Instructions: Open, Don’t Open…

What you’ll learn

Give simple instructions with a base verb and make negative instructions with don’t.

ប្រាប់ការណែនាំខ្លីៗដោយប្រើកិរិយាសព្ទទម្រង់ដើម និងប្រើ don’t សម្រាប់ការហាមធ្វើ។

Meaning and use

An imperative can give an instruction, invitation, or direct request. It usually starts with a base verb; the listener you is understood rather than written. Use Don’t + base verb for a negative instruction. With be, the negative is Don’t be: Don’t be late. Please can make an instruction more polite, but tone and situation matter too. For a softer request to a person, you can also use Could you...?

Imperative ជាទម្រង់សម្រាប់ការណែនាំ ការអញ្ជើញ ឬសំណើផ្ទាល់។ វាជាទូទៅចាប់ផ្តើមដោយកិរិយាសព្ទទម្រង់ដើម ដោយមិនសរសេរ you។ ប្រយោគបដិសេធប្រើ Don’t និងកិរិយាសព្ទទម្រង់ដើម។ អាចបន្ថែម please ដើម្បីធ្វើឱ្យទន់ភ្លន់ជាងមុន។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Positive instruction	Open your book.
Negative instruction	Don’t open the door.
With be	Be careful. Don’t be late.
Add please	Please sit down. Sit down, please.

Examples

1. Open your book, please.

   សូមបើកសៀវភៅរបស់អ្នក។

2. Don’t close the window.

   កុំបិទបង្អួច។

3. Be careful.

   សូមប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ន។

4. Please write your name here.

   សូមសរសេរឈ្មោះរបស់អ្នកនៅទីនេះ។

Everyday conversation

Maly: What should I do first?

Dara: Read the question carefully.

Maly: Should I write my answer now?

Dara: Yes. Write it here, please.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Opens your book, please.	Open your book, please.	An imperative starts with the base form open, not opens.
Don’t are late.	Don’t be late.	Use the base form be after don’t in this imperative.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Make an instruction: ___ your name here. (write / writes)
2. Make a negative instruction: Open the window.
3. Complete: Don’t ___ late.
4. Add please to make a polite instruction: Sit down.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Write

   Use a base verb at the beginning of an imperative.

2. Don’t open the window.

   Put don’t before the base verb.

3. be

   Don’t is followed by the base form be.

4. Please sit down. / Sit down, please.

   Please can go before or after this instruction.

Quick recap

• Imperatives usually begin with a base verb and omit the subject you.
• Use Don’t + base verb for a negative instruction.
• Use please or a request pattern when the situation calls for politeness.