Lao grammar
Lao is generally a subject–verb–object language, but emphasis can move the object to the beginning of a sentence. The language lacks both agreement and case marking, but word order is very free, with predicate-argument relations determined largely through context. Lao is a right-branching language, much like other Southeast Asian languages and, to a lesser extent, Romance languages.
Politeness
Since Lao culture is stratified based on the age, occupation, wealth or clout of the speaker, one must afford differing amounts of respect based on the discrepancy between one person and another. That affects language as well; to make language more polite, more formal language, including of pronouns (which can otherwise be dropped) and more formal versions of them, and sentence-ending particles can be used. Also, ending particles also serve to soften and make one's speech more polite.
- ແດ່ (dé /dɛ̄ː/)
In addition to ending most general statements and the softening of imperatives and requests, it is also used to intensify the meaning (especially of adjectives and adverbs) more politely, to make the use of demonstrative pronouns more polite, or to indicate a certain amount or some extent of something.
- ເດີ (deu /dəː/) or ເດີ້ (deu /də̄ː/) or ເດ (dè /dèː/)
They are used as a more intensive version of ແດ່, thus giving requests and demands more urgency and are used for statements that tend to be more emphatic. They are, therefore, not as polite. ເດ also has the sense of and what about or to indicate an equivalent to this as a demonstrative pronoun.
Nouns
Nouns are not marked for plurality, gender, or declension but may be single or plural. Unlike in English, nouns are not marked with articles. Measure words or classifiers (ລັກສະໜະນາມ, laksana naam /lāksáʔnáʔ náːm/) are often used to express plurals, as classifiers must be used to count objects, but the noun itself remains unchanged.
Verbs of physical action are easily converted into nouns by adding ການ (kan /kaːn/) before the verb. Abstract actions and adjectives use ຄວາມ (khwam /kʰuáːm/) instead.
ເດີນທາງ
deunthang
/də̀ːntʰáːŋ/
to travel (v.)
nominalised into
ການເດີນທາງ
kan deunthang
/kaːn də̀ːntʰáːŋ/
travel (n.)
ຄຶດ
khuet
/kʰɯt/
to think (v.)
nominalised into
ຄວາມຄຶດ
khoam khuet
/kʰuám kʰɯt/
thought (n.)
ດີ
di
/diː/
good (adj.)
nominalised into
ຄວາມດີ
khoam di
/kʰuám diː/
goodness (n.)
Pronouns
| Pronoun | BGN/PCGN | IPA | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ຂ້ອຍ | khoy | kʰɔ̏ːj | I/me (informal, general) |
| ຂ້ານ້ອຍ | khanoy | kʰȁː nɔ̂ːj | I/me (formal) |
| ເຮົາ | hao | háw | we/us |
| ເຈົ້າ | chao | tɕâw | you (general) |
| ທ່ານ | than | tʰāːn | you (very formal) |
| ເຂົາ | khao | kʰǎw | he/him/she/her (formal, general) |
| ລາວ | lao | láw | he/him/she/her (very informal) |
| ເພິ່ນ | pheun | pʰɤn | he/him/she/her (very formal) |
| ມັນ | man | mán | it (very rude if used on a person) |
Pronouns (ສັບພະນາມ, sap pha nam /sáp pʰāʔ náːm/) are often dropped in informal contexts and replaced with nicknames or kinship terms, depending on the relation of the speaker spoken to (sometimes even spoken about). Pronouns can change based on register of speech, including the obsolete royal and the formal, informal and vulgar. In more formal language, pronouns are more often retained and more formal ones used. Pronouns can be pluralized by adding ພວກ (phuak /pʰuak/) in front: ພວກເຈົ້າ (/pʰuak.tɕao/) for "you plural". Age and status determine usage. Younger children's names are often prefixed with ບັກ (bak /bak/) and ອີ (i /ʔiː/), respectively. Slightly older children are addressed to or have their names prefixed with ອ້າຍ (ai /ʔaj/) and ເອື້ອຍ (èw-ai /ʔɯːâj/), respectively, but ພີ່ (phi /pʰīː/) is also common. Much older people may be politely dressed as aunt, uncle, mother, father, or even grandmother or grandfather, depending on their age. In a company setting, one's title is often used.
