Speaking: Pronunciation A1 - Lesson 4: Pronouncing Numbers and Common Greetings

Speaking: Pronunciation A1 - Lesson 4

Pronouncing Numbers and Common Greetings

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to pronounce cardinal numbers (1-20, 30-100) and use common greetings with the correct stress and intonation.

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Part 1: Pronouncing English Numbers

Let's learn how to say common English numbers¹ clearly. Pay attention to the ending sounds!

Number	Word	Pronunciation Tip
1	one	Sounds like "won"
2	two	Sounds like "too"
3	three	Use the soft 'TH' sound (tongue near teeth)
4	four	Sounds like "for"
5	five	Finish with a 'V' sound
6	six	Finish with a 'KS' sound
7	seven	Two syllables: SEV-en
8	eight	Finish with a 'T' sound
9	nine	Finish with an 'N' sound
10	ten

The "Teen" vs "Ty" Numbers

This is a very important stress pattern. Listen to the difference.

• Thirteen² (13) -> Stress is on the END (da-DUM beat) -> thir-TEEN
• Thirty³ (30) -> Stress is on the START (DUM-da beat) -> THIR-ty

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Part 2: Pronouncing Common Greetings

Now let's learn the 'music' of some common English greetings⁴. Stress and intonation are very important here.

• Hello, how are you? ↗ (Voice goes UP at the end)
• Good MORN-ing. ↘
• Good af-ter-NOON. ↘
• Good EVE-ning. ↘
• What's your name? ↘ (Voice goes DOWN at the end)
• Nice to MEET you. ↘
• THANK you. ↘
• Good-BYE. ↘

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Vocabulary Glossary

1. Number (Noun) | លេខ | A word or symbol that represents an amount. ↩
2. Thirteen (Number) | ដប់បី | The number 13. ↩
3. Thirty (Number) | សាមសិប | The number 30. ↩
4. Greeting (Noun) | ការស្វាគមន៍ | Polite words you say when you meet someone. ↩
5. Morning (Noun) | ព្រឹក | The first part of the day, from sunrise to noon. ↩
6. Afternoon (Noun) | រសៀល | The part of the day from noon until the evening. ↩
7. Evening (Noun) | ល្ងាច | The part of the day between afternoon and night. ↩

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record_voice_over Pronunciation Focus: "Teen" vs. "Ty"

The biggest challenge with numbers is hearing the difference between numbers like 13 and 30. The secret is the stress!

Stress on the END (da-DUM): The "Teens"

Listen: thir-TEEN, four-TEEN, fif-TEEN

Stress on the START (DUM-da): The "Tys"

Listen: THIR-ty, FOR-ty, FIF-ty

If the end is strong, it's a "teen" (13-19). If the start is strong, it's a "ty" (30, 40, etc.).

lightbulb The Music of Greetings

Intonation for greetings is simple if you remember two rules from our last lesson, and one new one.

• Rule 1 (Review): Use RISING intonation (↗) for Yes/No questions. "How are you?" works the same way - you expect an answer, so your voice goes up.
• Rule 2 (Review): Use FALLING intonation (↘) for statements. "Good morning" and "Nice to meet you" are statements, so your voice goes down.
• Rule 3 (New): Also use FALLING intonation (↘) for questions starting with Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How (Wh-Questions). That is why we say "What's your name? ↘".

sports_esports Practice Your Pronunciation

Activity 1: Number Dictation

Listen to the audio guide. I will say five numbers. Write them down. Did you hear "teen" or "ty"?

1. Number 1: ___
2. Number 2: ___
3. Number 3: ___
4. Number 4: ___
5. Number 5: ___

Answers: (1. 14), (2. 50), (3. 17), (4. 80), (5. 19)

Activity 2: Greeting Role-Play

Work with a partner. Practice this short conversation.

Student A: Start by saying "Hello, how are you?". Remember the intonation!

Student B: Respond. Say "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

Student A: Say "I'm good, thank you. What's your name?"

Student B: Tell student A your name.

Student A: Say "Nice to meet you, [Student B's Name]."

Student B: Say "Nice to meet you, too."

task Your Speaking Mission

This week in Battambang, use your new English skills!

1. When you buy something at a shop or the market, try to say the price in English.
2. Greet one person. It can be a friend, a teacher, or even a tourist. Say "Hello, how are you?" and try to have a short conversation.