Reciprocal 'Kan'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'kan' (ກັນ) after a verb to show that an action is mutual, meaning 'each other' or 'together'.
- Place 'kan' immediately after the verb: 'hao rak kan' (We love each other).
- Use it for plural subjects only: 'they', 'we', or 'you all'.
- It can also mean 'together' in contexts like 'eating together': 'kin khao kan'.
Meanings
The particle 'kan' indicates that the action performed by a plural subject is reciprocal or shared among the members of that group.
Reciprocal
Action done to one another.
“ເຂົາເຈົ້າຕີກັນ (They hit each other.)”
“ພວກເຮົາຊ່ວຍກັນ (We help each other.)”
Collective
Action done together as a group.
“ເຮົາໄປກັນ (Let's go together.)”
“ກິນເຂົ້າກັນ (Eat together.)”
Reciprocal Formation Table
| Subject | Verb | Particle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ພວກເຂົາ | ຮັກ | ກັນ | They love each other |
| ພວກເຮົາ | ຊ່ວຍ | ກັນ | We help each other |
| ເຂົາເຈົ້າ | ເວົ້າ | ກັນ | They talk to each other |
| ພວກເຂົາ | ບໍ່ມັກ | ກັນ | They don't like each other |
| ພວກເຮົາ | ໄປ | ກັນ | We go together |
| ເຂົາເຈົ້າ | ກິນ | ກັນ | They eat together |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subj + Verb + Kan | ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ |
| Negative | Subj + Bo + Verb + Kan | ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ຮັກກັນ |
| Question | Subj + Verb + Kan + Bo? | ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນບໍ່? |
| Collective | Subj + Verb + Kan | ເຮົາໄປກັນ |
| Past | Subj + (dai) + Verb + Kan | ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ຮັກກັນ |
| Future | Subj + ja + Verb + Kan | ພວກເຂົາຈະຮັກກັນ |
Formalitätsspektrum
ພວກເຂົາກຳລັງຮັບປະທານອາຫານຮ່ວມກັນ (Dining)
ພວກເຂົາກຳລັງກິນເຂົ້າກັນ (Dining)
ເຂົາເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າກັນ (Dining)
ກິນນຳກັນ (Dining)
The 'Kan' Web
Social
- ຮັກກັນ Love each other
- ເວົ້າກັນ Talk to each other
Action
- ໄປກັນ Go together
- ກິນກັນ Eat together
Examples by Level
ເຮົາກິນເຂົ້າກັນ
We eat together.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າໄປກັນ
They go together.
ພວກເຂົານັ່ງກັນ
They sit together.
ເຮົາຫຼິ້ນກັນ
We play together.
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
They love each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າເວົ້າກັນ
They talk to each other.
ພວກເຮົາຊ່ວຍກັນ
We help each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າບໍ່ມັກກັນ
They don't like each other.
ພວກເຮົາຕ້ອງຮ່ວມມືກັນ
We must cooperate with each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າແຕ່ງງານກັນ
They married each other.
ພວກເຂົາເບິ່ງແຍງກັນ
They take care of each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປຶກສາກັນ
They consult with each other.
ພວກເຂົາແລກປ່ຽນຄວາມຄິດເຫັນກັນ
They exchange opinions with each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າຜິດຖຽງກັນເລື້ອຍໆ
They argue with each other often.
ພວກເຮົາຄວນເຂົ້າໃຈກັນ
We should understand each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າແຂ່ງຂັນກັນ
They compete with each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປະສານງານກັນຢ່າງໃກ້ຊິດ
They coordinate closely with each other.
ພວກເຂົາສະໜັບສະໜູນກັນ
They support each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປັບຕົວເຂົ້າຫາກັນ
They adapt to each other.
ພວກເຮົາພົວພັນກັນ
We are related/connected to each other.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າຕັດສິນໃຈຮ່ວມກັນ
They made a decision together.
