For anybody learning Lao, understanding its foundational grammar is crucial to forming proper sentences. Luckily, in this guide, we’ve got your back in helping you develop a foundation in Lao sentence structure, or khong sang payok (ໂຄງສ້າງປະໂຫຍກ).
Lao grammar is notably different from English in its simplicity. That means no conjugations, and words generally stay the same regardless of tenses or subjects. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is! We’ll cover everything to do with basic sentence structure, vocabulary, and some common questions people ask about Lao sentence structure. Let’s get started!
Table Of Contents
An Intro To Lao Sentence Structure
Lao sentence structure, compared to other languages, is relatively straightforward. The basic framework of Lao sentences follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) order, which is the same sentence pattern as English. Because of this structure, it’s easier to understand the foundations of Lao syntax, despite how different it is in aspects such as tones and modifiers.
Many other Asian languages also use an SVO word order, such as Chinese, Thai, Khmer, and Malay. Getting familiar with the sentence structure in Lao can also help you learn related Southeast Asian languages, such as Thai and Khmer.
Basic Lao Sentence Components: SVO Explained
In an SVO sentence, the subject comes first, followed by the verb, then the object. Let’s visualize this with an example:
- Lao: Khoi nyang ma thi ni (ຂ້ອຍຍ່າງມາທີ່ນີ້)
- English: I walked here.
In the example above, both the Lao and English sentences are direct translations. This means that the word order in both languages is exactly the same:
- Khoi (ຂ້ອຍ) means ‘I’, nyang ma (ຍ່າງມາ) means ‘to walk’, and thi ni (ທີ່ນີ້) means ‘here’.
- Khoi (ຂ້ອຍ) is the subject, nyang ma (ຍ່າງມາ) is the verb, and thi ni (ທີ່ນີ້) is the object.
This structure is maintained in most Lao sentences, simple or complex. Because of the lack of inflections or conjugations, this pattern stays relatively constant across different situations.
Modifiers In The Lao Language
Modifiers, adjectives, and adverbs play an important role in sentences by adding detail to Lao nouns, pronouns, and verbs. While Lao modifiers have a similar function to those in English, there are some notable differences in their usage and placement in sentences that learners should be aware of.
Adjectives In Lao
Adjectives, or kham khun nam (ຄຳຄຸນນາມ), are words used to describe or modify a noun or pronoun. Lao adjectives are placed after the noun, in contrast to English, where they usually come before the noun (e.g., ‘a small house’).
This pattern is consistent and easy to remember; let’s look at an example:
- Lao: Khon ngam (ຄົນງາມ)
- English: Beautiful person.
- Khon (ຄົນ) means ‘person’ and ngam (ງາມ) means ‘beautiful’.
- Khon (ຄົນ) is the noun, and ngam (ງາມ) is the adjective.
You can also combine adjectives to describe something in more detail, just make sure to use the Lao conjunction lae (ແລະ), meaning ‘and,’ to connect the two adjectives together:
- Lao: Ton mai nyai lae kao (ຕົ້ນໄມ້ໃຫຍ່ແລະເກົ່າ)
- English: A big and old tree.
- Ton mai (ຕົ້ນໄມ້) means ‘tree’, nyai (ໃຫຍ່) means ‘big’, lae (ແລະ) means ‘and’, and kao (ເກົ່າ) means ‘old’.
- Ton mai (ຕົ້ນໄມ້) is the noun, nyai (ໃຫຍ່) is the first adjective, lae (ແລະ) is a conjunction, and kao (ເກົ່າ) is the second adjective.
Note: Unlike some languages, such as French or Spanish, adjectives in Lao do not change form depending on the gender or number of the noun. That’s because there are no grammatical genders or plural forms in Lao!
Adverbs In Lao
Adverbs, or kham vi saed (ຄຳວິເສດ), can be used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Like in English, adverbs help convey the manner, time, or intensity of something. Adverbs are also placed after the verbs they modify.
Here’s an example to help you get the idea:
- Lao: Lao nyang wai (ລາວຍ່າງໄວ)
- English: He walks quickly.
- Lao (ລາວ) means ‘he’, nyang (ຍ່າງ) means ‘to walk’, and wai (ໄວ) means ‘quickly’.
- Lao is the pronoun, nyang (ຍ່າງ) is the verb, and wai (ໄວ) is the adverb.
