Are you a student traveling to Laos for the first time? Then you must be staying in a guesthouse or a homestay with locals around you. So, to make your stay a delight without any language barriers and difficulties in conveying your thoughts, this blog is prepared with all the essential Lao homestay phrases with proper translation and examples like (Do you Understand?) Jao khao jai baw, (Can you lower the price?) Lud dai baw?, (Have a nice day!) – mi van thidi, and many more.
While you must have already mugged up some basic Lao phrases and words, it can be challenging to come up with the right words in the needed time. Especially in a foreign country, recalling all the terms and phrases in the Lao language can be quite a task. Thus, to make you aware of the essential phrases you must know for your homestay journey along with the locals, the pointers below will reduce all your confusion and anxiety. From asking where the bathroom is to thanking the owner for their kindness, you will get to learn all of them. So, if you want to learn and speak more, continue reading!
Homestay In The Lao Culture
In Lao culture, homestays in village areas have been quite popular for a long time now. Other than hotels, foreigners, in recent years, have preferred spending their time in homestays while visiting Laos. Especially if you want to experience a glimpse into Laos culture, the best way to do it is by living in a village homestay. Here is a list of facts that will help you decide whether Lao Homestays are your go-to place or not.
- As you must know, homestays are privately owned property that allows foreigners or guests to live for a certain period of time under rental conditions. In Laos, homestays are established by community-based development projects which help the Lao people to generate income. They also coordinate with the Lao Tourism Administration to ensure that the local owner benefits directly without any middleman. All in all, it is the best way to help out the locals while you enjoy the old-school cultural lifestyle.
- While homestays are available even in the main cities like Luang Prabang, a village area is the best for you if you want to experience the authentic Asian lifestyle. With the service provided, you will get to taste their traditional food like sticky rice, swim in the ponds, try net fishing, visit village schools, and help the kids speak English for recreation purposes. Therefore, living in homestays will not only help the village people earn but also give you an accurate gist of the Lao lifestyle and enlighten you with deeper insight into the Laos family.
Key Lao Homestay Phrases You Must Know
Now we will get into some basic Lao phrases that you will need during your homestay. For clarity and precision, we will divide each group of phrases into different categories. Learning these basic words and phrases in the Laotian language will help you tighten your spoken skills and also help you in talking and sharing your thoughts easily with the Lao people. So, let’s begin!
Basic Lao Phrases For Greeting
When it comes to greeting people or the owner when you meet for the first time, the following phrases will help you start a good conversation.
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| Hi there! | ສະບາຍດີ | sa bai dee |
| How are you? | ສະບາຍດີບໍ? | sa bai di bo |
| Nice to meet you | ຍິນດີທີ່ໄດ້ຮູ້ຈັກເຈົ້າ | nyin di thi dai hu chak chao |
| My name is… | ຊື່ຂອງຂ້ອຍແມ່ນ… | su khong khony aemn |
| I am from… | ຂ້ອຍມາຈາກ… | khony ma chak |
| What’s your name? | ເຈົ້າຊື່ຫຍັງ? | Jâo seu nyãng? |
| Do you live here? | ເຈົ້າອາໃສຢູ່ນີ້ບໍ? | chao asaiyu nibo |
| How long have you been here? | ເຈົ້າຢູ່ນີ້ດົນປານໃດ? | chao yuni donpandai |
| May I come in? | ຂ້ອຍເຂົ້າໄປໄດ້ບໍ່? | khony khao pai dai bo |
| Good morning to you | ສະບາຍດີຕອນເຊົ້າກັບເຈົ້າ | sabaiditonsao kabchao |
| Hope you have a great day! | ຫວັງວ່າເຈົ້າຈະມີມື້ທີ່ດີ! | vangva chao chami mu thidi |
| I would love to stay here | ຂ້ອຍຢາກຢູ່ບ່ອນນີ້ | khonyyak yubonni |
General Interrogative Phrases
A person visiting a new country will always have questions. Especially in a cultured Lao homestay, you will undoubtedly be confused. The phrase examples below will be your guide here.
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| Where is the bathroom? | ຫ້ອງນໍາ້ຢູ່ໃສ? | hong nam yu sai |
| Can I use your phone? | ຂ້ອຍສາມາດໃຊ້ໂທລະສັບຂອງທ່ານໄດ້ບໍ? | khony samadsai othlasab khongthan daibo |
| Is this item edible? | ລາຍການນີ້ກິນໄດ້ບໍ? | laikan ni kin daibo |
| May I borrow your sandals? | ຂ້ອຍຂໍຢືມເກີບຂອງເຈົ້າໄດ້ບໍ? | khony khoyum koebkhong chao daibo |
| How much do you charge? | ເຈົ້າຄິດຄ່າເທົ່າໃດ? | chao khid kha theoadai |
| Can the rent be lower? | ຄ່າເຊົ່າສາມາດຫຼຸດລົງໄດ້ບໍ? | kha seoa samad rudlong daibo |
| Do you have any pets? | ເຈົ້າມີສັດລ້ຽງບໍ່? | chao misadliang bo |
| Do you offer snacks? | ເຈົ້າສະເໜີອາຫານຫວ່າງບໍ່? | chao sanoe ahan vang bo |
| Do you serve breakfast? | ເຈົ້າໃຫ້ບໍລິການອາຫານເຊົ້າບໍ? | chao haibolikan ahansao bo |
| Could you get my room cleaned, please? | ເຈົ້າສາມາດເຮັດຄວາມສະອາດຫ້ອງຂອງຂ້ອຍໄດ້ບໍ? | chao samad hed khuaam saoad hong khongkhony daibo |
| Can I take the keys with me? | ຂ້ອຍເອົາກະແຈກັບຂ້ອຍໄດ້ບໍ? | khony ao kaaech kab khony daibo |
| How long old is this homestay? | homestay ນີ້ອາຍຸເທົ່າໃດ? | homestay nioaiutheoadai |
Mealtime Phrases To Know
As travelers, you may have a lot of problems during your meal time. So, to make speaking easy, the following phrases related to meals are a must for you!
