If you have booked your flight tickets to Laos, I’m sure you have already mugged up some common Lao phrases like Good morning, How are you, Good night, etc. While learning the Lao alphabet and common greeting words and phrases is a must-do before your journey, you cannot miss out on the essential Lao shopping vocabulary list.
So, to bring to your services all the best phrases and words you can use in the streets of the Lao market, I have prepared this blog with everything you will need. If you want to learn more, continue reading.
Whether traveling for a business meeting or a family occasion, a new place means new markets and a massive list of souvenirs. It is almost impossible to keep shopping off the bucket list when you travel to a new country, especially when talking about a beautiful and colorful country like Laos.
Phrases like ນີ້ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ? (How much is this?) and words like ຮ້ານຄ້າ (Shop), ເຈົ້າຂອງຮ້ານ (Shopkeeper), etc., are some essential things you must keep in mind to have a stress-free shopping spree. With that said, let’s not waste any more time and learn Lao immediately!
Page Content
- The Markets In Laos: All You Need To Know
- Top Shops To Visit In Laos
- Lao Shopping Vocabulary: All Essential Words
- Lao Phrases For Shopping
- More Shopping Phrases In The Lao Language
The Markets In Laos: All You Need To Know
Since we are talking about the Lao language related to shopping phrases, let us quickly peek at what is worth buying in Laos. Being a country so traditionally ingrained and colorful inside out, the facts and tips below will surely give you a larger picture of what the street culture has for you.
1. Most shops’ first rewarding feature is their antique collection. If you are a fan of antique things and love collecting, you will be astounded by the beauty of Laos shops. Especially the Oot Ni Gallery at Vientiane is one of the best places to shop for antiques and other artworks and handicrafts.
2. Lao shops have a lot in the stalk for food lovers as well. You will find many kinds of food on sale and endless markets from one end of the street to the other. From chicken to pork, you can visit any shop and choose any option for the sellers to cook it in their authentic style, especially the pungent curries. The authentic food of Laos has the power to satisfy all appetites, although most people believe the love for such intense procedures is an acquired taste. Such a savor has similar touches to the cuisine of its neighboring countries like Thailand, Vietnam, etc. So, there’s no harm in trying!
3. Other than the food, you also get to shop other fascinating things like one of the best wines and alcohol with a perfect french touch like traditional red wine to sparkling wine. Even books, textiles, and silk fashion have a lot of popularity on the streets. So, try out every corner before you sum up your journey!
Top Shops To Visit In Laos
Before we head on to the words and phrases, here is a list of shops and markets you must visit during your stay in the country.
- La Cave Wine Shop- 354, Th Samsenthai
- Monument Book Shop- Vientiane
- Vangtong Evening Market- Boulevard, Khounboulom
- Luang Prabang Night Market
- Donsao Market
- Phousi Day Market
- Vang Vieng Walking Street
Lao Shopping Vocabulary: All Essential Words
Coming to the central part, below is the list of all the common market words with proper English-Laos Translation that you will constantly need during your journey. Learning these will help you shop freely and develop your vocabulary, allowing better communication. So, let’s get started.