Lao adverbs can also be used to modify adjectives to emphasize or diminish their meaning; just add them after the adjective:
- Lao: Lao pen khon keng lai (ລາວເປັນຄົນເກັ່ງຫຼາຍ)
- English: He is a very smart person.
- Lao (ລາວ) means ‘he’, pen (ເປັນ) means ‘to be’, khon (ຄົນ) means ‘person’, keng (ເກັ່ງ) means ‘capable/smart’, and lai (ຫຼາຍ) means ‘very’.
- Lao (ລາວ) is the pronoun, pen (ເປັນ) is the verb, khon (ຄົນ) is the noun, keng (ເກັ່ງ) is the adjective, and lai (ຫຼາຍ) is the intensifying adverb.
By mastering the correct placement and usage of these modifiers, you can greatly improve your ability to communicate clearly and with description. Since these rules are fairly straightforward and consistent, you don’t have to worry about agreement rules or conjugation; just learn the vocabulary!
Past, Present, And Future Tenses
Now, how do we differentiate between the past, present, and future?
That’s a trick question; there are no tenses! Well, there are no alternate forms of words to indicate when something takes place. Instead, Lao uses specific time markers or context clues to communicate when something happened.
By adding a few simple time markers, you can clarify whether something happened in the past, is happening in the present, or will occur in the future.
Past Tense
To express past tense, simply use these time markers. They are usually placed before or after the Lao verb, or at the end of the sentence. Generally, since Lao also uses SVO sentence structure, these markers are placed in the same way as in English:
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Yesterday | ມື້ວານນີ້ | Mue wan ni |
| The week before | ອາທິດກ່ອນ | Athit kone |
| The year before | ປີກາຍນີ້ | Pi kai ni |
| Already | ແລ້ວ | Laew |
| Many times (already) | ຫຼາຍຄັ້ງແລ້ວ | Lai khang laew |
Present Tense
In Lao, actions in the present tense don’t require additional markers, since present actions are often understood from context clues. However, you can emphasize that an action is occurring at the moment by adding these time markers after the verb:
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Right now | ດຽວນີ້ | Diau ni |
| Urgently | ດ່ວນ | Duan |
| Today | ມື້ນີ້ | Mue ni |
Future Tense
The future tense is also conveyed using time markers or specific words that connote a forward-looking action. Often, Lao speakers will use the word si (ຊິ) before the verb. Si (ຊິ) functions much like the English ‘will,’ to indicate that an action is going to occur in the future. Mostly, these time markers give a window of time in which an action will happen:
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Will | ຊິ | Si |
| Tomorrow | ມື້ອື່ນ | Mue eun |
| Next week | ອາທິດໜ້າ | Athit na |
| Next month | ເດືອນໜ້າ | Duean na |
| Next year | ປີໜ້າ | Pi na |
Questions And Negations
Forming questions and expressing negations is relatively simple. There are specific particles and question words used to clarify whether a sentence is a question or a negation. Let’s take a look!
Forming Questions
To form closed, yes or no questions, the article bor (ບໍ່) is the most common way. This article is added to the end of a sentence to indicate that it’s a closed question. It’s similar to saying ‘right?’ or ‘isn’t it?’ in English:
- Lao: Chao mak kin aharn lao bor? (ເຈົ້າມັກກິນອາຫານລາວບໍ່?)
- English: Do you like eating Lao food?
- Chao (ເຈົ້າ) means ‘you’, mak (ມັກ) means ‘to like’, kin (ກິນ) means ‘to eat’, aharn (ອາຫານ) means ‘food’, lao (ລາວ) means ‘Lao’, and bor (ບໍ່) means ‘no’.
- Chao (ເຈົ້າ) is the pronoun, mak (ມັກ) is the first verb, kin (ກິນ) is the second verb, aharn (ອາຫານ) is the noun, lao (ລາວ) is the adjective, and bor (ບໍ່) is the negative article.
If you simply say chao mak kin aharn lao (ເຈົ້າມັກກິນອາຫານລາວ), it would just be the statement ‘you like eating Lao food.’ Adding the article bor (ບໍ່) specifies that it’s a closed question, not a statement.
