Speaking: Grammar in Speaking B1 - Lesson 3: Using "used to" for Past Habits

Speaking B1

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"Used to"

ទម្លាប់ក្នុងអតីតកាល (Past Habits)

We use "used to" to talk about things we did regularly in the past, but we do not do them now.

យើងប្រើ "used to" ដើម្បីនិយាយពីទម្លាប់ ឬស្ថានភាពដែលធ្លាប់កើតឡើងជាប្រចាំក្នុងអតីតកាល ប៉ុន្តែបច្ចុប្បន្នវាលែងកើតឡើងទៀតហើយ។

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1. Past Actions

ទម្រង់ស្រប (Affirmative)

Subject + used to + Base Verb

I used to draw on paper.

(Now I draw on a tablet.) ពីមុនខ្ញុំធ្លាប់គូររូបលើក្រដាស។

Subject + used to + Base Verb

I used to live in Phnom Penh.

(Now I live in Kampot.) ពីមុនខ្ញុំធ្លាប់រស់នៅភ្នំពេញ។

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2. The Negative

ទម្រង់បដិសេធ (Negative)

didn't use to (No 'd'!)

I didn't use to like coffee.

(But now I drink it every day.) ពីមុនខ្ញុំមិនសូវចូលចិត្តកាហ្វេទេ។

didn't use to (No 'd'!)

We didn't use to have fast internet.

(Now we do.) ពីមុនយើងមិនសូវមានអ៊ីនធឺណិតលឿនប្រើទេ។

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3. Questions

ទម្រង់សំណួរ (Questions)

Did + Subject + use to + Base Verb?

Did you use to watch cartoons?

(When you were young.) តើកាលពីមុនអ្នកធ្លាប់មើលរឿងតុក្កតាទេ?

Wh- Question

What did you use to do for fun?

(Before smartphones.) តើកាលពីមុនអ្នកធ្លាប់ធ្វើអ្វីខ្លះដើម្បីកម្សាន្តសប្បាយ?

The Spelling Trap! ⚠️

Do NOT put a "d" on "use" in negatives and questions.

(ប្រយ័ត្ន! ក្នុងប្រយោគបដិសេធ (didn't) និងប្រយោគសំណួរ (Did...?) យើងត្រូវលុបអក្សរ "d" ចេញពីពាក្យ used ។)

I didn't used to go. ❌
I didn't use to go. ✅

The "Once" Trap! ⚠️

Do not use "used to" for things that happened only ONE time.

(កុំប្រើ used to សម្រាប់សកម្មភាពដែលកើតឡើងតែម្តងគត់ក្នុងអតីតកាល។ ត្រូវប្រើ Past Simple ធម្មតា។)

I used to go to Angkor Wat last year. ❌
I went to Angkor Wat last year. ✅

Mastery Check ⚡

ការត្រួតពិនិត្យចំណេះដឹង

Affirmative Form

I ___ play football every weekend, but now I don't.

(ពីមុនខ្ញុំធ្លាប់លេងបាល់ទាត់រាល់ចុងសប្តាហ៍ តែឥឡូវលែងហើយ។)

GRAMMAR TRAP! ❌

She ___ like spicy food.

(ពីមុននាងមិនធ្លាប់ចូលចិត្តម្ហូបហឹរទេ។)

Meaning Context

We use "used to" to talk about...

(យើងប្រើពាក្យ "used to" ដើម្បីនិយាយអំពីអ្វី?)

THE "ONCE" TRAP! ❌

I ___ a new tablet yesterday.

(ខ្ញុំបានទិញថេបប្លេតថ្មីមួយកាលពីម្សិលមិញ។)

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Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Then vs. Now ✏️ (សរសេរប្រយោគ ២ ប្រៀបធៀបទម្លាប់ពីមុន និងបច្ចុប្បន្នរបស់អ្នក។ ឧ. I used to sketch with a pencil, but now I use an iPad.)

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Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Childhood Memory 🎤 (ថតសំឡេងខ្លួនឯងនិយាយ ៣ យ៉ាងដែលអ្នកធ្លាប់ធ្វើកាលពីនៅក្មេង។ (ឧ. I used to play in the rain.))

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Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

The Interviewer 🗣️ (សួរមិត្តភក្តិ ឬអ្នកណាម្នាក់ជាភាសាអង់គ្លេសថា៖ "What did you use to be afraid of when you were young?")

Pronunciation Flow

មេរៀនជាវីដេអូ

Pronunciation Tip: When native speakers talk quickly, "used to" and "use to" sound exactly the same! The 'd' and the 't' blend together to make one sound: /juːstə/ (yoosta). Watch Teacher Sopheak demonstrate!

Ask a Question 🙋‍♂️

តើអ្នកមានចម្ងល់មែនទេ? សួរគ្រូនៅទីនេះ!

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Recent Questions

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Sovan 2 hours ago

Teacher, can I say "I am used to waking up early"? Is that a past habit?

Reply 👍 24

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 1 hour ago

Brilliant question, Sovan! You CAN say that, but it has a totally different meaning! "I am used to [doing something]" means "I am accustomed to it / it feels normal for me now." It is about the present. "I used to [do something]" means a past habit that has stopped. This is an advanced B2 concept we will cover later! 🎯

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Vireak 5 hours ago

I sometimes hear people say "I would draw every day" instead of "I used to draw". Are they the same?

Reply 👍 18

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 4 hours ago

Yes, Vireak! For actions (like drawing, playing), "would" and "used to" mean the same thing for past habits. BUT, for states (like living, being, having), you can ONLY use "used to". You cannot say "I would live in Phnom Penh". You must say "I used to live in Phnom Penh". 🏙️