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If you're learning Lao, you're embarking on a challenging and satisfying journey. You'll be learning to communicate with a fascinating people who have ancient roots and a rich cultural heritage. This page is designed to help you learn the language. Aswell as useful information about the language, you'll find recommendations on the best Lao language resources to help you on your way. We provide recommendations for the best dictionaries, exercise and phrase books, free Lao flash cards and online resources, to help you learn one of the more difficult languages to learn.

Did you know?

Lao is a phonetic language - words are spelt they way they are spoken. This makes learning the language a whole lot easier!

Useful Phrases:

Hello: Sa-bai-Dee

How are you?: Sa-bai-Dee-Baw

Fine thanks: Sa-bai-Dee

What's your name?: Bpen Nyung?

My name is Mike: Bpen Mike

Please: Kalunaa

Thank you: Khawp Jai

Yes: Doy

No: Baw

Goodbye and take care: Sohk Dee Der

Language Synopsis

The official language of the country Laos, nestled between Thailand and Vietnam. It is part of the Tai family of languages, and is very closely related to the Isan language of North East Thailand.

It is a tonal language which uses the Abugida system of writing. There are over 5 million native speakers, with substantial pockets of natives also living in Thailand, China, the USA, Canada, France and Australia.

The language descends from the Tai-Kadai family of languages now spoken in Southern China and Northern Vietnam. Due to the expansion of the Han Chinese Empire, the threat of Mongol hords and the need for more suitable land for wet rice cultivation, the Tai people moved South. Some of them ended up in what is now Laos, and pushed out or absorbed earlier language groups. Over time the people were able to create a common identity and meld their different dialects into one common tongue.

There are currently five main dialects of the language: Vientiane, Northern, North-Eastern, Central and Southern. The Vientiane dialect, spoken in the capital, is considered the standard and is the language you will hear if you watch Laotian TV or listen to the radio.

Alphabet:

As the language is phonetic, words are spelt the way they are spoken. However tones are key to the language, and learning to use them and recognise them is essential to understand and be understood.

Tones:

The tones are divided into three classes, and change depending on whether a syllable is open or closed. Closed syllables are those ending in p, t or k.

Consonants:

Consonants can be divided into three groups, each determining the tone of a syllable. All consonants can be used at the beginning of a syllable, but only some can be used at the end. Under each character you'll find a phonetic guide on how it is pronounced. The tone class is (1, 2 or 3) is also under each character.

Vowels:

Learn Live Online

Internet freebies:

My Language Exchange allows you to practise your speaking skills with native speakers who want to practise their English and other languages. You can also practise your reading and writing skills by sending/receiving e-mails to/from them.

Culture Corner

Cultural Quirks:

The culture of the South East Asia area is heavily influenced by Theravada Bhuddism. The Lonely Planet Phrasebook gives some fascinating insights into the culture. See our Exercise Book section for more details.

National Dishes and recipes:

The staple food of the people is sticky rice. They frequently use galangal and fish sauces in their cooking. The national dish is called "laap", a spicy dish that offers a mixture of marinated meat and/or fish (sometimes prepared raw) with a combination of greens, herbs and spices. Another popular dish is "tam mak houng" - spicy green papaya salad.

Traditional-Recipes-of-Laos is the perfect recipe book if you want to make some Lao dishes of your own.

Traditional Music:

Native folk music usually involves an insturment called the Khene. Made from a special type of bamboo, the khene resembles Andean instruments and is played by blowing down the reed pipes of different lengths to produce a beautiful sound.

According to many experts, ancient Khmer music is best preserved in Laos. The classical music of this country is related to clasical Siamese music.

Listen to some clips of native folk and classical music by using the box below:

Help Others Live & Learn

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