Let’s dive into the most common Lao prepositions, or kham sieum (ຄໍາເຊື່ອມ)! From how to use them in context to providing practical tips, this guide will introduce and elaborate on this important part of the Lao language.
Prepositions are small but powerful words that serve as the backbone of many sentences in Lao. They help to describe location, time, and directional relationships. Understanding how they work can significantly improve your fluency and conversational skills. Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience with the language, you’ll feel more confident using Lao prepositions in your daily interactions by the end of this guide.
Table Of Contents
What Are Lao Prepositions?
Prepositions, or kham sieum (ຄໍາເຊື່ອມ), serve as a bridge between nouns, pronouns, and other elements of a sentence to communicate temporal, spatial, or directional relationships. There are three distinct types of prepositions: temporal, spatial, and directional.
Unlike English prepositions, which tend to be limited in their scope of use, Lao prepositions can be used to describe multiple relationships in a sentence. Getting to know how to use these prepositions can help you to improve your understanding of related areas of the Lao language, such as Lao adjectives and Lao idioms, and to learn Lao in general.
Spatial Prepositions
Spatial prepositions are essential to conveying where something is. They describe the location or position of an object, person, or general subjects in relation to one another. In Lao, spatial prepositions tend to start with the word kang (ຂ້າງ), meaning ‘beside,’ before further specifying the spatial relationship of one subject to another. However, kang (ຂ້າງ) can be omitted to convey an informal tone.
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Beside | ຂ້າງ | Kang |
| On Top | ຂ້າງເທິງ | Kang Teung |
| Under | ຂ້າງລຸ່ມ | Kang Loum |
| Inside | ແຂ້າງໃນ | Kang Nai |
| Outside | ຂ້າງນອກ | Kang Nork |
| Behind | ຂ້າງຫລັງ | Kang Lang |
| In Front | ຂ້າງໜ້າ | Kang Na |
Beside – Kang (ຂ້າງ)
The building block of spatial prepositions, kang (ຂ້າງ) is the most basic preposition and means ‘beside’.
- Example: Khoi nyang kang lao (ຂ້ອຍຍ່າງຂ້າງລາວ)
- Meaning: I walk beside him.
On Top – Kang Theung (ຂ້າງເທິງ)
Like most Lao spatial prepositions, this one starts with kang (ຂ້າງ) and ends with specifying where ‘beside’ the subject something is. In this case, it’s theung (ເທິງ), which means ‘top’ or ‘above’.
- Example: Meo khong khoi yu kang theung to (ແມວຂອງຂ້ອຍຢູ່ຂ້າງເທິງໂຕະ)
- Meaning: My cat is on top of the table.
Under – Kang Loum (ຂ້າງລຸ່ມ)
Loum (ລຸ່ມ) is the opposite of theung (ເທິງ) and specifies that the subject is underneath, or below, something.
- Example: Mun yu kang loum nai hong tai din (ມັນຢູ່ຂ້າງລຸ່ມໃນຫ້ອງໃຕ້ດິນ)
- Meaning: It’s underneath, in the basement.
Inside – Kang Nai (ຂ້າງໃນ)
Nai (ໃນ) is a versatile word that means ‘to be inside’ of something. Pair this with kang (ຂ້າງ), and you have one of the most useful prepositions in Lao!
- Example: Lao yu kang nai hong haem (ລາວຢູ່ຂ້າງໃນໂຮງແຮມ)
- Meaning: He’s inside the hotel.
Outside – Kang Nork (ຂ້າງນອກ)
Another useful preposition in Lao, nork (ນອກ) means ‘outside’ or ‘out’ in general.
- Example: Khoi khit wa khoi poi maa ork pai kang nork! (ຂ້ອຍຄິດວ່າຂ້ອຍປ່ອຍຫມາອອກໄປຂ້າງນອກ!)
- Meaning: I think I left the dog outside!
