Looking to really elevate your Lao language skills? The best way is to learn how to use conjunctions in Lao, or as they’re called, kham san than (ຄຳສັນທານ) or kham tor (ຄຳຕໍ່).
Using conjunctions allows for more complex and natural sentence construction. This lets you express and link your ideas in compound or complex sentences, improving your fluency and setting you apart from beginners. Let’s explore!
Table Of Contents
Introduction To Conjunctions In Lao
Let’s get technical for just a moment.
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Kham san than (ຄຳສັນທານ), or kham tor (ຄຳຕໍ່), are both synonyms in Lao for saying ‘conjunctions,’ and are a big part of the formation of sentences in the Lao language. Like conjunctions in English (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so, etc.), they can be further split into three basic categories: coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions.
Additionally, Lao and Thai conjunctions are very similar! We won’t venture into complex linguistics in this article, but keep in mind that these two languages use many of the same conjunctions, which can be used in many of the same grammatical contexts. Once you master Lao conjunctions, learning conjunctions in Thai will be a piece of cake.
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of different conjunctions in Lao!
Basic Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions are used to link ideas in simple, clear sentences. They connect words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank.
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| And | ແລະ | Lae |
| And (alternative) | ກັບ | Kup |
| Or | ຫຼື | Lue |
| But | ແຕ່ | Tae |
| But (formal) | ແຕ່ວ່າ | Tae wa |
And – Lae (ແລະ)/ Kup (ກັບ)
A commonly used conjunction, lae (ແລະ) allows for the easy connection of two related clauses. Kup (ກັບ) carries the same meaning, but also connotes a meaning similar to the English ‘with’ and is often used when talking about a pairing of two related subjects. Both lae (ແລະ) and kup (ກັບ) are pronounced with a neutral tone.
- Example: Khoi kin khao lae deum nam (ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລະດື່ມນໍ້າ)
- Meaning: I’m eating food and drinking water.
- Example: Khoi muk kin khao kup khai dao (ຂ້ອຍມັກກິນເຂົ້າກັບໄຂ່ດາວ)
- Meaning: I like eating rice and/with fried egg.
Or – Lue (ຫຼື)
When offering choices between two alternatives, lue (ຫຼື) is the word you’re looking for. The pronunciation of lue (ຫຼື) is very important, as it sports a rising tone.
- Example: Chao yark pai kin aharn lao lue viet? (ເຈົ້າຢາກໄປກິນອາຫານລາວຫຼືອາຫານຫວຽດ?)
- Meaning: Do you want to go eat Lao or Vietnamese food?
But – Tae (ແຕ່)/ Tae Wa (ແຕ່ວ່າ)
Contrasting between two ideas? Tae (ແຕ່) and tae wa (ແຕ່ວ່າ) are used to do just that. Note that tae wa (ແຕ່ວ່າ) carries a more formal connotation as opposed to just tae (ແຕ່) and is used when addressing an elder, stranger, or in formal writing. Tae (ແຕ່) and tae wa (ແຕ່ວ່າ) are pronounced with a consistent neutral tone.
- Example: Khoi yark pai tae khoi bor mi wela (ຂ້ອຍຢາກໄປ ແຕ່ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມີເວລາ)
- Meaning: I want to go, but I don’t have the time.
- Example: Hao samad pai dai tae wa fon nyung tok yu (ພວກເຮົາສາມາດໄປໄດ້ ແຕ່ວ່າຝົນຍັງຕົກຢູ່)
- Meaning: We can go, but it’s still raining.
Expanding Sentences With Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions help to explain cause, condition, time, or purpose of the clause. Building complex sentence structures starts here.
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| If | ຖ້າ | Tha |
| If (formal) | ຖ້າວ່າ | Tha wa |
| After | ແລ້ວ | Laew |
| However | ແນວໃດກໍ່ຕາມ | Naew dai kor tam |
| Because | ເພາະ | Phaw |
| Because (formal) | ເພາະວ່າ | Phaw wa |
| Although | ເຖິງວ່າ | Teung wa |
If – Tha (ຖ້າ)/ Tha Wa (ຖ້າວ່າ)
Tha (ຖ້າ)is used to express conditions in sentences. It can be put either in front or in the middle of two clauses. You can also add the article wa (ວ່າ) to be more formal, but tha wa (ຖ້າວ່າ) can only be used at the beginning of a sentence.
- Example: Tha wa phuak hao yark sue hao tong ton ngeun (ຖ້າວ່າພວກເຮົາຢາກຊື້ເຮົາຕ້ອງທ້ອນເງິນ)
- Meaning: If we want to buy it, we need to save money.
- Example: Hao tong ton ngeun tha phuak hao yark sue (ເຮົາຕ້ອງທ້ອນເງິນຖ້າພວກເຮົາຢາກຊື້)
- Meaning: We need to save money if we want to buy it.
After – Laew (ແລ້ວ)
Laew (ແລ້ວ) is used to indicate time order in a sentence, connecting one clause to another which happens later. It can also be equivalent to the English ‘then,’ and is pronounced with a consistent high tone.
- Example: Khoi kin khao laew hen muu khong khoi (ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວເຫັນໝູ່ຂອງຂ້ອຍ)
- Meaning: I had a meal then saw my friend (after).
However – Naew Dai Kor Tam (ແນວໃດກໍ່ຕາມ)
Similar to tae wa (ແຕ່ວ່າ), naew dai kor tam (ແນວໃດກໍ່ຕາມ) is often used in formal settings and writing to connect two clauses with contrasting meanings.
- Example: Nang muk khoi naew dai kor tam khoi bor muk nang (ນາງມັກຂ້ອຍແນວໃດກໍ່ຕາມຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມັກນາງ)
- Meaning: She likes me. However, I don’t like her.
Because – Phaw (ເພາະ)/ Phaw Wa (ເພາະວ່າ)
Phaw (ເພາະ) and phaw wa (ເພາະວ່າ) both mean ‘because’, but the latter is more formal. When placed in a sentence, they indicate cause-and-effect.
- Example: Khoi bor muk khap lod phaw khoi mi lod chak (ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມັກຂັບລົດເພາະຂ້ອຍມີລົດຈັກ)
- Meaning: I don’t like driving cars because I have a motorbike.
- Example: Nang bor yark pai phaw wa nang pen khai (ນາງບໍ່ຢາກໄປເພາະວ່ານາງເປັນໄຂ້)
- Meaning: She doesn’t want to go because she is sick.
Although – Teung Wa (ເຖິງວ່າ)
This subordinating conjunction functions as a tool to link clauses with differing ideas. Unlike other conjunctions that we touched on earlier, teung wa (ເຖິງວ່າ) doesn’t have an officially recognized ‘informal’ form. Although it would be simply teung (ເຖິງ), it is seldom used as ‘although’ since it can be confused with its other meaning of ‘to arrive’.
- Example: Teung wa chao cha pen khon dee phuak hao bor hu chak kun dee (ເຖິງວ່າເຈົ້າຈະເປັນຄົນດີພວກເຮົາບໍ່ຮູ້ຈັກກັນດີ)
- Meaning: Although you’re a good person, we don’t know each other well.
Mastering Correlative Conjunctions For Advanced Communication
These correlative conjunctions work in pairs to connect equal clauses in a sentence. If you’re making nuanced comparisons or emphases, using these gets your point across.
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Both [X] and [X] | ທັງ [X] ແລະ [X] | Thang [X] lae [X] |
| Not only, [X] but also [X] | ບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ [X] ແຕ່ຍັງ [X] | Bor phiang tae [X] tae yang [X] |
| Whether [X] or [X] | ບໍ່ວ່າ [X] ຫຼື [X] | Bor wa [X] lue [X] |
Both [X] And [X] – Thang [X] Lae [X] (ທັງ [X] ແລະ [X])
This correlative conjunction is useful in combining two related clauses into one sentence. This conjunction is commonly used in speech, usually to refer to a pair of subjects.
