Language/Lao/Vocabulary/Count-to-10

Lao Vocabulary - Count to 10

Hi Lao learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on counting to 10 in Lao language, and I will also give you some cultural information and interesting facts. Let's get started! 🚀

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Days of the week, Body Parts, Medecine & Drinks.

The Basics

In Lao language, numbers are written in the same way as in Arabic numerals. However, when counting out loud, Lao people use a slightly different system than what you may be used to. Instead of saying "one, two, three", Lao people often say "nung, song, sam".

It is also worth noting that Lao has two different number systems: the traditional system and the modern system. We will focus on the modern system, as it is the one used in daily life.

Counting to 10

Let's begin with the numbers from one to five:

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ນຶ່ງ (nung)	nūŋ	One
ສອງ (song)	sɔ̌ːŋ	Two
ສາມ (sam)	sǎːm	Three
ສີ່ (si)	siː	Four
ຫ້າ (ha)	hǎː	Five

Now, let's continue with the numbers from six to ten:

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ຫົກ (hok)	hōk	Six
ຫົກສອນ (hok-song)	hōk sɔ̌ːŋ	Seven
ຫົກສາມ (hok-sam)	hōk sǎːm	Eight
ຫົກສີ່ (hok-si)	hōk siː	Nine
ຫົກສິບ (hok-sip)	hōk sìp	Ten

So, to count to ten in Lao language, you can say: "nung, song, sam, si, ha, hok, hok-song, hok-sam, hok-si, hok-sip". Easy, right? 😊

Cultural Information

Did you know that in Lao language, numbers are also used to indicate politeness and formality? For example, the number "2" is often used in polite expressions. If someone offers you a drink, they may say "song laew", which means "please have two of them".

In Lao culture, the number "8" is considered lucky, as it sounds similar to the word for prosperity. When choosing a phone number, license plate or any number-related items, people often prefer numbers with several "8"s.

Interesting Facts

- Lao language belongs to the Tai-Kadai language family, which is also spoken in parts of China, Vietnam, and Thailand. - The Lao script is similar to Thai script, although there are some differences in the way certain letters are written. - Lao is the official language of Laos, but it is also spoken in some parts of Thailand and Vietnam.

Practice

You can also check Lao resources on Polyglot Club or find native speakers and ask them any questions. Practice makes perfect! 😎

Sources

• Lao Numbers: 1,2,3 Read This Awesome Guide Free! - Ling App
• Counting Numbers in Laos - S Vietnam Travel

Other Lessons

• Drinks
• Fruits
• Clothes
• Geography
• Days of the week
• Time
• Body Parts
• How to say Good Bye?
• Months of the Year
• How to Say Hello and Greetings