Demonstrative pronouns
| Demonstrative Pronoun | BGN/PCGN | IPA | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ນີ້ | ni | nîː | this |
| ນັ້ນ | nan | nân | that |
| ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ | lao ni | lāw nīː | these |
| ເຫຼົ່ານັ້ນ | lao nan | lāw nân | those |
Verbs
Lao verbs (ກະລິຍາ, karigna /káʔlīɲáː/) are not conjugated for tense, mood, or pronoun. Tense is indicated by using time reference words, such as yesterday, next year, just now or by certain particles. Nouns that begin with ການ (kan /kaːn/) or ຄວາມ (khwam /kʰuáːm/), often nominalised verbs, become verbs again when those particles are dropped.
Copula
Lao has two forms of the verb to be, ເປັນ (pèn /pen/) and ແມ່ນ (maen /mɛ̄ːn/) which are somewhat interchangeable. As a general rule, the latter is not used to describe people.
ນົກ
Nok
Nok
ເປັນ
pen
be
ໝໍ
mo
doctor
Nok is a doctor.
ນັ້ນ
Nan
That
ບໍ່
bo
not
ແມ່ນ
mèn
be
ເຮືອ
heua
boat.
That is not a boat.
Tense
In a general, in a short Lao sentence, the verb is often not marked for tense and can be taken from context, with words such as yesterday, tomorrow, later, etc. If the subject of when the events occurred is already known, they can also be left out and inferred from dialogue. However, there are several ways to mark tense in Lao:
Past
The most common way to indicate a completed action is to end a statement with ແລ້ວ (lèw /lɛ̂ːu/). That can also be used to indicate events that occurred in the recent past. One can also use the particle ໄດ້ (dai /dâj/) preceding the verb, alone or in conjunction with ແລ້ວ, although this is less common and often used in negative statements and never for a continuous action.
ແບ້
bae
/bɛ̂ː
ລົງ
long
lóŋ
ມາ
ma
máː
ຈາກ
chak
tʃàːk
ພູ
phou
pʰúː
ແລ້ວ
laew
lɛ̂ːu/
'The goat (just) came down from the mountain.'
ແບ້
bae
/bɛ̂ː
ບໍ່
bo
bɔ̄ː
ໄດ້
dai
dâj
ລົງ
long
lóŋ
ມາ
ma
máː
ຈາກ
chak
tʃàːk
ພູ
phou
pʰúː
ແລ້ວ
laew
lɛ̂ːu/
'The goat did not come down from the mountain.'
Future
There are two markers used to indicate actions to be completed in the future, ຊິ (si /sī/) and ຈະ (cha /tʃáʔ/). Both of these always precede the verb. To indicate that something is just about to happen, one can say ກຳລັງຈະ (kamlang cha /kamláŋ tʃáʔ/).
ຄົນ
khon
/kʰón
ນາ
na
náː
ຈະ
cha
tʃáʔ
ກິນ
kin
kin
ເຂົ້າ
khao
kʰàu
ໜຽວ
nio
niǒ/
'The farmer will eat sticky rice.'
ຄົນ
khon
/kʰón
ນາ
na
náː
ຊິ
si
sī
ກິນ
kin
kin
ເຂົ້າ
khao
kʰàu
ໜຽວ
nio
niǒ/
'The farmer will eat sticky rice.'
ຄົນ
khon
/kʰón
ນາ
na
náː
ກຳລັງຈະ
kamlang cha
kam láŋ tʃáʔ
ກິນ
kin
kin
ເຂົ້າ
khao
kʰàw
ໜຽວ
nio
niǒ/
'The farmer is just about to eat sticky rice.'
Progressive
Although no particle is generally needed to mark a present progressive statement, Lao uses three, ພວມ (phuam /pʰuáːm/) and ກຳລັງ (kamlang /kamláŋ/) before the verb, ຢູ່ (yu /jūː/) after it.
ເດັກ
dèk
/dék
ພວມ
phouam
pʰúaːm
ນອນ
non
nɔ́ːn/
'The baby is (still/currently) sleeping.'
ເດັກ
dèk
/dék
ກຳລັງ
kamlang
kamláŋ
ນອນ
non
nɔ́ːn/
'The baby is (still/currently) sleeping.'
ເດັກ
dèk
/dék
ນອນຢູ່
non-you
nɔ́ːn jūː/
'The baby is (still/currently) sleeping.'
