ลาว
laaoMeanings
1AdjectiveA2
Laos; Lao (relating to Laos)
relating to Laos, its people, culture, or language; also used as the country name
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)อยากyàakอยากyàak1[to] want; desire2to crave; to long forไปเที่ยวbpai-tîiaoไปเที่ยวbpai-tîiao1[to] go out for fun; hang out2[to] travel for leisure; go on a trip; go sightseeing3[to] drop by for fun; pay a casual visitลาวlaaoลาวlaao1Laos; Lao (relating to Laos)2Lao person; Laotian3Lao language4rustic; unsophisticated (slang, can be derogatory)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)หน้าหนาวnâa-nǎaoหน้าหนาวnâa-nǎao1winter; the cold season2in winter; during the cold season
I want to travel to Laos in the cold season.
3 more examplesShow less
เพลงpleengลาวlaaoหลายlǎaiเพลงpleengมีmiiทำนองtam-nɔɔngอ่อนหวานɔ̀ɔn-wǎanและlɛ́ใช้แคนchái-kɛɛnเป็นbpenเครื่องดนตรีkrʉ̂ʉang-don-dtriiหลักlàk
Many Lao songs have sweet melodies and use the khaen as the main instrument.
This restaurant serves authentic Lao food such as larb, mok, and jaew bong.
ฉันchănสนใจsŏn jaiประวัติศาสตร์bprà-wàt-sàatลาวlaaoและláeความสัมพันธ์kwaam săm-panกับgàpประเทศเพื่อนบ้านbprà-têet pêuuan bâanในnaiภูมิภาคpoom-mí-pâak
I’m interested in Lao history and its relationships with neighboring countries in the region.
2NounA2
Lao person; Laotian
a person from Laos; a citizen of Laos
Examples
เพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellowฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: peopleลาวlaaoลาวlaao1Laos; Lao (relating to Laos)2Lao person; Laotian3Lao language4rustic; unsophisticated (slang, can be derogatory)
My friend is Lao.
3 more examplesShow less
Yesterday I talked with a Lao tourist at the market.
พนักงานใหม่pá-nák-ngaan màiสองsŏngคนkonเป็นbpenคนkonลาวlaaoมาmaaทำงานtam ngaanที่têeกรุงเทพฯgrung-têp
Two new employees are Lao and have come to work in Bangkok.
He married a person from Laos and moved to Vientiane.
3NounB1
Lao language
the official language of Laos
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)กำลังgam-langกำลังgam-lang1currently; in the middle of2power; strength3power (physics)4troops; forcesเรียนriianเรียนriian1[to] study; learn2[to] take (a course/subject)3[to] respectfully inform; address (formal)ภาษาลาวpaa-sǎa-laaoภาษาลาวpaa-sǎa-laaoLao languageพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎanพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎan1basic; fundamental2foundation; basis3background (knowledge/education)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)ออนไลน์ɔɔn-laaiออนไลน์ɔɔn-laai1online (connected to the internet)2online; on the internet
I am studying basic Lao with an online teacher.
3 more examplesShow less
เพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaการออกเสียงgaan-ɔ̀ɔk-sǐiangในnaiภาษาลาวpaa-sǎa-laaoคล้ายkláaiไทยtaiอีสานii-sǎanบางคำbaang-kam
My friend says the pronunciation in Lao is similar to some Isan Thai words.
หนังสือnǎng-sʉ̌ʉเล่มlêmนี้níiสอนsɔ̌ɔnไวยากรณ์wai-yaa-gɔɔnภาษาลาวpaa-sǎa-laaoพร้อมตัวอย่างprɔ́ɔm-dtuua-yàangประโยคbprà-yòokสนทนาsǒn-tá-naa
This book teaches Lao grammar with example conversation sentences.
นักแปลnák-bplɛɛต้องdtɔ̂ngเข้าใจkâo-jaiระบบrá-bòpวรรณยุกต์wan-ná-yúkของkɔ̌ɔngภาษาลาวpaa-sǎa-laaoเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaถ่ายทอดtàai-tɔ̂ɔtความหมายkwaam-mǎaiได้dâaiถูกต้องtùuk-dtɔ̂ng
Translators must understand the tonal system of the Lao language to convey meanings accurately.
4AdjectiveC1
rustic; unsophisticated (slang, can be derogatory)
informal Thai usage meaning rustic or unsophisticated; can be pejorative toward rural people and should be used with caution
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillพูดpûutพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutคำว่าkam-wâaคำว่าkam-wâathe word/term (introductory marker)ลาวlaaoลาวlaao1Laos; Lao (relating to Laos)2Lao person; Laotian3Lao language4rustic; unsophisticated (slang, can be derogatory)ใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)เพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellowซึ่งsʉ̂ngซึ่งsʉ̂ng1which; that (relative pronoun)2which/and this; introducing explanationดูถูกduu-tùukดูถูกduu-tùuk1[to] insult; belittle [sb]2[to] disdain; look down on [sb/sth]ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeเชยchəəiเชยchəəi1old-fashioned; out of date2corny; uncool3[to] touch gently; caressและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)บ้านนอกbâan-nɔ̂ɔkบ้านนอกbâan-nɔ̂ɔk1the countryside; rural area2rural; from the countryside3unsophisticated; provincial (derogatory)
He called his friend 'lao,' implying they were unsophisticated and rustic.
3 more examplesShow less
คำว่าkam-wâaลาวlaaoในnaiบริบทbɔɔ-rí-bòtนี้níiมีmiiนัยnaiดูแคลนduu-klɛɛnคนต่างจังหวัดkon-dtàang-jang-wàtควรkuuanหลีกเลี่ยงlìik-lîiangในnaiการสนทนาgaan-sǒn-tá-naa
The word 'lao' in this context disparages rural people and should be avoided in conversation.
บางคนbaang-konใช้cháiคำว่าkam-wâaลาวlaaoเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเหยียดรสนิยมyìiat-rót-ní-yomที่tîiไม่mâiร่วมสมัยrûuam-sà-mǎiทั้งที่táng-tîiเป็นbpenอคติà-ká-dtìต่อdtɔ̀ɔคนบ้านนอกkon-bâan-nɔ̂ɔkอย่างไม่เป็นธรรมyàang-mâi-bpen-tam
Some people use 'lao' to belittle tastes deemed outdated, which is an unfair prejudice against rural people.
สื่อsʉ̀ʉควรkuuanระมัดระวังrá-mát-rá-wangไม่mâiใช้cháiคำว่าkam-wâaลาวlaaoในnaiความหมายkwaam-mǎaiเหยียดyìiatเพราะprɔ́ตอกย้ำdtɔ̀ɔk-yámภาพpâapเหมารวมmǎo-ruuamต่อdtɔ̀ɔคนชนบทkon-chon-ná-bòt
Media should be cautious not to use 'lao' in its derogatory sense, as it reinforces stereotypes about rural people.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ว, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
laao
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |