. Ask for an example.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Which version of the file should I use?

   Model answer: clarify the reference before acting.

2. So I should check the names and send the list by noon, correct?

   Model answer: repeat action and deadline.

3. Could you show me an example?

   An example can clarify the expected result.

Quick recap

• Clarify action, result, and deadline.
• Ask about missing details.
• Repeat your understanding before starting.