Modal verbs
Modal or auxiliary verbs (ວິກະຕິກະລິຍາ, vikatikaligna) are verbs that serve auxiliary function, such as want, obligation or need like English ought to, should, must, can, etc.
Obligation
ຄວນ (khouan /kʰuán/) Should, ought to
ຂະເຈົ້າ
khachao
they.FORMAL
ຄວນ
khouan
should
ເວົ້າ
vao
speak
ກັບ
gap
with
ເຈົ້າແຂວງ
chao khwaeng
governor.
They should speak with the governor.
ເຈົ້າ
Chao
you
ຄວນ
khouan
should
ນົບ
nop
bow
ເມື່
meu
when
ອທ່ານ
than
mister
ສະມິຖເ
samit
Smith
ຂົ້າ
khao
enter
ມາ
ma
come.
You ought to nop (bow) when Mr. Smith comes inside.
Need
ຕ້ອງ (tong /tɔ̂ːŋ/) to need, must.
When the need is a noun, ຕ້ອງການ (tong kan /tɔ̂ːŋ kàːn/) is used instead.
ມື້
meu
/mɯ̂ː
day
ນີ້
ni
nîː
this
ຕ້ອງ
tong
tɔ̂ːŋ
must
ໄປ
bai
paj
go (v)
ເຮັດ
het
hēt
do (v)
ນາ
na
náː/
field
'Today, I must till the fields.'
ຊ່າງຄຳ
Sangkham
/sāːŋkʰám
jeweller
ຕ້ອງການ
tong kan
tɔ̂ːŋ kàːn
must+ການ (v)
ຄຳ
kham
kʰám/
gold
'The jeweller needs gold.'
Want
ຢາກ, yak /jȁːk/, to want, to desire
Used to express a want or desire. When this is a noun, then the form ຢາກໄດ້ (yak dai /jȁːk dâj/) or the common verb ເອົາ (ao /aw/) is used instead, but the latter is not as polite.
ເອື້ອຍ
Euy
/ʔɯ̂ːj
older sister
ຢາກ
yak
jȁːk
want
ໄປ
pai
paj
go
ວຽງຈັນ
Vientiane
wiáːŋcan/
Vientiane
'Older sister wants to go to Vientiane.'[dubious ][check IPA for euy]
ເອື້ອຍ
Euy
/ʔɯ̂ːj
older sister
ຢາກ
yak
jȁːk
want
ໄດ້
dai
dâj
ໄດ້
ຜົວ
phoua
pʰuǎː
husband
ວຽງຈັນ
Vientiane
wiáːŋcan/
Vientiane
'Older sister wants a husband from Vientiane.'
ເອົາ
ao
/aw
want (v)
ຕຳຫມາກຫຸ່ງ
tammakhoung
tammȁːk.hūŋ
papaya salad
ທີ່
thi
tʰīː
CL
ນຶ່ງ
neung
nɯ̄ŋ
one
ບໍ່
bo
bɔ̄ː
no
ໃສ່
sai
sāj
add (v)
ປາແດກ
padèk
paːdɛ̏ːk/
Lao fish sauce
I want one dish of papaya salad without padaek.
Can, be able to
ໄດ້ (dai /dâj/) to get, to have, to be able to
That is used to indicate the ability to do something. It is the closest Lao word for the English verb can and in requests when English speakers would use may. When used in that sense, it follows the verb; before the verb, the meaning changes to to get or to have.
ຜູ້ເຖົ້າ
phou thao
/pʰȕː tʰȁo
old man
ຍ່າງ
gnang
ɲāːŋ
walk (v)
ສິບຫ້າ
sip ha
síp hȁː
fifteen
ກິໂລເມ້ດ
kilomet
kílóːmēt
kilometer
ໄດ້
dai
dâj/
can (v)
'The old man can walk fifteen kilometres.
ຂ້ານ້ອຍ
khanoy
/kʰȁːnɔ̂ːj
I
ຊ່ວຍ
soi
sɔ̄ːj
help (v)
ທ່ານ
than
tʰāːn
you (formal)
ໄດ້
dai
dâj
can
ບໍ່
bo
bɔ̄ː/
INTERR
'May I help you?'
