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Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials in Lao
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Lao words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Lao phrases in this lesson
- ແມ່ນmaen
- Yes
- ບໍ່baw
- No
- ໄດ້DAI
- Okay
- ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈKHOY-baw-KAO-jai
- I don't understand
- ທ່ານເວົ້າພາສາອັງກິດໄດ້ບໍ?tan wao pha-sa ang-KIT dai BAW
- Do you speak English?
- ເວົ້າອີກເທື່ອໜຶ່ງແດ່wao ik TEUA neung dae
- Can you repeat that?
- ເວົ້າຊ້າໆແດ່wao SA sa dae
- Slowly, please
- ນີ້ແມ່ນຫຍັງ?nee maen NYANG
- What is this?
- ຂ້ອຍຕ້ອງການ...khoy tong-KAN
- I need...
- ຊ່ວຍຂ້ອຍແດ່ໄດ້ບໍ?suay khoy dae dai BAW
- Can you help me?
Literally "that's right". The polite reply to being called is ເຈົ້າ (jao).
ບໍ່ແມ່ນ (baw MAEN) is "it isn't".
Literally "can", the everyday okay.
Your graceful exit. In Laos this usually opens the door for the other person to try English or to speak more slowly. Many Lao people speak English, especially in tourist areas.
Literally "say it one more time, please".
The ໆ doubles the word: slowly slowly.