- Example: Thang khoi lae muu khoi muk aan puem (ທັງຂ້ອຍແລະໝູ່ຂ້ອຍມັກອ່ານປຶ້ມ)
- Meaning: Both me and my friend like reading books.
Not Only [X] But Also [X] – Bor Phiang Tae [X] Tae Yang [X] (ບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ [X] ແຕ່ຍັງ [X])
Similar in meaning to its English equivalent, this conjunction is used to combine two clauses together. This conjunction pair is commonly seen in formal writing, but not so much in daily conversation.
- Example: Bor phiang tae chao pen khou ngan dee, tae yang pen phuean thi dee (ບໍ່ພຽງແຕ່ລາວເປັນຄູ່ງານທີ່ດີ ແຕ່ຍັງເປັນເພື່ອນທີ່ດີ)
- Meaning: Not only are you a good colleague, but you’re also a good friend.
Whether [X] Or [X] – Bor Wa [X] Lue [X] (ບໍ່ວ່າ [X] ຫຼື [X])
Used to describe a choice between two clauses, this is a very situational conjunction, but it can show up in conversation! It’s usually used as a sentence starter.
- Example: Bor wa lao cha ma lue bor ma… (ບໍ່ວ່າລາວຈະມາ ຫຼືລາວຈະບໍ່ມາ…)
- Meaning: Whether he comes or not…
Vocabulary Related To Conjunctions In Lao
To help you out in your Lao learning journey, here are some common terms you might see when learning Lao grammar:
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Conjunction | ຄຳສັນທານ (or ຄຳຕໍ່) | Kham san than (or Kham to) |
| Noun | ຄໍານາມ | Kham nam |
| Pronoun | ຄໍາເເທນນາມ | Kham thaen nam |
| Verb | ຄຳກິລິຍາ | Kham kiliya |
| Adverb | ຄຳວິເສດ | Kham vi saed |
| Adjective | ຄຳຄຸນນາມ | Kham khun nam |
| Exclamation | ຄຳອຸທານ | Kham u than |
| Sentence | ປະໂຫຍກ | Payok |
| Word | ຄຳ | Kham |
How Do You Say ‘Conjunctions’ In Lao?
The Lao word for ‘conjunctions’ is kham san than (ຄຳສັນທານ), or kham tor (ຄຳຕໍ່).
Frequently Asked Questions About Conjunctions In Lao
1. What Are Common Conjunctions In Lao?
The most commonly used conjunctions in Lao include lae (ແລະ), lue (ຫຼື), and tae (ແຕ່), meaning ‘and’, ‘or’, and ‘but’, respectively. These are also the easiest for beginners to learn, as their English counterparts or English conjunctions are used in the same way.
2. How Do Lao Conjunctions Differ From Thai Conjunctions?
Both Lao and Thai have the same conjunctions, with the only difference being in pronunciation and regional variation. For example, compare lue (ຫຼື) and rǔue (หรือ), both meaning ‘or.’
3. How Can Learning Conjunctions Help Me Learn Lao?
Native Lao speakers use conjunctions in everyday conversation to connect their ideas. Understanding Lao conjunctions helps you create natural-sounding sentences and understand conversations around you. You can learn more about the nuances in Lao with the help of the Ling app!
Learn More About The Lao Language!
By learning conjunctions in Lao, you can improve your ability to hold more meaningful and detailed conversations. Connecting your thoughts and expressing reason, conditions, and contrasts, makes your written and spoken communication richer and more eloquent.
Understanding conjunctions is only going to take you so far. To get the most out of your journey to learn Lao, you need mastery of not only conjunctions but also of Lao pronouns, Lao numbers, and Lao pronunciation. Get these down pat, and you’ll be set for conversing at a high level in Lao!
