Lesson 6: Basic Geography
Describing the Natural World
We have learned the names for buildings in a city, but what about the world outside? Cambodia has a beautiful natural landscape with rivers, mountains, and lakes. This lesson will teach you the basic geography1 words to describe the natural world around you.
Word Bank: Natural Landscapes
| Feature | Khmer | Meaning & Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| river2 | ទន្លេ | A large, natural stream of water. Example: "The Mekong river is very long." |
| lake3 | បឹង | A large area of water surrounded by land. Example: "The Tonlé Sap is a famous lake." |
| mountain4 | ភ្នំ | A very high hill. Example: "Phnom Kulen is a beautiful mountain." |
| hill5 | ទួល | A raised area of land, smaller than a mountain. Example: "My village is near a small hill." |
| forest / jungle6 | ព្រៃ | A large area of land covered with trees. Example: "Many animals live in the forest." |
| island7 | កោះ | A piece of land completely surrounded by water. Example: "Koh Rong is a famous island." |
| field8 | វាល | An open area of land, often used for farming. Example: "The farmer is working in the rice field." |
Usage Note: Pronunciation and Meaning
- Silent 's': Be careful with the word "island". The 's' is silent! We do not say 'is-land'. We say "eye-land".
- Mountain vs. Hill: A mountain is very, very big. A hill is much smaller.
In Conversation
A tourist named Alex talks with Srey about Cambodia's geography.
Alex: Srey, I love the geography of Cambodia. It's so different from my country.
Srey: What do you like about it?
Alex: I love the big, green rice fields. And the Tonlé Sap is an amazing lake. It's so big, it looks like a sea!
Srey: It is very big! Have you been to Phnom Kulen? It's a sacred mountain not far from here.
Alex: Not yet. I saw some smaller hills on my bus ride from Phnom Penh. And I really want to visit an island like Koh Rong.
Srey: You should! The beaches are beautiful. Just be careful if you walk in the forest there!
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. What is the name of the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia?
- a) The Mekong River
- b) The Tonlé Sap Lake
- c) The Gulf of Thailand
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) The Tonlé Sap Lake
2. How do you pronounce the word I-S-L-A-N-D?
- a) is-land
- b) eye-land
- c) ice-land
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) eye-land
3. A very high hill is called a ______.
- a) field
- b) mountain
- c) lake
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) mountain
edit Your Mission
- My Country's Geography: Write two sentences about the geography of your home area. (e.g., "My village is near a river." "There are many rice fields here.")
- Dream Vacation: Where do you want to travel? To the mountains? To an island? Write one sentence about your dream trip.
- Speak: Your mission is to ask a friend, "Do you like the mountains or the sea?". See what they prefer.
book Lesson Glossary
- Geography (noun) - Khmer: ភូមិសាស្ត្រ - The study of the physical features of the Earth. ↩
- river (noun) - Khmer: ទន្លេ - A large, natural stream of water. ↩
- lake (noun) - Khmer: បឹង - A large area of water surrounded by land. ↩
- mountain (noun) - Khmer: ភ្នំ - A very high hill. ↩
- hill (noun) - Khmer: ទួល - A raised area of land, smaller than a mountain. ↩
- forest / jungle (noun) - Khmer: ព្រៃ - A large area of land covered with trees. ↩
- island (noun) - Khmer: កោះ - A piece of land completely surrounded by water. ↩
- field (noun) - Khmer: វាល - An open area of land, often used for farming. ↩