A-G
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| Assistant | ຜູ້ຊ່ວຍ | phusuany |
| Accessories | ອຸປະກອນເສີມ | upakon soem |
| Bill | ໃບບິນ | bai bin |
| Boutique | ຮ້ານ | han |
| Basket | ກະຕ່າ | kata |
| Buy | ຊື້ | su |
| Bookstore | ຮ້ານປຶ້ມ | han pum |
| Bag | ຖົງ | thong |
| Coin | ຫຼຽນ | rian |
| Cash | ເງິນສົດ | ngoensod |
| Cheque | ກວດສອບ | kuadsob |
| Credit card | ບັດເຄຣດິດ | bad kher did |
| Cashier | ພະນັກງານເກັບເງິນ | phanakngan kebngoen |
| Counter | ເຄົາເຕີ | khao toe |
| Changing room | ຫ້ອງປ່ຽນ | hong pian |
| Coupon | ຄູປ໋ອງ | khu pong |
| Cost | ຄ່າໃຊ້ຈ່າຍ | khasaichai |
| Customer | ລູກຄ້າ | lukkha |
| Delivery | ການຈັດສົ່ງ | kanchadsong |
| Discount | ສ່ວນຫຼຸດ | suan rud |
| Department | ພະແນກ | phaaenk |
| Display | ຈໍສະແດງຜົນ | cho saaedng phon |
| Debit card | ບັດເດບິດ | bad de bid |
| Exchange | ແລກປ່ຽນ | aelk pian |
| Expensive | ແພງ | aephng |
| Franchise | ແຟນໄຊ | aefn sai |
| Grocery | ຮ້ານຂາຍເຄື່ອງຍ່ອຍ | hankhai kheuong nyony |
| Gift | ຂອງຂວັນ | khongkhvan |
| Goods | ສິນຄ້າ | sinkha |
H-Z
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| Hire | ຈ້າງ | chang |
| Inexpensive | ລາຄາບໍ່ແພງ | lakha bo aephng |
| Lift | ຍົກ | nyok |
| Luxury | ຫຼູຫຼາ | ru ra |
| leaflet | ໃບຍ່ອຍ | bai nyony |
| Mall | ສູນການຄ້າ | sunkankha |
| Money | ເງິນ | ngoen |
| merchant | ພໍ່ຄ້າ | phokha |
| Order | ສັ່ງ | sang |
| Purchase | ຊື້ | su |
| Pay | ຈ່າຍ | chai |
| Price | ລາຄາ | lakha |
| Receipt | ໃບຮັບເງິນ | bai hab ngoen |
| Reserve | ຈອງ | chong |
| Reduce | ຫຼຸດຜ່ອນ | rudphon |
| Return | ກັບຄືນ | kabkhun |
| Shopkeeper | ເຈົ້າຂອງຮ້ານ | chaokhong han |
| Shop | ຮ້ານຄ້າ | hankha |
| Sale | ຂາຍ | khai |
| Salesman/ Saleswoman | ພະນັກງານຂາຍ/ ຜູ້ຍິງຂາຍ | phanakngan khai /phunying khai |
| Save | ບັນທຶກ | banthuk |
| Trolley | ລໍ້ຍູ້ | lo nyu |
| Wallet | ກະເປົາເງິນ | kapaongoen |
Lao Phrases For Shopping
Now that you know the words, it is time to learn some common phrases that will guide you through your shopping in the markets. The terms given below are the basics, and you will always need them to talk to the vendors and buy the correct items. Most importantly, knowing these benefits you with proper bargaining and avoiding fraudulence.
1. How Much Is This? – ນີ້ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ?
The phrase you will constantly need while shopping is ni la kha theoa dai. It will easily allow you to enquire about the item’s price, be it groceries or clothes. Sometimes, you can also use the phrase ນີ້ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ? to ask for the measurement or weight of groceries like the kilos of rice or fruits, etc.
2. It Is Too Expensive – ມັນແພງເກີນໄປ
If you feel like the cost of the item that you like is too much, you can utter the words ມັນແພງເກີນໄປ- manaephng koenpai. Often, foreigners do not question the price, and vendors take advantage of that. So, say out loud that it is way more expensive to allow the vendor to come to a settlement that would benefit both sides.
3. Do You Have Any Discount? – ເຈົ້າມີສ່ວນຫຼຸດບໍ?
The next important phrase is ເຈົ້າມີສ່ວນຫຼຸດບໍ? pronounced as chao misuan rud bo. You must memorize this line and use it in literally every possible shop to avoid missing any offers or discounts. Especially if you are traveling during the festive season, almost all markets will have some sale or discount. So, use it and avail all the offers you can.
4. Do You Have Other Designs? – ເຈົ້າມີການອອກແບບອື່ນໆບໍ?
Versatility is the top priority of the Laos market, and if you find something that you like, you can use the line ເຈົ້າມີການອອກແບບອື່ນໆບໍ?- chao mi kanookaebb un bo. This will allow you to explore similar products with more different patterns and designs. Fantastic, isn’t it? You no longer have to struggle to make the keepers understand what you want and what you don’t in a new region.
