Answered — speak like you belong

The Lao that earns you smiles

The short answer

Thirty phrases, each with the Lao script, how to say it, what it means — and a play button with a real recorded voice for every line. Learn three on the plane: sabaidee, khop chai, bo pen nyang. Those carry a whole trip.

The three words that open every door

ສະບາຍດີsa-bai-DEEHello / welcome / how are you
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ຂອບໃຈkop-CHAIThank you
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ບໍ່ເປັນຫຍັງbo pen NYANGNo problem / never mind — the national philosophy
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Getting around

…ຢູ່ໃສ?…yoo SAI?Where is…?
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ໄປວັງວຽງbai VANG-VIANGGo to Vang Vieng (swap in your destination)
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ຢຸດຢູ່ນີ້yut yoo NEEStop here (the tuk-tuk words)
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ສະຖານີລົດໄຟsa-ta-ni LOT-FAITrain station
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ສະຖານີລົດເມsa-ta-ni LOT-MEBus station
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ດົນປານໃດ?duon pan DAI?How long does it take?
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Money & paying

ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ?la-kha tao DAI?How much is it?
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ແພງເກີນໄປpeng gneen PAIToo expensive (say it smiling)
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ຖືກTOOKCheap / good price
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ຄິດເງິນkit NGERNThe bill, please
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ຈ່າຍດ້ວຍ QR ໄດ້ບໍ?jai duay QR dai BO?Can I pay by QR?
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At the table

ແຊບSAEPDelicious — say it and the kitchen glows
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ແຊບຫຼາຍsaep LAIVery delicious
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ບໍ່ເຜັດbo PETNot spicy (good luck)
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ນ້ຳດື່ມnam DOO-emDrinking water (bottled)
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ອາຫານa-HAHNFood
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Polite, sorry, saved-by

ຂໍໂທດkho TODSorry / excuse me
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ໂດຍ / ບໍ່DOI / BOYes / no
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ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈkhoi bo kao JAII don't understand
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ເຈົ້າເວົ້າອັງກິດໄດ້ບໍ?jao vao ANG-KIT dai bo?Do you speak English?
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When it matters

ຊ່ວຍດ່ວຍ!CHOO-ay DOO-ay!Help!
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ລະວັງla-VANGBe careful
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ຫ້ອງນ້ຳhong NAMToilet
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ໜຶ່ງ ສອງ ສາມ ສີ່ ຫ້າ ຫົກ ເຈັດ ແປດ ເກົ້າ ສິບnung · song · saam · sii · haa · hok · jet · paet · gao · sip1 to 10 — the price-negotiation kit
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From hello to the lagoon

Say sabaidee. Then go say it in the valley.

The phrases work better at 1,000 feet — buy the balloon-day ticket now, practice on the way up.