ພວກເຂົາຜູກພັນກັນດ້ວຍມິດຕະພາບ
They are bonded by friendship.
ເຂົາເຈົ້າແບ່ງປັນຄວາມຮູ້ກັນ
They share knowledge with each other.
ພວກເຂົາປະເຊີນໜ້າກັນ
They face each other.
Easily Confused
Both mean 'together'.
Häufige Fehler
ຂ້ອຍຮັກກັນ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
ກັນຮັກພວກເຂົາ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນກັນ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າໄປນຳກັນ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າໄປກັນ
ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ກັນຮັກ
ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ຮັກກັນ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນຫຼາຍ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ຮັກກັນແລ້ວ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນແລ້ວ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນເອງ
ພວກເຂົາຮັກກັນ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າຊ່ວຍກັນຊ່ວຍ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າຊ່ວຍກັນ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປະສານກັນງານ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປະສານງານກັນ
ພວກເຂົາສະໜັບກັນສະໜູນ
ພວກເຂົາສະໜັບສະໜູນກັນ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປັບກັນຕົວ
ເຂົາເຈົ້າປັບຕົວເຂົ້າຫາກັນ
Sentence Patterns
ພວກເຂົາ ___ ກັນ
Real World Usage
ຮັກກັນເດີ້
ໄປທ່ຽວກັນ
ຊ່ວຍກັນເຮັດວຽກ
ໄປກັນເລີຍ
ກິນນຳກັນ
ຮ່ວມມືກັນ
Plurality
Singular Subject
Verb Placement
Social Bonding
Smart Tips
Use 'kan' to sound more natural.
Always use 'kan' for mutual feelings.
Use 'kan' to emphasize cooperation.
Don't forget the question particle at the end.
Aussprache
Tone
The word 'kan' has a mid-tone.
Question
ຮັກກັນບໍ່? (rising at the end)
Turns the statement into a yes/no question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Kan is the 'Connection' particle. Think of 'Kan' as a 'K'onnector for two people.
Visual Association
Imagine two people holding hands with a glowing 'ກັນ' symbol floating between them, connecting their hearts.
Rhyme
When two are doing, add 'kan' to the doing.
Story
Two friends, Noi and Noy, decide to go to the market. They walk together ('ໄປກັນ'). At the market, they talk to each other ('ເວົ້າກັນ'). Finally, they eat together ('ກິນກັນ').
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 3 sentences about things you and your friends do together using 'kan'.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Very common in daily speech to show community.
Derived from Proto-Tai reciprocal markers.
Conversation Starters
ພວກເຈົ້າໄປໃສກັນ?
ພວກເຈົ້າຮູ້ຈັກກັນດົນແລ້ວບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ພວກເຂົາຮັກ ___
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ເຂົາເຈົ້າບໍ່ກັນຮັກ
ກັນ / ພວກເຂົາ / ຮັກ
They eat together.
Answer starts with: ພວກ...
ພວກເຂົາໄປກັນ
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
ພວກເຂົາ ___ ເຮັດວຽກ.
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesພວກເຂົາຮັກ ___
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ເຂົາເຈົ້າບໍ່ກັນຮັກ
ກັນ / ພວກເຂົາ / ຮັກ
They eat together.
ພວກເຂົາໄປກັນ
ຮັກກັນ
ພວກເຂົາ ___ ເຮັດວຽກ.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, 'kan' requires a plural subject.
They are similar, but 'kan' is a particle while 'nam kan' is a phrase.
Place 'bo' before the verb.
Yes, it is standard in all registers.
No, it is invariant.
It still works for any plural group.
Yes, it is standard across the country.
Add 'bo' at the end of the sentence.
In Other Languages
se
Spanish uses pronouns; Lao uses a particle.
l'un l'autre
Lao is a single particle.
einander
Lao particle is more flexible.
otagai
Lao is a particle, Japanese is a noun/adverb.
ba'd
Lao is invariant.
huxiang
Word order.
