Basic Sentence Structure

What you’ll learn

Build short statements with a subject and a verb, and add an object or description when needed.

បង្កើតប្រយោគខ្លីដោយប្រើប្រធាន និងកិរិយាសព្ទ ហើយបន្ថែមកម្មបទ ឬពាក្យពណ៌នាតាមតម្រូវការ។

Meaning and use

In a basic English statement, the subject usually comes before the verb. The subject tells us who or what the statement is about. Some verbs can stand without an object: Birds fly. Other verbs take an object: I like tea. With be, we often add a description or identity: She is happy. Not every sentence needs an object. This lesson focuses on statements; questions and instructions can use different patterns.

ក្នុងប្រយោគប្រាប់ធម្មតា ប្រធានជាទូទៅនៅមុខកិរិយាសព្ទ។ ប្រធានសម្គាល់ថាប្រយោគនិយាយអំពីនរណា ឬអ្វី។ ប្រយោគខ្លះត្រូវការកម្មបទ ប៉ុន្តែប្រយោគខ្លះមិនត្រូវការទេ។ ជាមួយ be យើងអាចបន្ថែមពាក្យពណ៌នា ឬអត្តសញ្ញាណ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Subject + verb	Birds fly.
Subject + verb + object	I like tea.
Subject + be + description	She is happy.
Subject + be + identity	Dara is a student.

Examples

1. The baby sleeps.

   ទារកគេង។

2. We play football.

   យើងលេងបាល់ទាត់។

3. My bag is heavy.

   កាបូបរបស់ខ្ញុំធ្ងន់។

4. They are students.

   ពួកគេជាសិស្ស។

Everyday conversation

Dara: What do you like?

Maly: I like tea.

Dara: Is your tea hot?

Maly: Yes, it is.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Like I tea.	I like tea.	Use subject + verb + object in this statement.
My bag heavy.	My bag is heavy.	Use is between the subject My bag and the description heavy.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Put the words in order: reads / Dara / books.
2. Choose the complete sentence: (a) The baby sleeps. (b) The baby sleeping.
3. Does Birds fly need an object to be complete?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Dara reads books.

   Dara is the subject, reads is the verb, and books is the object.

2. (a) The baby sleeps.

   The second example needs an auxiliary verb: The baby is sleeping.

3. No.

   Fly can be used without an object in this sentence.

Quick recap

• For basic statements, start with subject + verb.
• Add an object only when the verb and meaning need one.
• Use a form of be before a description such as happy or tired.