How to speak Lao during your vacation - An essential guide!

Learning to speak Lao does not really mean that you have to know how to read the curvy squiggles of their alphabet. By simply learning these go-to phrases can win you a lot of favour with the locals. Although it is a challenging language that is hard to master, you can still easily memorise these few phrases to communicate when in this beautiful country. Let’s take a look at what you need to know!

Basile Morin, Portrait photograph at bust length of three Lao girls joining their palms for the Thai greeting, front view, in Don Khon, Laos, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hello/ Saibaidee ສະບາຍດີ 

This is a standard greeting that you must know in any language when travelling to foreign countries. Say this with a small wave and a smile to win the heart of the locals. You can even have both your palms pressed together right around your chest. You will see that this greeting is reciprocated by the locals enthusiastically. And guess what? If you master this word, you can pair it up with so many other phrases. Do you want to ask them ‘how are you’ then say “Jao saibaidee baw?”. If you want to answer this question, then say “Saibaidee.” A good morning will be “Saibaidee ton sao” and a good evening will be “Saibaidee nyam leng.” 

Not spicy or a Little Spicy/Baw Pet ບໍ່ເຜັດ or Pet Noy Nung ເຜັດຫນ້ອຍ ຫນຶ່ງ 

The local cuisine is too good to be true! Although you would like to try everything on the menu, you must know that you might not be able to handle the spiciness. Therefore, make sure to learn these words! If you do not want to burn your tongue eating a meal that has 20 Chili peppers, make sure to use the words baw pet which means not spicy. If you will like just a bit of spice, then go for pet noy nung. You must also make sure to find accommodation at Luang Prabang hotels that are located close to authentic restaurants to enjoy the local food. You can check out properties like Avani+ Luang Prabang, for instance.

Thank you/ Khop Jai ຂອບໃຈ

This means thank you. If you want to get a little bit fancier, you can use the phrases “Khop jai deu” or “Khop jai lai lai which means thank you very much!

 Doi ໂດຍ / Men ແມ່ນ / Baw ບໍ່: Yes/No

You will hear many locals chatter with doi doi doi very often. This is actually a term that is used when they are in agreement with each other. 'Men' is another word that also means affirmative. The word baw means no. And if you pair it with baw mee it would mean don’t have and baw dai would mean can’t do. 

Excuse me/ Khaw Toot ຂໍໂທດ / excuse me

This is a word you can use when you are at a restaurant or a store trying to grab the attention of the waiter or the salesperson. When you are squeezed in by people in tiny corridors, start parroting the word 'Khaw toot' to be given way.

I do not understand/ Khoy Baw Khao Jai ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈ

Given that this is a foreign country that you are travelling to, maybe for the first time, and you do not understand the local language, it is completely plausible that this phrase will be the one you will need the most. As you start dropping key phrases used in the local language casually, there is a possibility that the locals might assume that you know a lot more. When you get lost in conversation, make sure to repeat this phrase over and over again!

Goodbye/ La Gon ລາກ່ອນ

This phrase actually means stay well. And it is used as a way of saying goodbye to someone. When you are hosted by a local, make sure to say this word and thank you before you leave. Like mentioned before, you can either wave goodbye or press both hands together. The higher you hold your hands, the more respect you will be showing.