ເປັນ (pèn /pen/) to be, to be able to
In addition to being a verb for the copula, it can also be used to indicate that one can do something because of knowing how to do it.
ຄົນ
Khon
/kʰón
person
ຝະຫຼັ່ງ
farang
frāŋ
French
ເສດ
sȅːt
speak (v)
ປາກ
pak
pȁːk
language
ພາສາ
phasa
pʰáːsǎː
Lao
ລາວ
lao
láːw
language
ເປັນ
pen
pen/
can
'The Frenchman (can/knows how to) speak the Lao language.'[check romanization and IPA for falang]
ຄັນທັບ
Khanthap
/kʰántʰāp
court dancer
ປະໂຄມ
pakhom
páʔkʰóːm
play (v)
ພິນ
phin
pʰín
lute
ເປັນ
pen
pen
can
ດ້ວຍ
duay
duâːj/
also
The court dancer (can/knows how to) play the lute.
ສາມາດ...ໄດ້ (samat...dai /sǎːmâːt ... dâj/) to be able to, to be possible
It functions much like can but with the sense of being physically possible to do.
ເດັກ
dek
/dék
child
ຜູ້ຊາຍ
phousai
pʰȕːsáːj
boy
ບໍ່
bo
bɔ̄ː
not
ສາມາດ
samat
sǎːmâːt
can
ຍົກ
gnok
ɲōk
lift (v)
ໂຕ
to
tòː
CL
ຄວາຍ
khwai
kʰuáːj
water buffalo
ຂຶ້ນ
kun
kʰɨ̏n/
upward
ໄດ້
ໄດ້.
'The boy cannot lift a water buffalo.'
Enter, join
ເຂົ້າ, khao /kʰàw/, to enter, to join, to participate
Used to indicate movement from one place to another inside, such as a house or building.
ເຮົາ
hao
/háw
We
ເຂົ້າ
khao
kʰàw
enter
ໄປ
bai
paj
go
ເຮືອນ
heuan
hɯáːn/
house
'We go into the house.'
Recipiency
ໃຫ້, hai /hàj/ to give, to permit, to let
Used to indicate that the verb is intended for someone or something else or to express a desire, a wish, or a command.
ຂໍ
Kho
/kʰɔ̌ː
request
ໃຫ້
hai
hàj
give
ມີ
mi
míː
have
ໂຊກ
sok
sôːk
luck
ດີ
di
dìː/
good
'I wish (to/for) you good luck.'
ດອກ
Dok
/dɔ̏ːk
flower
ກຸຫຼາບ
kulap
kúlȁːp
rose
ນີ້
ni
nîː
this
ຢາກ
yak
jȁːk
want
ໃຫ້
hai
hàj
give
nîː
ເຈົ້າ
jao
tʃâw
you
ມີ
mi
míː/
have
'This flower I want (to/for) you to have it.'
Affirmation and negation
To say no is as simple as saying ບໍ່ (bo /bɔ̄ː/), and negation simply involves placing that word in front of the verb, adjective, adverb, or noun to be negated. To say yes, especially to indicate that one is listening, one uses ໂດຍ (doi /dòːj/), especially in formal situations, or ເຈົ້າ (chao /tʃâw/). To answer a question, one often repeats the verb of action that was used in the question to indicate that that action was or will be completed. One can also use ແມ່ນ (mén /mɛ̄ːn/), especially if the question had ແມ່ນ, as an element of the interrogative particle.
Adverbs and adjectives
Little distinction can be made between adjectives and adverbs, as any adjective that could logically be used to modify a verb can also be used as an adverb. They are often duplicated to indicate a superlative and can even be modified like verbs, mainly by the lack of a copula to link the object and adjective/adverb. Adjectives come after the noun.
ຊ້າງ
Sang
/sâːŋ
elephant
ຊ້າ
sa
sâː/
slow
'A slow elephant.'
ໄປ
Bai
/baj
ບ້ານ
ban
bâːn
ຊ້າ
sa
sâː
ໆ
saa
sâː/
'Go to the village slowly.'
ສາວ
Sao
/sǎːw
ງາມ
ngam
ŋaːm
ທີ່
thi
tʰiː
ໄວ
wai
vaj/
'A lady who becomes pretty quickly.'
ບ່າວ
Bao
/bāːu
ທີ່
thi
tʰīː
ຊິ
si
sī
ໂກ້
ko
kôː/
'A boy who will be handsome.'
