Language/Lao/Grammar/Conjunctions
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn about Lao conjunctions and how they are used to connect words, phrases, and clauses. Conjunctions are an important part of any language, and mastering them will help you to speak and write more fluently in Lao. This lesson assumes you have some knowledge of Lao grammar and sentence structure.
Lao Conjunctions
Lao conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence. They are words that link ideas, express relationships between clauses, and create complex sentences. Lao conjunctions fall into two main categories: coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions are used to link words, phrases, and clauses of equal importance in a sentence. In Lao, there are seven coordinating conjunctions: ແລະ (lae), ແລ່ນ (len), ຫຼື (hu), ເທັນວ່າ (then wa), ພະຍົກບິດ (phayok bit), ບໍ່ມີ (bo mi), and ບໍ່ໄດ້ (bo dai).
- ແລະ (lae) means "and" and is used to join two ideas that are both equally important in a sentence. Example: ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໃຊ້ພາສາລາວ ແລະ ພາສາອັງກິດ. (Kha pajer jao sai pasalao lae pasang ‘kid’.) - "I speak Lao and English."
- ແລ່ນ (len) means "or" and is used to present a choice between two or more options. Example: ເຈົ້າສາມາດກັບມີເປັນປະສຸກ ແລ່ນ ບໍ່ມີເປັນປະສຸກ. (Jao samat khab mi pen pasuk lae bo mi pen pasuk.) - "You can come or not come to the party."
- ຫຼື (hu) means "or" and is used to present a choice between two or more options. It is used specifically when the choice is limited to two options. Example: ໜີ້ຈະບອກຮັບສິດອັດຕະໂນມັດ ຫຼື ສົນທະນາກໍໄດ້ບໍ? (Ni chas koi houk hup si dot nombat hu sonthanak bo dai bo?) - "Will you accept the scholarship or work at the bank?"
- ເທັນວ່າ (then wa) means "that" and is used when one clause explains or gives more detail about the other. Example: ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຮັກສານີ້ ເທັນວ່າ ມັນເປັນເຄື່ອງທີ່ກຽມ. (Kha pajer jao hak sa ni then wa man pen khong thi khom.) - "I bought this because it is my favorite thing."
- ພະຍົກບິດ (phayok bit) means "but" and is used to show contrast or make a surprising statement. Example: ຄົນໂດຍຫຍັງສາມາດຊົງເດີມເລີຍ ພະຍົກບິດ ມັກພື້ນໃຈກັບກັບຂ້ອຍຕົກລົງ. (Khun doy nyang samat song dem li yol phayok bit mak philun sai kua kua khoi tok long.) - "Anyone can sing but it takes courage to stand up."
- ບໍ່ມີ (bo mi) means "not" and is used to negate a clause. Example: ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ມີເບີກ ຄົນທັງຫລອກນີ້. (Kha pajer jao bo mi beuk khoun tang lok ni.) - "I don't know this famous person."
- ບໍ່ໄດ້ (bo dai) means "cannot" and is used to indicate something is not possible. Example: ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ໄດ້ຈັດການທີ່ເຈົ້າສອດໄດ້. (Kha pajer jao bo dai jat khan thi jao soet dai.) - "I cannot do what you asked."
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions are used to link dependent clauses to independent clauses, creating complex sentences. In Lao, there are many subordinating conjunctions, some of which include ເມື່ອ (meu), ຢ່າປະກອບ (ya pakob), ແຕ່ (tae), ດຳເນີນການ (dam nian kan), ເມືອງຫຼັງ (meuang lerng), and many others.
- ເມື່ອ (meu) means "when" and is used to connect two clauses where one event happens as a result of the other. Example: ເຈົ້າຈະມີເຮົາໃນການເພີດຫມາຍ ເມື່ອ ບໍ່ເຮົາໄດ້ສຶກກັບເຈົ້າ. (Jao sa mi hao pha mai meu bo jao dai sup kua jao.) - "You will have my support when I am not against you."
- ຢ່າປະກອບ (ya pakob) means "if" and is used to introduce a conditional clause. Example: ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະມີຄວາມປອດໄພ ຢ່າປະກອບ ຄວາມອັນດັບ ຖ້າເຈົ້າພັກສູງ. (Kha pajer jao samat kwa boat pai ya pakob kwam an dap tua bik thua jao sak sung.) - "You will have happiness if you work hard."
- ແຕ່ (tae) means "but" or "however" and is used to indicate a contrast between two ideas. Example: ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຖືກຕັນບໍ່ເຈົ້າ
Other Lessons
- Personal pronouns
- How to Use Have
- Personal Pronouns
- 0 to A1 Course
- Present Tense
- Demonstrative Pronouns
- Question Words
- How to Use Be
- Conditional Mood