Verb Complements and Meaning: Remember, Regret, and Mean

What you’ll learn

Interpret complement choices beyond surface form.

បកស្រាយការប្ដូរន័យដោយជម្រើស verb complement។

Meaning and use

An -ing complement often refers to an existing or earlier event; a to-infinitive may refer to an intended or subsequent act, depending on the verb. Regret doing expresses remorse; regret to inform introduces unwelcome news. Mean doing describes an implication; mean to do describes an intention. Learn the meaning with the whole pattern.

លំនាំកិរិយាសព្ទអាចប្ដូរន័យ។ Regret doing ស្ដាយអ្វីដែលបានធ្វើ; regret to inform ជាសេចក្ដីជូនដំណឹងអាក្រក់។ Mean doing បង្ហាញផលប៉ះពាល់; mean to do បង្ហាញបំណង។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Remorse / announcement	regret saying it / regret to inform you
Implication / intention	It means working late. / I meant to call.

Examples

1. I regret sending that message.

   ខ្ញុំស្ដាយដែលបានផ្ញើសារនោះ។

2. We regret to inform you that the event is cancelled.

   យើងសោកស្ដាយក្នុងការជូនដំណឹងថាកម្មវិធីត្រូវបានលុបចោល។

3. Accepting the role means travelling often.

   ការទទួលតួនាទីនេះមានន័យថាត្រូវធ្វើដំណើរញឹកញាប់។

4. I meant to call, but I forgot.

   ខ្ញុំមានបំណងទូរស័ព្ទ តែខ្ញុំភ្លេច។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Did you intend to send that version?

Maly: No. I meant to send the revised file, and I regret causing confusion.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
I meant calling you yesterday. (intended: intention)	I meant to call you yesterday.	Mean to do expresses intention.
We regret inform you of the delay.	We regret to inform you of the delay.	The formal announcement pattern takes a to-infinitive.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Choose for remorse: I regret (to tell / telling) him the secret.
2. Explain Taking this job means moving.
3. Choose for intention: I did not mean ___ (hurt) you.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. telling

   The disclosure has already happened and is regretted.

2. Moving is an implication or requirement of taking the job.

   Mean + -ing describes what the choice involves.

3. to hurt

   Mean + to-infinitive expresses the intended action.

Quick recap

• Remorse / announcement: regret saying it / regret to inform you
• Implication / intention: It means working late. / I meant to call.