The most basic sentence in Lao consists of a verb alone. Such as: 1. ໄປ Go. 2. ກິນ Eat. Generally, Lao relies on context to convey much of the meaning in a normal conversation, dropping unnecessary words where the meaning is obvious. This simplifies conversations in real life, but without the necessary context, the sentence becomes rather meaningless. Who goes? Where do they go? When do they go? In the second example above, if one person approaches another and hands them a piece of fruit, then the sentence ກິນ makes sense. In this lesson we will use the two examples above to build a number of sentences that will help you understand the basic sentence structure in Lao. One of the best aspects of Lao for the new learner is the fact that there is no verb conjugation in Lao. The verb ໄປ (to go) is always ໄປ, no matter when or how many people go, it is always ໄປ. If the context is not obvious, or a specific meaning is intended, other words are added to make it clear. More on that later. Also, Lao does not traditionally use punctuation, so no periods, commas, question marks, etc. You will see them sometimes, but they are not necessary. Beginning with the question, Who goes? we'll build from there. ໃຜ (who) and ໄປ (go) combine to make the sentence ໃຜໄປ (Who goes?) In this case, the sentence structure is exactly the same as in English, question word + verb. In Lao, some question words come at the beginning of the sentence, some come at the end, while others can come either before or after. You will learn about question words in more detail in other lessons. For now, focus on the one example here, ໃຜ (who). Question: ໃຜໄປ Who goes? Answer: ເຈົ້າໄປ You go. In the answer above, the subject, ເຈົ້າ (you) comes before the verb. This structure works for the other example word as well: Question: ໃຜກິນ Who eats? Answer: ເຈົ້າກິນ You eat. Now, add another question word, ຫຍັງ (what). Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫຍັງ you eat what (What are you eating?) Answer: ຂ້ອຍກິນຫມາກໄມ້ I eat fruit (I am eating fruit.) Short answer: ຫມາກໄມ້ fruit Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫຍັງ I no eat what (I am not eating anything.) Short negative answer: ບໍ່ກິນຫຍັງ no eat what (I am not eating anything.) Again, context is important. In the English translation, verb conjugation shows that the person is currently eating. In Lao that is assumed unless a time is specified, or the conversation already established that the event occurred some other time. Also note that the object of the sentence, ຫມາກໄມ້ (fruit), comes after the verb. To answer in the negative, add ບໍ່ (no) before the verb. In the short negative answer, the pronoun ຂ້ອຍ (I) is dropped. This is normal if the context of the conversation makes the subject of the sentence clear. Entire conversations can be had without using a single pronoun. Now, another question word can be added. Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫມາກໄມ້ບໍ you eat fruit yes/no (Are you eating fruit?) Answer: ກິນ eat (Yes.) Answer: ບໍ່ກິນ no eat (No.) The yes or no question word in Lao is ບໍ. The simplest way to answer a yes or no question is to repeat the verb to answer yes, in this case ກິນ, or to repeat the verb with ບໍ່ (no) in front of it for a negative answer. Note the difference between the yes or no question word, ບໍ and ບໍ່ (no). They have different tones. Now, add another question word, ຢູ່ໃສ (at where). Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫມາກໄມ້ຢູ່ໃສ you eat fruit at where (Where do you eat fruit?) Long answer: ຂ້ອຍກິນຫມາກໄມ້ຢູ່ນີ້ I eat fruit at here (I eat fruit here.) Short answer: ຢູ່ນີ້ at here (Here.) Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫມາກໄມ້ I no eat fruit (I am not eating fruit.) Adding ເມື່ອໃດ (when) will allow for a discussion of time: Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫມາກໄມ້ເມື່ອໃດ you eat fruit when (When did/do you eat fruit?) Long answer past: ຂ້ອຍກິນຫມາກໄມ້ມື້ວານນີ້ I eat fruit yesterday (I ate fruit yesterday.) Short answer past: ມື້ວານນີ້ yesterday (Yesterday.) Long answer future: ຂ້ອຍຈະກິນຫມາກໄມ້ມື້ອື້ນ I will eat fruit tomorrow (I will eat fruit tomorrow.) Short answer future: ມື້ອື້ນ tomorrow (Tomorrow.) Long answer present: ຂ້ອຍກຳລັງກິນຫມາກໄມ້ດຽວນີ້ I currently eat fruit now (I am currently eating fruit now.) Short answer present: ກຳລັງກິນ currently eat or ດຽວນີ້ now (Right now.) Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫມາກໄມ້ I no eat fruit (I don't eat fruit) Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫມາກໄມ້ເມື່ອໃດ I no eat fruit when (I never eat fruit.) Note that for the future, another word, ຈະ (will), is added before the verb to indicate that the action has not yet occurred. For the present, ກຳລັງ (currently), is added before the verb to indicate that the action is currently happening. The word ດຽວນີ້ (now) can also be added to the end of the sentence to indicate the same thing. ດຽວນີ້ and ກຳລັງ can be used together, or you can use one or the other to indicate that some action is happening right now. There are, of course, many other ways to put together a Lao sentence or modify this structure to change the meaning in different ways. You will learn some of those in the following lessons, but for now, this basic structure can serve as the foundation for understanding how Lao sentences are built.
The most basic sentence in Lao consists of a verb alone. Such as:
1. ໄປ Go.