Equivalence, comparatives, and superlatives
To indicate that something is the same, one uses ຄືກັນ (khu kan /kʰɯ́ː kan/). To indicate that one is similar to something else, one uses ຄືກັບ (khu kap /kʰɯ́ː káp/).
ພາສາ
Phasa
/pʰáːsǎː
ລາວ
lao
láːw
ແລະ
lae
ພາສາ
phasa
pʰáːsǎː
ອີສານ
isan
iːsǎːn
phasa
ຄື
khu
kʰɯ́ː
ກັນ
kan
kan/
'The Lao language and the Isan language are the same.'[check romanization and IPA]
ອາຫານ
Ahan
/ʔàːhǎːn
ຈີນ
chin
tʃiːn
ບໍ່
bo
bɔ̄ː
ຄື
khu
kʰɯ́ː
ກັບ
kap
káp
ອາຫານ
ahan
ʔàːhǎːn
ລາວ
lao
láːw/
'Chinese cuisine is not the same as Lao cuisine.'
Comparatives take the form "A ກວ່າ (kwa /kuāː/) B", or A is more than B. The superlative is expressed by "A ທີ່ສຸດ (thisut /tʰīːsút/)", or A is the best. All adjectives can be altered in this way:
ຜອງ
pong
/pʰɔ̌ːŋ/
tall
+
+
+
+
ກວ່າ
kwa
/kuāː/
COMP
=
=
=
=
ຜອງກວ່າ
pong kwa
/pʰɔ̌ːŋ kuāː/
taller
ນ້ອຍ
noy
/nɔ̂ːj/
small
+
+
+
+
ກວ່າ
kwa
/kuāː/
COMP
=
=
=
=
ນ້ອຍກວ່າ
noy kwa
/nɔ̂ːj kuāː/
smaller
ຄູ
Khou
/kʰúː
ປ່ອ
pong
pɔ̄ːŋ
ງກວ່າ
kwa
kuāː
ນັກຮຽນ
nak hian
nāk hiáːn/
'The teacher is smarter than the student.'
ສາວ
Sao
/saːw
ນັ້ນ
nan
nân
ງາມ
ngam
ŋáːm
ທີ່ສຸດ
thisut
tʰīːsút/
'That lady is the prettiest.'
Questions
Lao uses special tag words at the beginning or the end of the sentence to indicate a question, so the modern use of the question mark (?) is redundant.
Yes-no questions end in ບໍ່ (bo /bɔ̄ː/), but Lao also has other sentence interrogative finals that indicate whether or not the speaker expects an answer, knows the answer to be expected, will be surprised, or is rhetorically asking a question, but they are generally used only in conversational settings.
ສະບາຽ
sabai
/sáʔbaːj
ດີ
di
diː
ບໍ່
bo
bɔ̄ː/
'Are you well?'
Other common interrogatives
Who? ຜູ້ໃດ (phoudai /pʰȕːdàj/) and its common short form ໃຜ (phai /pʰǎj/)
ຜູ້ໃດ
phoudai
/pʰȕːdàj
who.INTERR
ຂາຽ
khai
kʰǎːj
sell (v)
ໄຂ່
khai
kʰāj
egg
ໄກ່
kai
kāj/
chicken
'Who sells chicken eggs?'
ໃຜ
phai
/pʰǎj
who.INTERR
ກັບໄປ
kap pai
káp paj
leave for (v)
ຈຳປາສັກ
Champassak
càmpàːsák/
Champassak
'Who left for Champassak?'
What? ຈັ່ງໃດ (changdai /tʃāŋdàj/) and its common short form ຫຽັງ (gnang /ɲǎŋ/)
ອາວ
Ao
/ʔàːw
uncle
ຢາກ
yak
jȁːk
want (v)
ເບິ່ງ
beung
bə̄ŋ
watch (v)
ຫຽັງ
gnang
ɲăŋ/
what.INTERR
'What does Uncle want to watch?'
ເຮັດ
het
/het
do (v)
ຈັ່ງໃດ
changdai
tʃāŋdàj/
what.INTERR
'What are you doing?'
Where? ໃສ (sai /săj/)
ຢູ່
you
jūː
to be at (v)
ໃສ
sai
sǎj/
where.INTERR
'Where is Luang Phrabang?'
