หล่า
làaMeanings
1NounB2
younger one; dear (form of address; Isan/Northern)
An affectionate form of address for someone younger or beloved, common in Northeastern (Isan) and Northern dialects; often used with a name or kin term.
Examples
กินข้าวgin kâaoกินข้าวgin kâao1[to] have a meal; eat (general)2[to] eat rice (literal)เด้อdérเด้อdérsentence-ending particle (Isan/Lao)หล่าlàaหล่าlàa1younger one; dear (form of address; Isan/Northern)2youngest child; youngest one (Isan/Northern)เดี๋ยวdĭiaoเดี๋ยวdĭiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …สิบ่sì bòrสิบ่sì bòrwon’t; will not (Isan/NE Thai)สบายsà-baaiสบายsà-baai1comfortable; at ease2well; fine (health/state)3[to] be comfortable; feel at ease4easy; effortless
Eat your meal, dear, or you'll get sick.
3 more examplesShow less
ตั้งใจเรียนdtâng jai riianเด้อdérอีหล่าee làaหล่าlàaอนาคตà-naa-kótข้างหน้าkâang nâaสิsìได้dâiบ่bòลำบากlam-bàakคือkeuพ่อpôrคือkeuแม่mâe
Study hard, my dear daughter, so that in the future you won't have to struggle like your father and mother.
2NounB2
youngest child; youngest one (Isan/Northern)
The youngest child or youngest member of a family; also used affectionately of a child or younger person.
Examples
ในบรรดาnai-ban-daaในบรรดาnai-ban-daaamong; amidstลูกlûukลูกlûuk1child; son; daughter2offspring (of animals); young3ball; spherical object4fruit5classifier: fruits, balls, and certain other objectsสามsǎamสามsǎamthree (3)คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringบักหล่าbàk-làaบักหล่าbàk-làa1youngest son; young boy (Isan dialect)2term of address for a young boy (Isan)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringเรียนเก่งriian-gèngเรียนเก่งriian-gènggood at studying; academically strongที่สุดtîi-sùtที่สุดtîi-sùt1most; -est (superlative)2very; extremely (colloquial)3in the end; ultimately
Among the three children, the youngest son is the one who studies the best.
3 more examplesShow less
And your youngest daughter, what grade is she in now?
พ่อใหญ่pɔ̂ɔ-yàiเพิ่นpə̂ənฝากfàakงานngaanในnaiไร่râiให้hâiบักหล่าbàk-làaดูแลduu-lɛɛต่อdtɔ̀ɔเพราะprɔ́เห็นว่าhěn-wâaเป็นbpenคนkonขยันkà-yǎnมาแต่ไหนแต่ไรmaa-dtɛ̀ɛ-nǎi-dtɛ̀ɛ-rai
The grandfather entrusted the farm work to the youngest son, as he saw that he had always been a diligent person.
ถึงtʉ̌ngอ้ายผู้ใหญ่âai-pûu-yàiสิsìได้dâaiไปbpaiเฮ็ดงานhét-ngaanในเมืองnai-mʉʉangแต่dtɛ̀ɛสุดท้ายsùt-táaiกะgàเป็นbpenอีหล่าii-làaที่tîiได้dâaiอยู่yùuดูแลduu-lɛɛพ่อเฒ่าpɔ̂ɔ-tâoแม่เฒ่าmɛ̂ɛ-tâoยามแก่yaam-gɛ̀ɛ
Even though the eldest son went to work in the city, in the end it was the youngest daughter who stayed to take care of their elderly parents.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh classLeading หA silent ห before ล puts this syllable in high class.
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Low tone
làa
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
High class + Mai ek → Low
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 | — | — |