Learn Some Basic and Common Lao Phrases
Lao is a Tai-Kadai language spoken by around 15 million people in Laos and Thailand. Although it is not necessary to learn Laos before you visit Laos, it is always useful to know some basic words or phases. You’ll also impress them if you try to use a little Laos when you meet and maybe have some fun trying.
Read more: How do you count to 10 in Laos?
Here are some useful Laos phases:
| Hello | ສະບາຍດີ (sabaidee) |
| Thank you | ຂອບໃຈ (khàwp jai) |
| Thank you very much | ຂອບໃຈຫລາຍໆ (khàwp jai lai lai) |
| Sorry/excuse me | ຂໍໂທດ (khãw thôht) |
| Never mind/ you are welcome | ບໍ່ເປັນຫຍັງ (baw pen nyãng) |
| Goodbye | ລາກ່ອນ (la khãwn) |
| Please | ກະລຸນາ (khâluna) |
| Yes | ເຈົ້າ/ໂດຍ (jâo/dooy) |
| No | ບໍ່ (baw) |
| Welcome | ຍິນດີຕ້ອນຮັບ (yin dee torn háp) |
| I, Me | ຂ້ອຍ (khàwy) |
| You | ເຈົ້າ (jâo) |
| She/he | ລາວ or ເຂົາ (lâo or khâo) |
| We | ພວກເຮົາ (phuak hâo) |
| They | ພວກເຂົາ (phuak khâo) |
| How are you? | ສະບາຍດີບໍ? (sábaidee baw?) |
| I’m fine, thanks. And you? | ສະບາຍດີ, ຂອບໃຈ. ເຈົ້າເດ? (sábaidee, khàwp ja?i. jâo dây?) |
| I’m not feeling very well | ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ສະບາຍ (khàwy baw sábai) |
| I’m hungry | ຂ້ອຍຫິວເຂົ້າ (kháwy hew khao) |
| I’m thirsty | ຂ້ອຍຫິວນ້ຳ (kháwy hew nam) |
| I am full | ຂ້ອຍອີ່ມ (kháwy im) |
| I want to eat | ຂ້ອຍຢາກກິນ (kháwy yark kin) |
| I want to go…. | ຂ້ອຍຢາກໄປ (kháwy yark pai….) |
| I want to go to the airport | ຂ້ອຍຢາກໄປເດີ່ນບິນ (kháwy yark pai dern bin) |
| I’ve a headache | ຂ້ອຍເຈັບຫົວ (kháwy jeb hua) |
| I’ve got a stomachache | ຂ້ອຍເຈັບທ້ອງ (kháwy jeb thong) |
| Do you speak English | ເຈົ້າເວົ້າພາສາອັງກິດໄດ້ບໍ? (jâo wâo pasa angkit dai baw?) |
| Do you speak Lao | ເຈົ້າເວົ້າພາສາລາວໄດ້ບໍ? (jâo wâo pasa lao dai baw?) |
| Where’s the toilet? | ຫ້ອງນ້ຳຢູ່ໃສ? (Hàwng Nâm Yuu Sai?) |
| Go straight | ໄປຊື່ (pai seu) |
| Turn left | ລ້ຽວຊ້າຍ (liaw sái) |
| Turn right | ລ້ຽວຂວາ (liaw khua) |
| What’s your name? | ເຈົ້າຊື່ຫຍັງ? (jâo seu nyãng?) |
| My name is … | ຂ້ອຍຊື່ …. (kháwy seu …) |
| Pleased to meet you | ດີໃຈທີ່ໄດ້ພົບເຈົ້າ (dee jai thee dái pop jâo) |
| How much is this? | ອັນນີ້ເທົ່າໃດ? (anh nee thao dai?) |
| Where are you going? | ເຈົ້າຈະໄປໃສ (jâo ja pai sai?) |
| Where to? | ໄປໃສ (pai sai?) |
| To Morning market | ໄປຕະຫລາດເຊົ້າ (pai ta lard sao) |
| I want to go to the airport | ຂ້ອຍຢາກໄປເດີ່ນບິນ (kháwy yark pai dern bin) |
| Where is the post office? | ຫ້ອງການໄປສະນີຢູ່ໃສ? (hàwng karn pai xa nii yuu sai?) |
| Where is the bus station (North) | ຄິວລົດເມສາຍເໜືອຢູ່ໃສ? (kew lot may xai neua yuu sai?) |
| Where is the bus station (South) | ຄິວລົດເມສາຍໃຕ້ຢູ່ໃສ? (kew lot may xai tai yuu sai?) |
| Where is the bus going | ລົດເມຄັນນີ້ຈະໄປໃສ? (lot may khan nii ja pai sai?) |
Please watch the following video clip and learn from it!
