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Lao Market Phrases
Buy, negotiate, ask prices. 12+ essential phrases with phonetic pronunciation and 4 full conversation flows for market situations in Laos.
Start learning freeEssential Market Phrases in Lao
Sorted by usefulness. Phonetic pronunciation included.
เบฅเบฒเบเบฒเปเบเบปเปเบฒเปเบ
lah-kah thow-dye
How much does it cost?
เบญเบฑเบเบเบตเป
ahn-nee
This one
เปเบญเบปเบฒ
ow
Take / I want
เปเบเบ
peng
Expensive
เบเปเบฒเบ
jai
To pay
เบเบญเบเปเบ
khawp-chai
Thank you (lit. gratitude of the heart โ jai = heart)
เบเบทเป
suh
To buy
เบเบตเบ
keep
Kip (Lao currency)
เปเบถเปเบ
nung
One / 1
เบชเบญเบ
song
Two / 2
เบเบฑเบ
pahn
One thousand / 1,000
เบกเบต
mee
There is / To have
...and 100 more market phrases in the app.
Sample: Discovering and tasting at the market
A real market conversation in Lao -- both sides of the interaction.
You
เบชเบฐเบเบฒเบเบเบต, เบญเบฑเบเบเบตเป เปเบกเปเบเบซเบเบฑเบ
sah bye dee ahn nee men nyang
Hello! What is this?
Them
men mahk hoong chow
The vendor names the local fruit or food
เปเบกเปเบเปเบฒเบเบซเบธเปเบ เบเปเบฒเบง
men mahk hoong chow
It's papaya
You
เปเบเบดเปเบเบเบตเปเบฅเบตเบ, เบฅเบญเบเบเบดเบ เปเบเปเบเป
bung dee luh-ee lohng kin dye baw
Oh, it looks good! Can I taste?
Them
dye lohng bung
The vendor says yes, try it!
เปเบเป, เบฅเบญเบเปเบเบดเปเบ
dye lohng bung
Yes, try it!
You
เปเบเบเปเบฅเบตเบ, เปเบเบปเปเบฒเปเบ
sep luh-ee thow-dye
Wow, delicious! How much?
Them
nung mun keep
The vendor states a price in kip
เปเบถเปเบเปเบทเปเบเบเบตเบเบเปเปเบญเบฑเบ
nung mun keep taw ahn
10,000 kip each
4 market conversations available in the app.
FAQ
What happens when they answer back at the market in Laos?
That's the hard part -- and exactly what TalkThere prepares you for. Each of the 4 market conversations shows you the full back-and-forth: what you say, what they'll likely respond, and how to keep going. You won't freeze when they answer in Lao.
Is this enough to get by at a market in Laos?
Yes. These are the 12+ phrases that actually come up in real market interactions -- not textbook phrases. Sorted by how often you'll need them, with pronunciation you can read at a glance.
Do I need to learn Lao script to use this?
No. Every Lao phrase has phonetic pronunciation written in plain English. You read it like English and say it out loud. The script is there for reference, but you don't need it.
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