1. Greetings
Greetings are so important when you first meet someone no matter who they are or where they from, especially when you just set foot in a totally strange country like Laos and have no friends with you. It will be fun and friendly when trying to introduce yourself in Laotian or speaking some Laotian basic phrases to local people.
| English | Laotian |
| Hello | Sabaidee |
| Thank you | Khàwp jai |
| Thank you very much | Khàwp jai lai lai |
| Sorry/ Excuse me | Khãw thôht |
| Never mind/ You're welcome | Bbaw pen nyãng |
| Goodbye | La khãwn |
| Please | Khâluna |
| Yes | Jâo/dooy |
| No | Baw |
| Welcome | Yin dee torn háp |
| I/ Me | Khàwy |
| You | Jâo |
| She/ He | Lâo/khâo |
| We | Phuak hâo |
| They | Phuak khâo |
| How are you? | Sábaidee baw? |
| I'm fine, thank you. And you? | Sábaidee, khàwp jai? jâo dây? |
| What's your name? | Jâo seu nyãng? |
| My name is ... | Kháwy seu ... |
| Nice to meet you | Dee jai thee dái pop jâo |
| Do you speak Laotian? | Jâo wâo pasa lao dai baw? |
| Do you speak English? | Jâo wâo pasa angkit dai baw? |
2. Express Your Feelings
Sometimes, due to the changes of climate, the unfamiliar food or the changes of time zone, you might not feel well. Keep in mind the following Laotian medical phrases and some common Laotian words just in case you may need them.
| English | Laotian |
| I’m not feeling very well | Khàwy baw sábai |
| I'm hungry | Kháwy hew khao |
| I’m thirsty | Kháwy hew nam |
| I am full | Kháwy im |
| I've got a headache | Kháwy jeb hua |
| I've got a stomachache | Kháwy jeb thong |
| Leave me alone! | Boh tong koun khoy |
3. Asking for Direction
It is obvious to tourists that the roads are unfamiliar in another country and you will probably end up being lost somewhere without a map in your hand. This might be a perfect time for you to try some phrases to ask for direction or places in Laos you want to go to.
| English | Laotian |
| I want to eat | Kháwy yark kin |
| I want to go.... | Kháwy yark pai.... |
| I want to go to the airport | Kháwy yark pai dern bin |
| Where's the toilet? | Hàwng Nâm Yuu Sai? |
| Go straight | Pai seu |
| Turn left | Liaw sái |
| Turn right | Liaw khua |
| How much is this? | Anh nee thao dai? |
| Where are you going? | Jâo ja pai sai? |
| Where to? | Pai sai? |
| To Morning market | Pai ta lard sao |
| I want to go to the airport | Kháwy yark pai dern bin |
| Where is the post office? | Hàwng karn pai xa nii yuu sai? |
| Where is the North bus station? | Kew lot may xai neua yuu sai? |
| Where is the South bus station? | Kew lot may xai tai yuu sai? |
| Where is the bus going? | Lot may khan nii ja pai sai? |
4. Problems and Emergency
When running into troubles or any problem, you might need some short and easy Laotian words to asking for help. Following are the most useful Laotian Phrases for emergencies.
| English | Laotian |
| Help!!! | Suay Dae |
| Don't touch me | Ya jup khoy |
| Police!! | Dtum louat |
| Stop, Thief! | Yud! Kee Luck |
| Emergency | souk sern |
| I'm lost | Khoy lohng taang |
| I lost my wallet | Khoy see-uh gkapow |
| I lost my bag | Khoy see-uh tong |
| I'm sick | Khoy pben kai/Khoy boh sabai |
| I'm injured | Khoy jep/Khoy Theug baad jep |
| I need a doctor | Khoy tong kan Maw |
| Can i borrow your phone | Khoy sai/yeum tolasup dai boh? |
5. Laos Romantic Phrases
| English | Laotian |
| I MissYou | kho huk jâo |
| I Love You | kho huk chau |
| Would you like to dance with me? | phoen yark pai ten lum num hao bor? / paii ten num gun bor |
I hope that those useful Laotian phrases above should be enough for you to have a small conversation with the locals as well as understand a bit further about Laos culture. To learn more, you can search for some Laos phrasebook to extend your Laotian vocabulary in your free time. Happy exploring!
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