Past Tense Marker 'Laew'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'laew' (ແລ້ວ) after a verb to show an action is finished or 'already' done.
- Place 'laew' immediately after the main verb: 'kin laew' (ate/already ate).
- Use it for completed actions: 'khoi pai laew' (I already went).
- Combine with 'bor' for questions: 'kin laew bor?' (Have you eaten yet?).
Laew Usage Table
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + laew
|
kin laew
|
|
Negative
|
bor + Verb + laew
|
bor kin laew
|
|
Question
|
Verb + laew + bor
|
kin laew bor
|
|
State Change
|
Adjective + laew
|
hon laew
|
|
Past Action
|
Subject + Verb + laew
|
khoi pai laew
|
|
Completed Task
|
Verb + Object + laew
|
het viak laew
|
Meanings
The particle 'laew' functions as a perfective aspect marker, indicating that an action has been completed or a state has been achieved.
Completion
Indicates an action is finished.
“ລາວໄປແລ້ວ (Lao pai laew - He has already gone).”
“ຂ້ອຍເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວ (Khoi het viak laew - I have finished working).”
Change of State
Indicates a new situation has begun.
“ມັນໃຫຍ່ແລ້ວ (Man yai laew - It is big now).”
“ເດິກແລ້ວ (Deuk laew - It is late now).”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Statement
|
V + laew
|
pai laew
|
|
Negative
|
bor + V + laew
|
bor pai laew
|
|
Question
|
V + laew + bor
|
pai laew bor
|
|
Short Answer (Yes)
|
laew
|
laew
|
|
Short Answer (No)
|
yang
|
yang
|
|
State Change
|
Adj + laew
|
yai laew
|
Formalitätsspektrum
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ (Dining)
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ (Dining)
ກິນແລ້ວ (Dining)
ກິນລະ (Dining)
Laew Usage Map
Completion
- kin laew ate
Change
- hon laew it's hot
Beispiele nach Niveau
ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວ
I have eaten.
ລາວໄປແລ້ວ
He has gone.
ນອນແລ້ວ
Already slept.
ຮຽນແລ້ວ
Already studied.
ເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່?
Have you eaten rice yet?
ຝົນຕົກແລ້ວ
It is raining now.
ຂ້ອຍເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວ
I have finished working.
ມັນເດິກແລ້ວ
It is late now.
ຂ້ອຍຊື້ປຶ້ມຫົວນີ້ແລ້ວ
I have already bought this book.
ລາວບອກຂ້ອຍແລ້ວວ່າລາວຈະມາ
He already told me he would come.
ພວກເຮົາເບິ່ງໜັງເລື່ອງນີ້ແລ້ວ
We have already watched this movie.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າແຕ່ງງານກັນແລ້ວ
They are already married.
ເມື່ອຂ້ອຍໄປຮອດ, ລາວອອກໄປແລ້ວ
When I arrived, he had already left.
ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ອ່ານເອກະສານນັ້ນແລ້ວ
I have already read that document.
ເຖິງວ່າຈະເດິກແລ້ວ, ລາວກໍຍັງເຮັດວຽກຢູ່
Even though it is late, he is still working.
ຂ້ອຍຕັດສິນໃຈແລ້ວ
I have already decided.
ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ພິຈາລະນາຂໍ້ສະເໜີຂອງທ່ານແລ້ວ
I have already considered your proposal.
ມັນເປັນເລື່ອງທີ່ເກີດຂຶ້ນແລ້ວ
It is a matter that has already occurred.
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຢາກເວົ້າເລື່ອງນີ້ແລ້ວ
I don't want to talk about this anymore.
ທຸກຢ່າງໄດ້ຖືກຈັດການແລ້ວ
Everything has been handled.
ການປ່ຽນແປງໄດ້ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນແລ້ວ
The change has already begun.
ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ບັນລຸເປົ້າໝາຍຂອງຂ້ອຍແລ້ວ
I have already achieved my goal.
ເຖິງເວລາທີ່ຕ້ອງຍອມຮັບຄວາມຈິງແລ້ວ
It is time to accept the truth.
ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ໄຕ່ຕອງຢ່າງຖີ່ຖ້ວນແລ້ວ
I have already reflected thoroughly.
Leicht verwechselbar
Laew means 'already', Yang means 'not yet'.
Both relate to the past.
Both are particles.
Häufige Fehler
laew kin
kin laew
kin laew leaw
kin laew
laew pai
pai laew
kin bor laew
bor kin laew
pai laew laew
pai laew
bor laew pai
bor pai laew
kin laew ni
kin laew
laew pai laew
pai laew
pai laew le
pai laew
laew bor pai
bor pai laew
laew laew
laew
pai laew laew
pai laew
bor laew
yang bor laew
laew pai
pai laew
Satzmuster
Khoi ___ laew.
Jao ___ laew bor?
Man ___ laew.
Khoi bor ___ laew.
Real World Usage
kin laew
het viak laew
kin laew bor
pai laew
het viak laew
khai laew
Placement
Don't over-use
Questions
Greetings
Smart Tips
Use 'laew' after the verb.
Add 'bor' at the end.
Use 'laew' after the adjective.
Put 'bor' before the verb.
Aussprache
Tone
Laew has a high-falling tone.
Question
kin laew bor? (rising at the end)
Indicates a question.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Laew is like a 'Done' stamp on your verb.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a giant rubber stamp hitting a document that says 'LAEW' every time you finish a task.
Rhyme
When the task is through, add laew to the view.
Story
Som is cooking. He finishes the rice. He says 'kin laew'. Then he cleans the kitchen. He says 'het viak laew'. He is finally done.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Say 5 things you have already done today using 'laew'.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Using 'laew' is very common in greetings, like asking if someone has eaten.
Laew is a native Lao particle derived from the concept of completion.
Gesprächseinstiege
Jao kin khao laew bor?
Jao het viak laew bor?
Jao pai laew bor?
Jao norn laew bor?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
Khoi kin ___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Fix: laew kin.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I have eaten.
Answer starts with: kho...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use 'pai' and 'laew'.
Which is a question?
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesKhoi kin ___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Fix: laew kin.
laew / kin / khoi
I have eaten.
Match: kin laew
Use 'pai' and 'laew'.
Which is a question?
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
It means 'already' or 'done'.
After the verb.
No, only for completed actions.
It is neutral and used everywhere.
Use 'bor' before the verb.
Add 'bor' at the end.
No, they are different.
Because it's essential for aspect.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ya
Spanish 'ya' is more flexible in position.
déjà
French 'déjà' is an adverb.
schon
German 'schon' is an adverb.
mou
Japanese 'mou' is an adverb.
qad
Arabic uses it with verbs, Lao uses it as a particle.
le
Chinese 'le' is more grammaticalized.
