Learn Lao
Useful Lao Phases and Lao Language Resources

Although it is not necessary to learn Lao before you visit Laos, it is always useful to know some basic words or phases. It can be a rewarding experience to be able to speak to local people in their native tongue while travelling in Laos. You’ll also impress them if you try to use a little Lao when you meet and maybe have some fun trying.

I’m not a Lao language specialist (although I am a native Lao) so I won’t try to give you comprehensive Lao lessons here. However, since you have found this page I will give you some useful Lao phases.

This page can be your starting point for your Lao learning initiative. It provides some useful phases and some links to Lao language resources if you want to learn more.

If you see lots of square boxes or strange characters such as າຍດີ or ???? on the right column (table below), don't let that push you away, those are Lao writing (characters) that come out strangely, probably because your browser can't display Unicode correctly.

Here is how to fix Unicode display problems.

Here are some useful Lao phases:

English words/phrases Lao words/phrase
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 northern bus station? ຄິວລົດເມສາຍເໜືອຢູ່ໃສ?
(kew lot may xai neua yuu sai?)
Where is southern bus station? ຄິວລົດເມສາຍໃຕ້ຢູ່ໃສ?
(kew lot may xai tai yuu sai?)
Where is the bus going? ລົດເມຄັນນີ້ຈະໄປໃສ?
(lot may khan nii ja pai sai?)


Learn Lao Language Resources

Smart phone users can now download Lao Alphabet App to help make Lao learning more convenience and enjoyable.

Here are the links https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lao-alphabet/id641520545?ls=1&mt=8

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/lao/LaoLanguage/Lao_language_fp.htm

http://www.laosoftware.com

Learn Lao on your iPod


Lao Phasebook 

http://wikitravel.org/en/Lao_phrasebook#Phrases


Free Lao fonts

http://www.wazu.jp/gallery/Fonts_Lao.html

 

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