Language/Lao/Vocabulary/Shopping-Vocabulary

Lao → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Shopping and Money → Shopping Vocabulary

As a seasoned Lao language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to introduce you to the world of shopping in Lao! In this lesson, we will explore the vocabulary and useful phrases that will help you navigate your way through the local markets and shops in Laos. We will also learn how to bargain for goods and ask for prices, which are common customs in Lao culture.

Vocabulary

Let's begin with some essential shopping vocabulary. Here are some common Lao words and phrases that you might encounter when shopping in Laos:

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ຫຼີ້ນແບບ	liun pèt	size
ລາຄາ	la ka	price
ຈໍານວນ	chàm nauan	quantity
ຍອດລົດ	nyot lod	discount
ສົດຈໍາ	sot chàm	promotions/sale
ສາຂາ	sa kha	shop/store
ຮ້ານ	hăay	house/store/shop
ຄົນຂັນ	khun kan	seller
ຜູ້ຊື້	pheu su	buyer
ຊື້	su	to buy
ຂາຍ	kâai	to sell
ສີ	sii	color
ທີ່ຕັ້ງ	thî tung	location
ຍີ່ປຸ່ນ	yip pun	receipt
ຊື້ຂາຍ	su kâai	buy and sell

Now that you have learned some essential vocabulary words let's move on to some useful phrases for bargaining and asking for prices.

Bargaining and Asking for Prices

When shopping at local markets in Laos, it is common to bargain for goods. Here are some Lao phrases to help you in your bargaining:

• "ເລືອກໃສ່ໃຜເກັບຂ້າງລາຄາທີ່ດ້ວຍທີ່ຮຸນກັນແລະການຄ້າຍິງ" - "Lae uai sai pai kae khang la ka thî daw thî houn kan nene haeng khaaw neung" - This means "Please give me a discount and a good price for a great lady/gentleman like me." You can use this phrase to ask for a discount if you think the price is too high.

• "ຈົ່ງຕັດອັກສອນການຂາຍຂອງເຮົາໃຊ້ງານສຳລັບການເກັບຂ້າງລາຄາກັນ" - "Chong tát ak son kaa kan khang la ka houay sai nang som lai su nai" - This means "Let's negotiate and find a price that we agree on." Use this phrase to express your willingness to bargain.

• "ເລືອກໃສ່ໃຜເພີ່ມລາຄານ້ອງຂອງເຮົາຫຼືຂ້າມກັນ" - "Lae uai sai pai kae phu la ka nong khoung khoun houay lai nene ho" - This means "Please give me a little more discount." You can use this phrase to bargain further for a lower price.

When you are asking for prices, you can use the following phrases:

• "ເຂົ້າເຂົາໄດ້ການຮັບເງິນດຽວເທື່ອຫຼາຍບໍ່" - "Khoi khoa dai kaa houn huisep thao lai neung baw?" - This means "Can you give me a better price?", you can use this phrase when you feel that the price is too high.

• "ບໍ່ແມ່ນຄົນຂັນທີ່ດຽວກໍ?" - "Baw mae khun kan thî daw ko?" - This means "Is this the best price that you can give?"

• "ບໍ່ແມ່ນນີ້ທີ່ເລືອກໄດ້ຄ່າຫຼາຍບໍ່ເກົ່າໃຫ້ຄົນຂາຍຈົງຊົງເບິ່ງເງິນ" - "Baw mae ni thî laeo kho dai ka harik houn kaa chong song tong beng" - This means "Can you give me a better price than that for the item that I have chosen so the seller can make some profit?"

Practice Makes Perfect

Now that we have learned some essential vocabulary words and phrases let's practice. I will give you some scenarios, and you can practice using the vocabulary and phrases we learned in this lesson.

Scenario 1: You are at a local market and want to buy a t-shirt. The seller is asking for 50,000 kip for the t-shirt, and you think the price is too high.

Practice using the following phrases: - "ເຂົ້າເຂົາໄດ້ການຮັບເງິນດຽວເທື່ອຫຼາຍບໍ່" - "Khoi khoa dai kaa houn huisep thao lai neung baw?" - "ເລືອກໃສ່ໃຜເພີ່ມລາຄານ້ອງຂອງເຮົາຫຼືຂ້າມກັນ" - "Lae uai sai pai kae phu la ka nong khoung khoun houay lai nene ho"

Scenario 2: You are looking to buy some local handicrafts. You like a particular item with beautiful design, and the seller is asking for 150,000 kip. You want a better price.

Practice using the following phrases: - "ເຂົ້າເຂົາໄດ້ການຮັບເງິນດຽວເທື່ອຫຼາຍບໍ່" - "Khoi khoa dai kaa houn huisep thao lai neung baw?" - "ເລືອກໃສ່ໃຜເກັບຂ້າງລາຄາທີ່ດ້ວຍທີ່ຮຸນກັນແລະການຄ້າຍິງ" - "Lae uai sai pai kae khang la ka thî daw thî houn kan nene haeng

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

  ---

Comparatives and Superlatives

• Comparatives
• Superlatives

  ---

Hobbies and Interests

• Common Hobbies
• Sports and Activities

  ---

Lao Music and Arts

• Traditional Music
• Arts and Crafts

Other Lessons

• Seasons
• Directions
• Months of the Year
• Basic Survival Word and Phrases
• Family
• Common Foods
• Sport
• Animals
• Fruits