Language/Lao/Grammar/Adverbs
Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They provide more information about the action or quality being described. In this lesson, we will learn about Lao adverbs, their formation, and how to use them in sentences.
Types of Adverbs
There are several types of Lao adverbs.
Manner Adverbs
Manner adverbs describe how an action is performed. They often end in the suffix "-ມາ" ("-maa").
For example:
| Lao | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ນາງຈາກເຮົາເປັນສະພາຍບັນຫາທາງການເຂົ້າລົດນີ້ ອາການໃດໆ | nāng chaa khǎo hpen sa pa ya ban ha-ra taa-kǎan keuh, aa-kan dae dae | Miss Chaa always drives this car very carefully. |
| ຂ້າເບົາຫມາຍຄວນແຕກຕ່າງ | khǎa bao maa kuan tae taang | Grandmother cooks very deliciously. |
In the examples above, "ອາການໃດໆ" ("aakan dae dae") and "ຫມາຍຄວນ" ("maai kuan tae") are manner adverbs. They modify the verbs "ເປັນສະພາຍ" ("pen sa-pa-ya") and "ແຕກ" ("taek"), respectively.
Time Adverbs
Time adverbs describe when an action or event takes place. They often end in the suffix "-ແມ່ນ" ("-maen").
For example:
| Lao | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ມື້ນີ້ເວລາແລ້ວ ພາຍຫາໃຫ້ສູນຫຼາຍກ່ອນ | meu ni wel laeo paa ya haa khao sun loy koen | Today, I woke up earlier than usual. |
| ຄືນນີ້ເວລາໃນເວລານີ້ນີ້ | kuen ni wel nai wel ni wel | Right now at this time today. |
In the examples above, "ພາຍຫາໃຫ້" ("paa ya haa khao") and "ໃນເວລາ" ("nai wel") are time adverbs. They modify the verbs "ສູນຫຼາຍ" ("sun loy") and "ເຂົ້າກັນ" ("khaon"), respectively.
Place Adverbs
Place adverbs describe where an action takes place. They often end in the suffix "-ອັນດຽນ" ("-aan diian").
For example:
| Lao | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ຂ້າທີ່ນີ້ຖ້ວຍໝູ່ທີ່ຢູ່ອັດຕະປື້ນທີ່ນີ້ | khǎa thi ni tew mui thi yuut at-ta-boon thi ni | This restaurant is where my friends are now. |
| ຜູ້ທີ່ເຂົ້າອັດຕະປືນນີ້ທີ່ຢູ່ດ້ວຍ | phu thi khaon at-ta-boon ni thi yuut dai | The person who entered the room just now. |
In the examples above, "ທີ່ອັນດຽນ" ("thi aan diian") and "ທີ່ຢູ່" ("thi yuut") are place adverbs. They modify the verbs "ຖ້ວຍ" ("tew") and "ເຂົ້າ" ("khaon"), respectively.
Degree Adverbs
Degree adverbs describe the intensity or degree of an action or quality being described. In Lao, they often end in the suffix "-ຫຍັງ" ("-nyang").
For example:
| Lao | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ຄົນນຶ່ງນີ້ຖືກເຂົ້າພະຍາຍາມກົດເຊື້ອເຢັນຢູ່ກັບພື້ນຫຍັງ | khon neung ni theuk khaon pa-ya-yaam kod seua-yen yuut kua phun nyang | This person is extremely good at playing guitar. |
| ນາງເຕັກນິກນີ້ກໍ່ຕາມທຸກສິນອົດຍາກົນຫຍາງຄືນ | naang thek-nik ni khom taam thuk sip-sin-hot yaak-khon nyang kun | This little girl is very interested in science. |
In the examples above, "ກົດເຊື້ອເຢັນ" ("kod seua-yen") and "ຕາມທຸກສິນອົດຍາກົນ" ("taam thuk sip-sin-hot yaak-khon") are degree adverbs. They modify the verbs "ສະຍາຍາມ" ("pa-ya-yaam") and "ເຕັກນິກ" ("thek nik"), respectively.
Frequency Adverbs
Frequency adverbs describe how often an action is performed. They often end in the suffix "-ຕົນ" ("-ton").
For example:
| Lao | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ນາງຖານສົ່ງມື້ນີ້ນອກມັນວ່າ ຕົນມີໜໍ່ ຖ້າການໝົດອາຍຸ | naang than-song meu ni nok man wa "ton mi ngoi" taa khan mot aa-yu | Miss Tan-song sends a message "often" if there is free time left. |
| ເຈົ້າໄດ້ເຈົ້າລົບສວຍຕົນຢຸດສົມການໃນອາການຜ່ານການຊຳລະບົດເລີດ່ວນ | jao dai jao lob suay "ton yut sa morn kaan" nai aakaaugan giaan kaan som laak bork kao-yuan | You did a great job "always" paying attention to completing the assigned tasks in class.
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