Language/Lao/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

Lao → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Telling Time

Lao, also known as Laotian, is the official language of Laos and is also spoken in various regions of Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. In this lesson, you will learn how to tell time in Lao and understand common expressions related to time.

Numbers and Counting in Lao

Before we start telling time in Lao, it's important to know how to count in Lao. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10 in Lao:

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ຫນ່ວຍ	nuai	one
ຫຍັງ	nyang	two
ສາມ	sam	three
ສີ	see	four
ຫ້າ	haa	five
ຫົກ	hok	six
ຫານ	harn	seven
ສິບ	sip	eight
ຫຼັງຈີນ	song jiin	nine
ສິບຜູ້	sip phu	ten

Pay attention to the pronunciation of the numbers, and try to repeat them as much as possible until you master them.

To count beyond 10, you can add a specific classifier to a number. For example, if you want to say 11, you would say "ຫຼາຍສິບຫນ່ວຍ" (lao alphabet), which means "ten and one".

Similarly, to say 25 in Lao, you would say "ສີສຸກຫຼາຍສິບເອັດ" (lao alphabet), which translates to "two-ten and five".

Telling Time in Lao

In Lao, we use a 24-hour system to tell time, which means that we don't use the AM/PM system.

To ask "What time is it?" in Lao, you would say "ເມື່ອການເວລາແມ່ນລົງວັນທີ່ໃດ?" (lao alphabet).

Here's how to tell the time in Lao:

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ເຂົ້າໃນ	khao nai	in the morning
ທ່ຽງໃດ	tiang dai	in the afternoon
ບໍ່ໃນປາກເຊົ້າ	baw nai bpa sek	in the evening
ໃນທັງໝົດ	nai tang mot	at night
ຂອງເວລາ	kong vela	o'clock

To tell the time in Lao, you would combine these expressions with the appropriate numbers. For example:

- 8:00 AM: "ເກົ້າໃນລ້ຽວນ້ອຍຫຼາຍ" (lao alphabet), which means "in the morning, eight o'clock".

- 2:30 PM: "ທ່ຽງໃດສອງຄິດ" (lao alphabet), which means "in the afternoon, two-thirty".

- 7:45 PM: "ບໍ່ໃນປາກເຊົ້າເສັງຄົວລາວນີ້" (lao alphabet), which means "in the evening, fifteen minutes to eight".

Note that Lao speakers often add "ຈໍ" (lao alphabet) at the end of the sentence to make it sound more polite, which is equivalent to adding "please" in English.

In addition to these basic expressions, there are some other common phrases related to time in Lao:

- "ບໍ່ໄດ້ເລີຍ" (lao alphabet): it's not too late

- "ບໍ່ຄວນເລີຍ" (lao alphabet): it's not too early

- "ສາມາດເລີຍ" (lao alphabet): it's possible

- "ບໍ່ໄດ້ລົບເຊີນ" (lao alphabet): it's not too chaotic

Practice Telling Time in Lao

Now, let's practice telling time in Lao! Try to answer the following questions:

1. ເມື່ອການເວລາແມ່ນລົງວັນທີ່ໃດ? (lao alphabet) Answer: It means "What time is it?"

2. ບໍ່ຄວນເລີຍ (lao alphabet) Answer: It means "It's not too early".

3. ທ່ຽງໃດເດືອນໄຕສຸກຂີ້ແລ້ວ? (lao alphabet) Answer: It means "What is the date today?"

4. ບໍ່ໃນທັງໝົດ? (lao alphabet) Answer: It means "Is it in the evening?"

5. ກະລຸນາຈໍເລີຍ (lao alphabet) Answer: It means "Please" or "You're welcome".

Congratulations! You've learned how to tell time in Lao and use some common expressions related to time. Keep practicing and don't forget to review the numbers in Lao. Good luck!

Table of Contents - Lao Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verb to be

• Personal Pronouns
• Verb to be

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Plurals

• Nouns
• Plurals

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Lao Customs and Etiquette

• Greetings and Social Etiquette
• Festivals and Celebrations

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Question Words
• Negations

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Shopping and Money

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Money and Currency

  ---

Lao Food and Dining

• Traditional Lao Dishes
• Eating Customs and Etiquette

  ---

Tenses and Verb Conjugation

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

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Comparatives and Superlatives

• Comparatives
• Superlatives

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Hobbies and Interests

• Common Hobbies
• Sports and Activities

  ---

Lao Music and Arts

• Traditional Music
• Arts and Crafts

Other Lessons

• House Home
• Introducing Yourself
• Geography
• Colors
• Family Members
• Asking for Directions
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Basic Survival Word and Phrases
• Basic Greetings
• Vegetables