Describing People and Things

What you’ll learn

Use adjectives before nouns and after be to describe people and things.

ប្រើគុណនាមមុននាម និងក្រោយ be ដើម្បីពណ៌នាមនុស្ស និងវត្ថុ។

Meaning and use

An adjective gives information about a noun or pronoun. In a basic noun phrase, it usually comes before the noun: a red bag. It can also follow be: The bag is red. English adjectives normally keep the same form with singular and plural nouns: a small house, two small houses. Do not add plural -s to the adjective. If several adjectives come before a noun, their order can matter; start with useful combinations such as a small red bag.

គុណនាមផ្តល់ព័ត៌មានអំពីនាម ឬសព្វនាម។ ជាទូទៅវានៅមុននាម ដូចជា a red bag ឬនៅក្រោយ be ដូចជា The bag is red។ គុណនាមមិនបន្ថែម -s តាមនាមពហុវចនៈទេ។ ចាប់ផ្តើមដោយទម្រង់ខ្លី និងសាមញ្ញ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Before a noun	a small house; a red bag
After be	The house is small. The bags are red.
Adjective form does not become plural	one small house → two small houses
A useful combination	a small red bag

Examples

1. She has a blue bag.

   នាងមានកាបូបពណ៌ខៀវមួយ។

2. The room is quiet.

   បន្ទប់នេះស្ងប់ស្ងាត់។

3. They are friendly people.

   ពួកគេជាមនុស្សរួសរាយរាក់ទាក់។

4. We live in a small house.

   យើងរស់នៅក្នុងផ្ទះតូចមួយ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: What is your new bag like?

Maly: It is small and blue.

Dara: Is it heavy?

Maly: No, it is light.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
I have a bag blue.	I have a blue bag.	In this basic noun phrase, put the adjective blue before bag.
They are smalls houses.	They are small houses.	The noun becomes plural, but the adjective small does not.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Put in order: a / bag / red.
2. Complete: two ___ houses. (small / smalls)
3. Complete: The room ___ quiet.
4. Make a noun phrase: a bag; the bag is small and red.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. a red bag

   Put red before the noun bag.

2. small

   Adjectives do not add plural -s.

3. is

   Use be to connect the singular subject with quiet.

4. a small red bag

   This is a common order for size and color before a noun.

Quick recap

• Adjectives often go before nouns or after be.
• Do not add plural -s to an adjective.
• Learn short adjective combinations before longer descriptions.