Lao, also known as Laotian, is the official language of Laos. It’s a tonal language, closely related to Thai and spoken by approximately 25 million people. Learning Lao can greatly enhance your experience in Laos, allowing for deeper interactions with locals and a fuller appreciation of Lao culture and traditions. This lesson covers essential conversational phrases and questions in Lao, including transliterations for pronunciation help, to navigate various social interactions.

Greetings

• Hello/Hi – “ສະບາຍດີ” (Sabaidee)
• How are you? – “ສະບາຍດີບໍ່?” (Sabaidee baw?)
• Good morning – “ສະບາຍດີ​ເຊົ້າ” (Sabaidee sao)
• Good afternoon – “ສະບາຍດີ​ບ່າຍ” (Sabaidee bai)
• Good evening – “ສະບາຍດີ​ແລງ” (Sabaidee laeng)
• Goodbye – “ລາກ່ອນ” (La kon)

Introducing Yourself or Others

• My name is [name]. – “ຊື່ຂອງຂ້ອຍ​ແມ່ນ [name].” (Chu kong khoy mæn [name].)
• This is [name]. – “ນີ້ແມ່ນ [name].” (Nii mæn [name].)
• I am from [country]. – “ຂ້ອຍມາຈາກ [country].” (Khoy ma jak [country].)
• I live in [city/place]. – “ຂ້ອຍຢູ່ໃນ [city/place].” (Khoy yu nai [city/place].)

Asking for Directions or People

• Where is the [place]? – “[Place] ຢູ່ທີ່ໃດ?” ([Place] yu thi dai?)
• How do I get to [place]? – “ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປ [place] ເຮັດແນວໃດ?” (Khoy ja pai [place] het næw dai?)
• Is this the way to [place]? – “ນີ້ແມ່ນທາງໄປ [place] ບໍ່?” (Nii mæn thang pai [place] baw?)
• Can you show me on the map? – “ທ່ານສາມາດຊີ້ນໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍເບິ່ງໃນແຜນທີ່ບໍ່?” (Thaan samad chiin hai khoy bœng nai phæn thi baw?)

Solving a Misunderstanding

• Sorry, I don’t understand. – “ຂໍໂທດ, ຂ້ອຍ​ບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈ.” (Kho thot, khoy baw khao chai.)
• Can you please repeat that? – “ກະລຸນາ​ຊໍ້າຄືນແດ່ບໍ່?” (Kaluna som khuen dae baw?)
• I mean… – “ຂ້ອຍຄວາມວ່າ…” (Khoy kuam wa…)
• What does [word] mean? – “[Word] ມີຄວາມວ່າຫຍັງ?” ([Word] mi kuam wa nyang?)

Farewell Expressions

• See you later – “ເຈົ້າຈະເຫັນກັນໃໝ່” (Jao ja hen kan mai)
• Take care – “ຍິນດີຕອນຮັບ” (Yin di ton hap)
• Have a good day – “ມີມື້ດີ” (Mi mued di)

Travel and Dining

• I would like to book a room. – “ຂ້ອຍຢາກຈອງຫ້ອງ.” (Khoy yak chong hang.)
• Can I see the menu, please? – “ຂ້ອຍສາມາດເບິ່ງເມນູໄດ້ບໍ່?” (Khoy samad bœng menu dai baw?)
• I am vegetarian. – “ຂ້ອຍກິນເຈັບ.” (Khoy kin chep.)
• The bill, please. – “ກະລຸນາເອົາໃບບິນ.” (Kaluna ao bai bin.)

Shopping

• How much does this cost? – “ອັນນີ້ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ?” (An nii lakha thao dai?)
• Do you have this in another size? – “ທ່ານມີອັນນີ້ໃນຂະໜາດອື່ນບໍ່?” (Thaan mi an nii nai khanad œn baw?)
• I’m just looking, thanks. – “ຂ້ອຍແຕ່ກຳລັງເບິ່ງ, ຂອບໃຈ.” (Khoy tae kamlang bœng, khob chai.)
• Can I pay by card? – “ຂ້ອຍສາມາດຊ່ອຍໂດຍບັດໄດ້ບໍ່?” (Khoy samad choy doy bat dai baw?)

Dating and Love

• You look beautiful. (to a woman) / You look handsome. (to a man) – “ທ່ານ​ມອບ​ງາມ.” (Thaan mob ngam) / “ທ່ານ​ມອບ​ສະ​ຫຼາດ.” (Thaan mob salat)
• I miss you. – “ຂ້ອຍ​ຄິດ​ໄຫວ້ທ່ານ.” (Khoy khit hai thaan.)
• I love you. – “ຂ້ອຍ​ຮັກ​ທ່ານ.” (Khoy hak thaan.)
• Would you like to go out with me? – “ທ່ານຢາກອອກໄປກັບຂ້ອຍບໍ່?” (Thaan yak ok pai gap khoy baw?)

Emergencies

• Help! – “ຊ່ວຍ!” (Suay!)
• Call the police! – “ໂທຫາຕໍ່ພະແນກສັດຕູ!” (Tho hat to phanak sat tu!)
• I need a doctor. – “ຂ້ອຍຕ້ອງການທ່ານໝໍ.” (Khoy tong kan thaan mor.)
• Where is the nearest hospital? – “ໂຮງໝໍ່ໃກ້ສຸດຢູ່ໃສ?” (Hong mor ek sut yu sai?)

These phrases provide a foundation for basic communication in Lao. Practice speaking and listening regularly, engage with Lao media, and don’t hesitate to converse with native speakers. Remember, language learning is a journey—embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and continue to explore the rich linguistic and cultural nuances of Lao.