Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
LAO
The main language of Laos is Lao. The spoken Lao of Vientiane is very similar to the Thai
spoken in Bangkok, though there are pockets of Laos where no dialect of Lao, much less the
Vientiane version, will be heard. Since economic liberalization, English has become the
preferred foreign tongue, and it's quite possible to get by without Lao in the towns. Out in the
countryside, you will need some Lao phrases.
PRONUNCIATION
The dialect of Lao spoken in Vientiane, which has been deemed the o cial language of Laos,
has six tones. Thus, depending on its tone, the word “ sang ” can mean either “elephant”,
“craftsman”, “granary”, “laryngitis”, a species of bamboo, or “to build”.
a as the “ah” in “autobahn”
ae as the “a” in “cat”
ai as in “Thai”
aw as in “jaw”
ao as in “Lao”
e as in “pen”
eu as in French “fleur”
i as in “mimi”
ia as in “India”
o as in “flow”
oe as in “Goethe”
u (or ou) as the “ou” in “you”
ua (or oua) as the “ua” in “truant”
b as in “big”
d as in “dog”
f as in “fun”
h as in “hello”
j (or ch) as in “jar”
k as in “skin” (unaspirated)
kh as the “k” in “kiss”
l as in “luck”
m as in “more”
n as in “now”
ng as in “singer” (this combination
sometimes appears at the beginning of
a word)
ny as in the Russian “nyet”
p as in “speak” (unaspirated)
ph as the “p” in “pill”
s (or x) as in “same”
t as in “stop” (unaspirated)
th as the “t” in “tin”
w (or v) as in “wish”
y as in “yes”
WORDS AND PHRASES IN LAO
Questions in Lao are not normally answered with a yes or no. Instead the verb used in the
question is repeated for the answer. For example: “Do you have a room?” (“ mí hàwng wàng
baw ”), would be answered “Have” (“ ”) in the a rmative or “No have” (“ baw mí ”) in the negative.
GREETINGS AND BASIC PHRASES
Hello
Sabai di
Where are you from?
Jâo má tae sãi
Goodbye
Lá kawn
Hospital
Dae
Goodbye (in reply)
Sok di
I need a doctor
Khói tâwng kan hã
How are you?
Sabai di baw
mãw
I'm fine
Sabai di
Where is the …?
… yu sãi
Please (rarely used)
Kaluna
Can you help me?
Jâo suay khói dâi
Thank you (very much)
Khop jai (lai lai)
baw
Do you speak English?
Jâo wâo phasã
Police station
Sathani tamluat
angkit dâi baw
Do you have any
Mí hàwng wàng
I don't understand
Khói baw khào jai
rooms?
baw
Yes
Lâew
Can I have the bill?
Khãw sek dae
No
Baw
How much is this?
An nî thao dai?
Right/Left
Khwã/Sâi
Foreigner
Falang
NUMBERS
0
sun
6
hók
1
neung
7
jét
2
sãwng
8
pàet
3
sãm
9
kâo
4
si
10
síp
5
11, 12, etc
síp ét, síp sãwng
 
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