Indirect Questions and Polite Information Requests

What you’ll learn

Use statement order inside embedded questions.

ប្រើលំដាប់ប្រធានមុនកិរិយាសព្ទក្នុងសំណួរប្រយោល។

Meaning and use

After an introductory phrase such as Could you tell me, the embedded question uses subject–verb order. Do not keep do-support from a direct question. Use if or whether for yes/no questions. A question mark depends on whether the whole sentence is a question.

ក្នុងសំណួរប្រយោល បន្ទាប់ពី Could you tell me ត្រូវរៀបប្រធានមុនកិរិយាសព្ទ។ សម្រាប់សំណួរ yes/no ប្រើ if ឬ whether។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Embedded wh-question	Could you tell me where the office is?
Embedded yes/no question	Do you know if the office is open?

Examples

1. Do you know where Dara lives?

   តើអ្នកដឹងថាដារ៉ារស់នៅឯណាទេ?

2. Could you tell me what time it starts?

   តើអ្នកអាចប្រាប់ថាវាចាប់ផ្ដើមម៉ោងប៉ុន្មានទេ?

3. I wonder whether she has arrived.

   ខ្ញុំឆ្ងល់ថានាងបានមកដល់ឬនៅ។

4. Can you tell me if this seat is free?

   តើអ្នកអាចប្រាប់ថាកៅអីនេះទំនេរឬទេ?

Everyday conversation

Dara: Could you tell me where the library is?

Maly: It is beside the school.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Do you know where is the bank?	Do you know where the bank is?	Use statement order inside the embedded question.
Can you tell me what does it cost?	Can you tell me what it costs?	Remove does and put -s on costs.

Practice

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

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Embed Where does she work? after Do you know.
2. Embed Is the shop open? after Could you tell me.
3. Correct: I wonder when will he arrive.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Do you know where she works?

   The embedded clause uses subject + verb.

2. Could you tell me if the shop is open?

   If introduces the embedded yes/no question.

3. I wonder when he will arrive.

   The auxiliary follows the subject inside the embedded clause.

Quick recap

• Embedded wh-question: Could you tell me where the office is?
• Embedded yes/no question: Do you know if the office is open?