When? ເມື່ອໃດ (mua dai /mɨ̄aː dàj/), and many others.
There are numerous ways to ask when something will occur, many of which are formed by adding ໃດ (dai /dàj/) which after a noun marking time, e.g., ເວລາໃດ (vela dai /véːláː dàj/), ຍາມໃດ (gnam dai /ɲáːm dàj/), and ປານໃດ (pan dai /pàːndài/).
ເມື່ອໃດ
mua dai
/mɨāː dàj
When.INTERR
ຊິ
si
si
FUT
ໄປ
pai
paj
go (v)
'When will you go to Pakxe?'
Why? ເປັນຈັ່ງໃດ (pen changdai /pen tʃāŋdàj/)
The phrase by itself can also mean What's wrong?, but can also ask why or for what reason a condition is occurring.
ເປັນຈັ່ງໃດ
pen changdai
/pen tʃāŋdàj
why.INTERR
ຄົນຫາປາ
khon ha pa
kʰón hǎː paː
fisherman
pen
ຊົບເຊົາອີ່ຫຼີ່
sop sao ili
sōp sáu ʔīːlǐː/
sad really
'Why is the fisherman really sad?'
How?
ແນວໃດ (nèw dai /nɛ́ːw dàj/)
There are numerous ways to ask how?, some interchangeable with Lao equivalents for what? and why? but in the sense of how something is accomplished or done, one can also use ເຊັ່ນໃດ (sen dai /sēn dàj/), ຢ່າງໃດ (yang dai /jāːŋ dàj/) or ດັ່ງໃດ (dang dai /dāŋ dàj/).
ເຮັດ
het
/het
do (v)
ແນວໃດ
nèw dai
nɛ́ːw dàj/
how.INTERR
How does one do it?'
How Much/Many? (General Things) ຈັກ (chak /tʃák/)
ບາດ
bat
/bȁːt
Now
ນີ້
ni
nīː
here [right now]
ຈັກ
chak
tʃák
how many
ຄົນ
khon
khón
people
ໄປ
pai
paj
go (v)
ສູ່ຂວັນ
sukhwan
sūːkʰwǎːn/
baisi ceremony
'How many people attend the baisi ceremony?'
How Much? (Price) ເທົ່າໃດ (thao dai /tʰāw dàj/) or its variant ທໍ່ໃດ (tho dai /tʰɔ̄ː dàj/)
ສິ້ນ
sin
/sȉn
skirt
ສີ
si
sǐː
colour
ແດງ
dèng
dɛ̀ːŋ
red
ນີ້
ni
nī
this
ເທົ່າໃດ
thao dai
tʰāo dàj/
how much.INTERR
'How much is this red skirt?'
Right? Correct? ແມ່ນບໍ່ (mèn bo /mɛ̄ːn bɔ̄ː/)
ພຣະຍານາກ
Phagna Nak
/pʰāʔɲáː nâːk
Dragon
ພັກ
ອາໄສ
you
jūː
inhabit
ແມ່ນບໍ່
mèn bo
mɛ̄ːn bɔ̄ː/
correct.INTERR
'The Dragon is in the Mekong, right?'[check romanization and IPA]
Already? Yet? ແລ້ວບໍ່ (lèw bo /lɛ̂ːw bɔ̄ː/)
ທານ
than
/tʰáːn
eat
ເຂົ້າ
khao
kʰȁo
rice
ແລ້ວບໍ່
lèw bo
lɛ̂ːw bɔ̄ː/
yet INTERR
'Have you eaten yet?'
Or not? ຫຼືບໍ່ (lu bo /lɯ̀ bɔ̄ː/)
ອ້າຽ
ai
/ʔâːj
older brother
ຢາກ
yak
jȁːk
want
ໄດ້
dai
dâj
ໄດ້
ເມັຽ
mia
miáː
wife
ດີ
di
diː
good
ຫຼືບໍ່
lu bo
lɯ̀ bɔ̄ː/
or not.INTERR
'Does older brother want a good wife or not?'
Eh? ຫຼື (lu /lɯ̀/)
This is a rather informal interrogative particle equivalent to English eh? or hmm? or huh?.
