Language/Lao/Grammar/Nouns

Lao → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and Plurals → Nouns

Learning about Lao nouns is an important part of understanding the language. In this lesson, you will learn about Lao nouns, their classifications, and how to use them in sentences.

Noun Classifications

In Lao grammar, nouns are classified into two types: countable and uncountable. Here are some examples of each:

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are able to be quantified and pluralized. Examples of countable nouns in Lao include:

• ເດີມ (dǣm) - fruit(s)
• ຫມາດ (mǎat) - book(s)
• ພັກ (phǎk) - vegetable(s)

To pluralize countable nouns in Lao, the suffix "ນີ້ (nii)" is added to the end of the noun. For example:

• ຫມາດ (mǎat) - book(s)
• ຫມາດນີ້ (mǎat nii) - books

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns cannot be quantified and do not have a plural form. Examples of uncountable nouns in Lao include:

• ນ້ຳ (nǎm) - water
• ປາ (paa) - fish
• ຕົ້ນ (ton) - rice

Uncountable nouns in Lao cannot be pluralized, but they can be modified with a classifier. For example:

• ປາເລືອດ (paa leuat) - a fish (countable)

Using Nouns in Sentences

Now that you know about Lao noun classifications, it's important to understand how to use them in sentences. Here are some grammatical rules to follow when using Lao nouns:

Word Order

In Lao, the word order for a basic sentence is subject-verb-object, similar to English. For example, "I eat rice" would be "ຂ້ອຍອາກອນຕົ້ນ (khǎo a gaawn ton)" in Lao.

Articles

Lao does not have articles like "a" or "the," so you can simply use the noun by itself. For example, "book" would be "ຫມາດ (mǎat)" in Lao.

Possessive Nouns

To show possession in Lao, the possessor comes before the noun being possessed. For example, "my book" would be "ຫມາດຂອງຂ້ອຍ (mǎat khǭng khǎo)" in Lao.

Plural Nouns

As discussed earlier, countable nouns in Lao can be pluralized by adding the suffix "ນີ້ (nii)" to the end of the noun. For example, "books" would be "ຫມາດນີ້ (mǎat nii)" in Lao.

Classifiers

Classifiers are used in Lao to modify uncountable nouns. They come after the noun and before any adjectives. For example, "a glass of water" would be "ຈົວກັນນ້ຳ (jǔua kan nǎm)" in Lao.

Examples

Here are some examples of Lao nouns in use:

Countable Noun Example

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ຫມາດ	mǎat	book
ຫມາດນີ້	mǎat nii	books

ຫມາດຈັກຫລາຍໂພນ (mǎat jǎk lǎai phohn) - I read two books.

Uncountable Noun Example

Lao	Pronunciation	English
ປາ	paa	fish
ຈົວກັນປາ	jǔua kan paa	a fish (countable)

ຂ້ອຍອາກອນປາໝາກນັ້ນ (khǎo a gaawn paa maaq nǎn) - I like grilled fish.

Conclusion

In this lesson, you learned about Lao nouns, their classifications, and how to use them in sentences. Use your newly acquired knowledge to practice making Lao sentences and improve your skills. Remember to pay close attention to the classifications of the nouns you use to ensure proper usage in your sentences. Good luck with your studies!

Table of Contents - Lao Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Pronouns and Verb to be

• Personal Pronouns
• Verb to be

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

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Nouns and Plurals

• Nouns
• Plurals

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

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Food and Drinks

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

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Lao Customs and Etiquette

• Greetings and Social Etiquette
• Festivals and Celebrations

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Questions and Negations

• Question Words
• Negations

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

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Shopping and Money

• Shopping Vocabulary
• Money and Currency

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Lao Food and Dining

• Traditional Lao Dishes
• Eating Customs and Etiquette

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Tenses and Verb Conjugation

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

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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

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Lao Music and Arts

• Traditional Music
• Arts and Crafts

Other Lessons

• Present Tense
• Adverbs
• Give your Opinion
• Question Words
• Negation
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Superlatives
• Personal pronouns
• Personal Pronouns
• Past Tense