Behind – Kang Lang (ຂ້າງຫລັງ)
Lang (ຫລັງ) is a word used when referring to anything that is ‘behind.’ This can be a part of your body, an object physically behind you, or a location.
- Example: Khoi khit wa mun mii thang lueak lai kwa ni yu kang lang harn ni (ຂ້ອຍຄິດວ່າມັນມີທາງເລືອກຫຼາຍກວ່ານີ້ຢູ່ຂ້າງຫລັງຮ້ານນີ້)
- Meaning: I think there are more options to choose from at the back of/behind this store.
In Front – Kang Na (ຂ້າງໜ້າ)
Na (ໜ້າ) has many meanings, although all definitions share the similar quality of being in ‘front.’ For example, na (ໜ້າ) also means ‘face’ and ‘surface’.
- Example: Mi khon yu kang na heuan tham ha chao (ມີຄົນຢູ່ຂ້າງຫນ້າເຮືອນຖາມຫາເຈົ້າ)
- Meaning: There’s someone in front of the house asking for you.
Temporal Prepositions
Useful for describing relationships in time, temporal prepositions help you talk about when events or situations occur. Whether something happens before, during, or after a certain point in time, use these prepositions below!
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Before | ກ່ອນ | Kone |
| After | ຫຼັງຈາກ | Lang Chak |
| Since | ຕັ້ງແຕ່ | Tang Tae |
| Until | ຈົນກ່ວາ | Chon Kwa |
Before – Kone (ກ່ອນ)
Soely meaning ‘before’, kone (ກ່ອນ) can be paired to communicate that an action was done in the past.
- Example: Kone ni khoi kin khao sao ma laew (ກ່ອນນີ້ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າເຊົ້າມາແລ້ວ)
- Meaning: Before this, I had breakfast.
After – Lang Chak (ຫຼັງຈາກ)
Combining the words lang (ຫຼັງ) and chak (ຈາກ), this preposition looks to have the literal meaning of ‘by the behind.’ Looks can be deceiving, though! Lang chak (ຫຼັງຈາກ) means ‘after.’
- Example: Chao suay khoi dai bor lang chak chao hed viek laew? (ເຈົ້າຊ່ວຍຂ້ອຍໄດ້ບໍ່ ຫຼັງຈາກເຈົ້າເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວ?)
- Meaning: Can you help me after you’re done with work?
Since – Tang Tae (ຕັ້ງແຕ່)
Tang tae (ຕັ້ງແຕ່) is made up of two very distinct words, which mean very different things! Tang (ຕັ້ງ) by itself means ‘to place,’ and tae (ແຕ່) is a Lao conjunction meaning ‘but.’ This preposition is placed in front of clauses.
- Example: Tang tae khoi phop chao khoi bor khoei mi khwam souk lai kwa ni (ຕັ້ງແຕ່ຂ້ອຍພົບເຈົ້າຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຄີຍມີຄວາມສຸກຫຼາຍກວ່ານີ້)
- Meaning: Ever since I met you, I’ve never been happier.
Until – Chon Kwa (ຈົນກ່ວາ)
Usually used in a commanding connotation, chon kwa (ຈົນກ່ວາ) describes a duration of time and is placed between clauses.
- Example: Ya yut chon kwa chao hed viek sam led (ຢ່າຢຸດຈົນກວ່າເຈົ້າເຮັດວຽກສຳເລັດ)
- Meaning: Don’t stop until you’ve completed your work.
Directional Prepositions
Directional prepositions in Lao help describe the direction of movement of a subject. They indicate where the subject is headed, or where they’re coming from. These prepositions are used for clear communication when discussing or giving directions in Lao and navigation.
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| To | ໄປ | Pai |
| Through | ຜ່ານ | Phaan |
| From | ຈາກ | Jark |
| Toward | ໄປສູ່ | Pai Su |
To – Pai (ໄປ)
Pai (ໄປ) generally means ‘to go,’ but in preposition form it can also be the equivalent of the English preposition ‘to.’