5. Can You Lower The Price? – ເຈົ້າສາມາດຫຼຸດລາຄາໄດ້ບໍ?
Sometimes things you like can be priced way more than you can afford. Thus, the most polite way to bargain with local vendors is by asking ເຈົ້າສາມາດຫຼຸດລາຄາໄດ້ບໍ?- chao samad rud lakha daibo. It will help the keeper know that the price is too high for you, and if there is any possibility to reduce, a settlement can be reached that both can accept.
6. Do You Accept Card Payment? – ເຈົ້າຍອມຮັບການຈ່າຍເງິນດ້ວຍບັດບໍ?
Although you will undoubtedly carry cash during your shopping spree in the streets, you never know when you will run out of them. Especially being a foreigner and having no exchange counter nearby can bring a halt to your exciting time. So, to avoid such troubles, you can use the phrase ເຈົ້າຍອມຮັບການຈ່າຍເງິນດ້ວຍບັດບໍ?- chao nyomhab kanchaingoen duany bad bo before you set your mind to buy something. Only when the vendor says that they take payments through other modes of payment shall you proceed, disappointing no sides.
7. Please Pack These Items – ກະລຸນາຫຸ້ມຫໍ່ລາຍການເຫຼົ່ານີ້
When it comes to packing items that you like, the best way to remove confusion is by saying kaluna hum ho laikan heoani as you point out the thing you want. Most of the time, vendors tend to confuse which items you want amongst the many that keep lying on the table. So, using such a phrase will definitely make things easier.
8. Thank You For Your Service – ຂອບໃຈສໍາລັບການບໍລິການຂອງທ່ານ
It is always polite to thank the shopkeeper and the helpers after you are done shopping. And the best way to do that is by saying ຂອບໃຈສໍາລັບການບໍລິການຂອງທ່ານ- khobchai soalab kanbolikan khongthan. Although English is standard in Laos, uttering the native words will only bring in a more warm response. So, make sure you memorize all these lines by heart.
More Shopping Phrases In The Lao Language
Here is a list of some more common phrases related to shopping that will come in handy during your trip. Please give them a good read to improve your skills further!
| English | Lao | Pronunciation |
| It is too small for me | ມັນນ້ອຍເກີນໄປສໍາລັບຂ້ອຍ | mannony koenpai soalabkhony |
| Do you accept online payment? | ທ່ານຍອມຮັບການຊໍາລະເງິນອອນໄລນ໌ບໍ? | than nyomhab kan soa la ngoen nlain bo |
| Can I see the cheaper one? | ຂ້ອຍສາມາດເຫັນອັນທີ່ລາຄາຖືກກວ່າໄດ້ບໍ? | khony samad hen anthi lakhathuk kva daibo |
| Do you have change? | ເຈົ້າມີການປ່ຽນແປງບໍ? | chao mikanpianaepng bo |
| What is your best item? | ລາຍການທີ່ດີທີ່ສຸດຂອງເຈົ້າແມ່ນຫຍັງ? | laikan thi dithisud khongchao aemnjang |
| You have beautiful artwork | ທ່ານມີສິລະປະທີ່ສວຍງາມ | than mi silapa thisuanyngam |
| How much can you reduce the price? | ເຈົ້າສາມາດຫຼຸດລາຄາໄດ້ເທົ່າໃດ? | chao samad rud lakha dai theoadai |
| I love your shop | ຂ້ອຍຮັກຮ້ານຂອງເຈົ້າ | khony hak han khongchao |
Wrapping Up!
Now that you know all the essential words and phrases, you will indeed have the best time on the streets of Laos. Along with souvenirs, you will also take back a lot of memories with all the locals, which will be made possible through proper communication. Thus, keep practicing these Lao phrases to enhance your Lao language skills and become a fluent speaker.
If you want to read more such blog posts to know deeper about the Lao language, click on the link and download the Ling app from App Store or Play Store. Ling is a language learning app that I would recommend to you if you want to get the correct language resources.
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