ສະບາຍດີ
sabai di
/sáʔbàːj diː
be well (v)
ຫຼື
lu
lɯ̀/
huh.INTERR
'You okay, huh?
Answers to questions usually just involve repetition of the verb and any nouns for clarification.
- Question: ສະບາຍດີບໍ່ (sabai di bo /saʔbaj diː bɔː/) Are you well?
- Response: ສະບາຍດີ (sabai di /saʔbaj diː/) I am well or ບໍ່ສະບາຍ (bo sabai /bɔː saʔbaj/) I am not well.
Words asked with a negative can be confusing and should be avoided. The response, even without the negation, will still be negated by the nature of the question.
- ບໍ່ສະບາຍບໍ່ (bo sabai di bo /bɔː saʔbaj diː bɔː/) Are you not well?
- Response: ບໍ່ສະບາຍ (bo sabai di /bɔː saʔbaj diː/) I am well.
Classifiers
Classifiers (ລັກສະນະນາມ, laksananam /lāksáʔnāʔnáːm/) are used for when referring to a number of things, either a group or a finite amount. Classifiers can be used in place of the counted noun when context makes it sufficient. There are many classifiers, which is daunting, and it is better to double the noun or the more common ones such as ທີ່ (thi /tʰīː/) or ໂຕ (to /toː/). For single items, the classifier comes before the number; for more, the classifier comes after it.
ເບັຽ
bia
/biaː
beer
ຂວດ
khuat
kʰùaːt
CL
ນຶ່ງ
nueng
nɯ̄ŋ/
one
'One bottle of beer.'
ເບັຽ
bia
/biaː
beer
ສອງ
song
sɔ̌ːŋ
two
ຂວດ
khuat
kʰuàːt/
CL
'Two bottles of beer.'
The classifiers can sometimes be used in place of the nouns they group in context.
ມີຫ
mi
/míː
have
ມາ
ma
mǎː
dog
ສອງ
song
sɔ̌ːŋ
two
ໂຕ
to
ɗoː
CL
ໃນ
nai
nái
in
ບ້ານ
ban
bâːn
village.
ໂຕ
to
ɗoː
CL
ກັດ
kat
kát
bite
ອ້າຍ
ai
ʔâːj/
older brother
'There were two dogs in the village. The dogs bit older brother.'
| Lao | Category |
|---|---|
| ຄົນ, khon /kʰón/ | People in general, except clergy and royalty. |
| ຄັນ, khan /kʰán/ | Vehicles, bicycles, umbrellas, kitchen utensils. |
| ຄູ່, khu /kʰūː/ | Pairs of people, animals, socks, earrings, etc. |
| ສະບັບ, sabap /sáʔbáp/ | Papers with texts, books, documents, manuscripts, etc. |
| ໂຕ, to /ɗoː/ | Animals, insects, birds, shirts, letters, playing cards, furniture, chairs, things with legs. |
| ກົກ, kok /kók/ | Trees. |
| ຫນ່ວຽ, nuay /nuāj/ | Oval objects, fruits, eggs, eyes, pillows/cushions, drums, furniture, mountains, watches/clocks, and headgear. |
| ໃບ, bai /baj/ | round and flat objects such as a leaf, a tray, etc.[1] |
Possession
To indicate that object X belongs to object Y, Lao uses the construction X ຂອງ Y. ຂອງ (khong /kʰɔ̌ːŋ/) can also be omitted without changing the meaning.
ແຜງ
Mane
ຂອງ
POSS
ມ້າ
horse
or
or
ແຜງ
mane
ມ້າ
horse
A horse's mane.'
References
- ^ Classifiers in Lao: A Cognitive Linguistic Approach
- Enfield, N. J. (2007). A grammar of Lao. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.
- Cummings, J. (2002). Lao phrasebook. Footscray, Australia: Lonely Planet Publishers.
- (in Thai) ภาษาและวรรณกรรมท้องถิ่นล้านนา : ฉบับสำนวนภาษากำเมือง [Northern Thai dialect and folk literature of Lanna]. Bangkok: Faculty of Humanities, MCU. 2009. ISBN 978-974-11-1078-0. http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4697444.
- Mollerup, A. (2001). Thai- isan- lao phrasebook. Bangkok, Thailand: White Lotus.
- SEAlang Library Lao Lexicography. (2010, 13 February). Retrieved from [1].