A and An

What you’ll learn

Use a or an with a singular countable noun and choose by sound.

ប្រើ a ឬ an ជាមួយនាមរាប់បានឯកវចនៈ ដោយជ្រើសរើសតាមសំឡេងបន្ទាប់។

Meaning and use

A and an introduce one non-specific person or thing: I need a pen. Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Listen to the first sound of the next word, not only its first letter: a university begins with a “y” sound (as in yes); an hour begins with a vowel sound because h is silent. If an adjective comes before the noun, choose a or an using the adjective’s first sound.

A និង an ប្រើមុននាមរាប់បានឯកវចនៈដែលមិនទាន់បញ្ជាក់ច្បាស់។ ប្រើ a មុនសំឡេងព្យញ្ជនៈ និង an មុនសំឡេងស្រៈ។ ត្រូវស្តាប់សំឡេង មិនមែនមើលតែអក្សរដំបូងទេ។ បើមានគុណនាមនៅមុខនាម ត្រូវស្តាប់សំឡេងដំបូងរបស់គុណនាមនោះ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Before a consonant sound	a book; a teacher
Before a vowel sound	an apple; an egg
Choose by the next sound, including an adjective	a red apple; an old book
Sound matters more than spelling	a university; an hour
Jobs with a singular countable noun	She is a doctor.

Examples

1. I have a pen.

   ខ្ញុំមានប៊ិចមួយដើម។

2. She eats an apple.

   នាងញ៉ាំផ្លែប៉ោមមួយផ្លែ។

3. He is a teacher.

   គាត់ជាគ្រូបង្រៀនម្នាក់។

4. It is an old house.

   វាជាផ្ទះចាស់មួយ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Do you have a pen?

Maly: Yes. Do you need an envelope too?

Dara: No, just a pen, please.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She is teacher.	She is a teacher.	Teacher is a singular countable noun. Use a before a job in this pattern.
It is a old bag.	It is an old bag.	Old starts with a vowel sound, so use an.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: ___ apple.
2. Complete: ___ university.
3. Complete: ___ hour.
4. Complete: ___ red umbrella.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. an

   Apple begins with a vowel sound.

2. a

   University begins with a consonant “y” sound (as in yes).

3. an

   The h in hour is silent; the first sound is a vowel sound.

4. a

   The next word is red, which starts with a consonant sound.

Quick recap

• A and an are used with singular countable nouns.
• Choose a or an by the first sound of the next word.
• Do not use a or an with ordinary plural nouns or uncountable amounts.