To form an open question, you use one of Lao’s question words, similar to English! Such as ‘who’ ‘what’ ‘when’ ‘where’ and ‘why’. These question words are either added to the end of sentences, or used on their own, to indicate an open question:
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Who | ໃຜ | Phai |
| What | ຫຍັງ | Nyang |
| When | ເມື່ອໃດ | Muea dai |
| Where | ຢູ່ໃສ | Yu sai |
| Why | ເປັນຫຍັງ | Pen nyang |
Expressing Negations
To negate a sentence, the most common approach is to use negative particles placed before the verb. In most, if not all, cases, adding bor (ບໍ່) before a verb communicates a negation. Simple!
- Lao: Khoi bor kin (ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນ)
- English: I’m not eating.
- Khoi (ຂ້ອຍ) means ‘I’, bor (ບໍ່) means ‘no’, and kin (ກິນ) means ‘to eat’.
- Khoi (ຂ້ອຍ) is the pronoun, bor (ບໍ່) is the negative article, and kin (ກິນ) is the verb.
In addition to negating verbs, bor (ບໍ່) can also be used to negate adjectives:
- Lao: Mun beung bor di (ມັນເບິ່ງບໍ່ດີ)
- English: It doesn’t look good
- Mun (ມັນ) means it, beung (ເບິ່ງ) means ‘to look’, bor (ບໍ່) means ‘no’, and di (ດີ) means ‘good’.
- Mun (ມັນ) is the noun, beung (ເບິ່ງ) is the verb, bor (ບໍ່) is the negative article, and di (ດີ) is the adjective.
By learning the pattern to create negative statements, you can effectively express a wide range of negative sentiments with only a small adjustment to the basic Lao sentence structure.
How Do You Say ‘Sentence Structure’ In Lao?
The term for ‘sentence structure’ in Lao is khong sang payok (ໂຄງສ້າງປະໂຫຍກ).
Related Vocabulary To Lao Sentence Structure
To help you in your mastery of Lao sentence structure, we’ve compiled some useful vocabulary to really help you understand the components of Lao grammar. Read up!
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence structure | ໂຄງສ້າງປະໂຫຍກ | Khongsang payok |
| Word | ຄຳ | Kham |
| Sentence | ປະໂຫຍກ | Payok |
| Subject | ປະເດັນ | Paden |
| Verb | ຄຳກິລິຍາ | Kham kiliya |
| Object | ວັດຖຸ | Vadthu |
| Noun | ຄໍານາມ | Kham nam |
| Pronoun | ຄໍາເເທນນາມ | Kham thaen nam |
| Adverb | ຄຳວິເສດ | Kham vi saed |
| Adjective | ຄຳຄຸນນາມ | Kham khun nam |
If you’re looking to learn more related Lao vocabulary and phrases, check out the Ling app!
Frequently Asked Questions About Lao Sentence Structure
1. What Is The Structure Of The Lao Language?
The Lao language follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) structure. This makes the word order of Lao similar to English. For example, if you were to say ‘I eat food’ in Lao, it would be a direct translation to khoi kin khao (ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າ).
2. What Script Does Lao Use?
The Lao script is a unique abugida derived from the Old Khmer script. It’s written from left to right and has its own Lao alphabet consisting of 33 consonants, 28 vowels, and 4 tone marks. A key difference between Lao and many other languages is there are no spaces between words. Instead, spaces are used to separate clauses and ideas, with commas and periods indicating pauses.
3. What Is The Difference Between Lao And Thai Writing?
Written Lao and Thai differ in their appearance, with Lao characters having a much more ‘curvy’ appearance than their written Thai counterparts. The modern Lao script is also more streamlined, omitting many archaic characters used to spell older words, as well as explicitly marking vowels to make it easier to read. Other than those differences, the structures of Lao and Thai writing are largely the same.
Learn More Lao Grammar
There you have it! From covering the SVO structure of the Lao language to learning about modifiers, tenses, and how to form questions, you should now have a solid grasp of how Lao sentence structure works. Remember, Lao is a tonal language with unique nuances, but with regular practice, sentence-building will become second nature. Whether it’s for travel, conversing with native speakers, or simply just personal interest, mastering the sentence structure is key to unlocking fluent and meaningful conversations.
Our only tip for you now is to practice consistently! The more you use Lao in real-life situations, the more comfortable you’ll become with applying what you learned. If you’re looking for more insight into the Lao language, might we suggest reading up on topics such as Lao pronunciation and the days and months in Lao?
Immerse yourself, keep exploring, and enjoy the journey of learning the Lao language!