- Example: Lao pai hong hien laew bor? (ລາວໄປໂຮງຮຽນແລ້ວບໍ່?)
- Meaning: Did he go to school yet?
Through – Phaan (ຜ່ານ)
Phaan (ຜ່ານ) is a versatile word with multiple meanings. It can mean ‘to pass’ in both the physical, metaphorical, and temporal sense. As a directional preposition, however, it means to go from one location to the next.
- Example: Hao tong phaan vieng chan lae vang vieng kone cha pai luang phabang (ເຮົາຕ້ອງຜ່ານວຽງຈັນ ແລະ ວັງວຽງກ່ອນຈະໄປຫຼວງພະບາງ)
- Meaning: We have to go through Vientiane and Vang Vieng before we go to Luang Prabang.
From – Jark (ຈາກ)
Jark (ຈາກ) takes its role as a preposition from its root meaning of ‘to be from.’ Another meaning of jark (ຈາກ) is ‘to leave (something dear) behind,’ poetic!
- Example: Harn aharn perd jark ton sao ha ton bai (ຮ້ານອາຫານເປີດຈາກຕອນເຊົ້າຫາຕອນບ່າຍ)
- Meaning: This restaurant is open from the morning until the evening.
Toward – Pai Su (ໄປສູ່)
Pai su (ໄປສູ່) is made up of two related words. Pai (ໄປ) means ‘to go’ and su (ສູ່) means ‘to arrive at.’ Together, they have the meaning of ‘to go towards (something).’
- Example: Chao tong pai su suan chao anouvong lae liew khwa (ເຈົ້າຕ້ອງໄປສູ່ສວນເຈົ້າອານຸວົງແລະລ້ຽວຂວາ)
- Meaning: You need to go toward Anouvong Park and turn right.
How Do You Say ‘Preposition’ In Lao?
In the Lao language, the word for ‘preposition’ is kham sieum (ຄໍາເຊື່ອມ).
Vocabulary Related To Lao Prepositions
Knowing Lao prepositions is just the first step. Here’s a list of need-to-know vocabulary that includes some words and phrases related to Lao grammar:
| English | Lao | Roman Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Preposition | ຄໍາເຊື່ອມ | Kham sieum |
| 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 |
| Grammar | ໄວຍາກອນ | Vaiyakone |
| I’m learning Lao grammar | ຂ້ອຍກຳລັງຮຽນໄວຍາກອນລາວ | Khoi kum lung hien vaiyakone lao |
| Lao grammar is challenging | ໄວຍາກອນລາວຍາກຫຼາຍ | Vaiyakone lao yark lai |
Frequently Asked Questions About Lao Prepositions
1. What Are The Most Common Prepositions In Lao?
The most common prepositions in everyday Lao conversations include kone (ກ່ອນ), lang chak (ຫຼັງຈາກ), and spatial prepositions starting with kang (ຂ້າງ).
2. How Are Lao Prepositions Different From English Prepositions?
Lao prepositions can have multiple meanings depending on the context in which they’re used. For example, lang (ຫຼັງ) can either be used as a temporal or spatial preposition, meaning ‘after’ and ‘behind,’ respectively. However, English prepositions tend to be limited to just one meaning, regardless of context.
3. How Can I Practice Lao Prepositions Effectively?
Listening to native speakers, engaging in simple conversations, or using language-learning apps like the Ling app are all great ways to practice in real-life contexts. Daily use of prepositions will greatly improve your fluency over time as you get to understand the nuances of Lao sentence structure, in addition to learning bits and pieces of Lao culture.
What’s Next?
Mastering these Lao prepositions opens the door to natural and fluent conversations regarding location, time, and direction. As mentioned at the start of the article, learning these prepositions can help you to improve your understanding of other language aspects like the Lao adjectives and Lao idioms, and to learn Lao in general.
It may be challenging at first to include prepositions in your sentences, but starting small with basic sentences is already a big step. With regular practice and use, you’ll be able to navigate everyday situations and hold meaningful conversations in Lao without breaking a sweat!