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| When do you serve lunch? | ເຈົ້າຮັບປະທານອາຫານທ່ຽງຕອນໃດ? | chao habpathan ahan thiang tondai |
| Can I have extra servings? | ຂ້ອຍສາມາດມີອາຫານພິເສດໄດ້ບໍ? | khony samadmi ahan phised daibo |
| I am allergic to peanuts | ຂ້ອຍມີອາການແພ້ກັບຖົ່ວດິນ | khony mioakanaeph kab thouadin |
| Can you have a glass of water? | ເຈົ້າສາມາດມີຈອກນ້ໍາໄດ້ບໍ? | chao samadmi chok noa daibo |
| The food is delicious | ອາຫານແມ່ນແຊບ | ahan aemn aesb |
| I can’t eat this | ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ສາມາດກິນໄດ້ | khony bosamad kindai |
| The food is very unique | ອາຫານແມ່ນເປັນເອກະລັກຫຼາຍ | ahan aemnpen ekalak rai |
| Is this completely homemade? | ນີ້ແມ່ນເຮືອນເຮັດຢ່າງສົມບູນບໍ? | niaemn heuon hed yang sombun bo |
| Do you have anything in soup? | ເຈົ້າມີຫຍັງໃນແກງບໍ? | chao mijang nai aekng bo |
| I can’t eat spicy food | ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ສາມາດກິນອາຫານເຜັດໄດ້ | khony bosamad kin ahan phed dai |
Key Phrases For Evening-Social Time
Here is a list of phrases you can use when socializing with locals. Most people in Laos prefer sitting outside in the evening and talking about their lives. This would be the best opportunity for you to make friends. Use these phrases as the most common form of bonding!
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| Hello, I’m back! | ສະບາຍດີ, ຂ້ອຍກັບມາ! | sabaidi khony kabma |
| Good evening everyone | ສະບາຍດີຕອນແລງທຸກຄົນ | sabaiditonaelng thukkhon |
| Can I have a cup of coffee? | ຂ້ອຍສາມາດດື່ມກາເຟໄດ້ບໍ? | khony samad dum kafe daibo |
| How was your day? | ມື້ຂອງເຈົ້າເປັນແນວໃດ? | mu khongchao penaenuadai |
| I had a lot of fun today | ຂ້ອຍມີຄວາມມ່ວນຫຼາຍໃນມື້ນີ້ | khony mikhuaam muanrai naimuni |
| Thank you for cleaning my room | ຂອບໃຈສໍາລັບການເຮັດຄວາມສະອາດຫ້ອງຂອງຂ້ອຍ | khobchai soalab kanhed khuaam saoad hong khongkhony |
| Welcome back! | ຍິນດີຕ້ອນຮັບກັບ! | nyin di ton hab kab |
| It is so pleasant here | ມັນມີຄວາມສຸກຫຼາຍຢູ່ທີ່ນີ້ | man mikhuaamsuk rai yuthini |
| Do you have any other business? | ເຈົ້າມີທຸລະກິດອື່ນບໍ? | chao mi thulakid unbo |
| I am really enjoying my stay here! | ຂ້ອຍມີຄວາມສຸກການພັກຢູ່ທີ່ນີ້ແທ້ໆ! | khony mikhuaamsuk kan phak yuthini aeth |
| Goodbye! Have a good night | ລາກອນ! ນອນຫຼັບສະບາຍ | La Gon! nonrab sabai |
Basic Words In The Lao Language To Improve Your Vocabulary
Apart from the phrases, here is a general list of words to enhance your vocabulary. The knowledge of these will further help you form your own sentences.
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| Accommodation | ທີ່ພັກ | thiphak |
| Bedroom | ຫ້ອງນອນ | hongnon |
| Balcony | ລະບຽງ | labiang |
| Basement | ຊັ້ນໃຕ້ດິນ | san taidin |
| Culture | ວັດທະນະທໍາ | vad tha na thoa |
| Clean | ສະອາດ | saoad |
| Cheers | ຊົມເຊີຍ | somsoeny |
| Close | ປິດ | pid |
| Dirty | ເປື້ອນ | peuon |
| Doctor | ທ່ານຫມໍ | thanmo |
| Excuse me | ໂກວຕຸດ | khaw toot |
| Family | ຄອບຄົວ | khobkhua |
| Farm | ການກະສິກໍາ | kan ka si koa |
| Full | ເຕັມ | tem |
| Good luck | ໂຊກດີ | sok dee |
| Goodbye | ສະບາຍດີ | sabaidi |
| Health | ສຸຂະພາບ | su khaphab |
| Home | ບ້ານ | ban |
| Homestay | ເຮືອນພັກ | heuonphak |
| Kitchen | ເຮືອນຄົວ | heuonkhua |
| Number | ເລກ | lek |
| Sorry | ຂໍໂທດ | kho othd |
| Travel | ການເດີນທາງ | kan doenthang |
| Time | ເວລາ | vela |
| Thank You | ຂອບໃຈ | khop jai |
Over To You!
Now you know all the essential phrases and basic words that you can use during your Homestay in Laos. While people living in the city are well acquainted with the English language, it is essential to know the native terms when it comes to living in a Homestay near a village. To live among the traditional customs and lifestyle, only learning these essential lists can save you from all the bafflement. Moreover, your Lao course will undoubtedly help boost your confidence and impress the locals, bringing in a warm response than expected.
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