2. ກິນ Eat.
Generally, Lao relies on context to convey much of the meaning in a normal conversation, dropping unnecessary words where the meaning is obvious. This simplifies conversations in real life, but without the necessary context, the sentence becomes rather meaningless. Who goes? Where do they go? When do they go? In the second example above, if one person approaches another and hands them a piece of fruit, then the sentence ກິນ makes sense.
In this lesson we will use the two examples above to build a number of sentences that will help you understand the basic sentence structure in Lao. One of the best aspects of Lao for the new learner is the fact that there is no verb conjugation in Lao. The verb ໄປ (to go) is always ໄປ, no matter when or how many people go, it is always ໄປ. If the context is not obvious, or a specific meaning is intended, other words are added to make it clear. More on that later. Also, Lao does not traditionally use punctuation, so no periods, commas, question marks, etc. You will see them sometimes, but they are not necessary.
Beginning with the question, Who goes? we'll build from there.
ໃຜ (who) and ໄປ (go) combine to make the sentence ໃຜໄປ (Who goes?)
In this case, the sentence structure is exactly the same as in English, question word + verb. In Lao, some question words come at the beginning of the sentence, some come at the end, while others can come either before or after. You will learn about question words in more detail in other lessons. For now, focus on the one example here, ໃຜ (who).
Question: ໃຜໄປ Who goes?
Answer: ເຈົ້າໄປ You go.
In the answer above, the subject, ເຈົ້າ (you) comes before the verb. This structure works for the other example word as well:
Question: ໃຜກິນ Who eats?
Answer: ເຈົ້າກິນ You eat.
Now, add another question word, ຫຍັງ (what).
Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫຍັງ you eat what (What are you eating?)
Answer: ຂ້ອຍກິນຫມາກໄມ້ I eat fruit (I am eating fruit.)
Short answer: ຫມາກໄມ້ fruit
Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫຍັງ I no eat what (I am not eating anything.)
Short negative answer: ບໍ່ກິນຫຍັງ no eat what (I am not eating anything.)
Again, context is important. In the English translation, verb conjugation shows that the person is currently eating. In Lao that is assumed unless a time is specified, or the conversation already established that the event occurred some other time. Also note that the object of the sentence, ຫມາກໄມ້ (fruit), comes after the verb. To answer in the negative, add ບໍ່ (no) before the verb. In the short negative answer, the pronoun ຂ້ອຍ (I) is dropped. This is normal if the context of the conversation makes the subject of the sentence clear. Entire conversations can be had without using a single pronoun.
Now, another question word can be added.
Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫມາກໄມ້ບໍ you eat fruit yes/no (Are you eating fruit?)
Answer: ກິນ eat (Yes.)
Answer: ບໍ່ກິນ no eat (No.)
The yes or no question word in Lao is ບໍ. The simplest way to answer a yes or no question is to repeat the verb to answer yes, in this case ກິນ, or to repeat the verb with ບໍ່ (no) in front of it for a negative answer. Note the difference between the yes or no question word, ບໍ and ບໍ່ (no). They have different tones.
Now, add another question word, ຢູ່ໃສ (at where).
Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫມາກໄມ້ຢູ່ໃສ you eat fruit at where (Where do you eat fruit?)
Long answer: ຂ້ອຍກິນຫມາກໄມ້ຢູ່ນີ້ I eat fruit at here (I eat fruit here.)
Short answer: ຢູ່ນີ້ at here (Here.)
Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫມາກໄມ້ I no eat fruit (I am not eating fruit.)
Adding ເມື່ອໃດ (when) will allow for a discussion of time:
Question: ເຈົ້າກິນຫມາກໄມ້ເມື່ອໃດ you eat fruit when (When did/do you eat fruit?)
Long answer past: ຂ້ອຍກິນຫມາກໄມ້ມື້ວານນີ້ I eat fruit yesterday (I ate fruit yesterday.)
Short answer past: ມື້ວານນີ້ yesterday (Yesterday.)
Long answer future: ຂ້ອຍຈະກິນຫມາກໄມ້ມື້ອື້ນ I will eat fruit tomorrow (I will eat fruit tomorrow.)
Short answer future: ມື້ອື້ນ tomorrow (Tomorrow.)
Long answer present: ຂ້ອຍກຳລັງກິນຫມາກໄມ້ດຽວນີ້ I currently eat fruit now (I am currently eating fruit now.)
Short answer present: ກຳລັງກິນ currently eat or ດຽວນີ້ now (Right now.)
Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫມາກໄມ້ I no eat fruit (I don't eat fruit)
Negative answer: ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນຫມາກໄມ້ເມື່ອໃດ I no eat fruit when (I never eat fruit.)
Note that for the future, another word, ຈະ (will), is added before the verb to indicate that the action has not yet occurred. For the present, ກຳລັງ (currently), is added before the verb to indicate that the action is currently happening. The word ດຽວນີ້ (now) can also be added to the end of the sentence to indicate the same thing. ດຽວນີ້ and ກຳລັງ can be used together, or you can use one or the other to indicate that some action is happening right now.
There are, of course, many other ways to put together a Lao sentence or modify this structure to change the meaning in different ways. You will learn some of those in the following lessons, but for now, this basic structure can serve as the foundation for understanding how Lao sentences are built.