Embedded Clauses
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the particle 'thii' (ທີ່) to connect a noun to a description, turning a whole sentence into an adjective.
- Place 'thii' (ທີ່) immediately after the noun you are describing.
- Follow 'thii' with the verb or action that describes the noun.
- Do not repeat the subject if it is the same as the main noun.
Meanings
Embedded clauses in Lao act as adjectives to modify a noun. They allow you to add specific details about a person, place, or thing within a single sentence.
Descriptive Relative Clause
Adding information about a noun's identity or action.
“ແມ່ຍິງທີ່ນັ່ງຢູ່ຫັ້ນແມ່ນຄູຂອງຂ້ອຍ. (The woman who is sitting there is my teacher.)”
“ປຶ້ມທີ່ຂ້ອຍຊື້ເມື່ອວານນີ້ດີຫຼາຍ. (The book that I bought yesterday is very good.)”
Relative Clause Structure
| Noun | Connector | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ໝາ | ທີ່ | ກິນເຂົ້າ | ໝາທີ່ກິນເຂົ້າ |
| ຄົນ | ທີ່ | ເວົ້າລາວ | ຄົນທີ່ເວົ້າລາວ |
| ປຶ້ມ | ທີ່ | ດີ | ປຶ້ມທີ່ດີ |
| ບ່ອນ | ທີ່ | ໄປ | ບ່ອນທີ່ໄປ |
| ເວລາ | ທີ່ | ນອນ | ເວລາທີ່ນອນ |
| ສິ່ງ | ທີ່ | ຂ້ອຍມັກ | ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍມັກ |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Noun + ທີ່ + Verb | ຄົນທີ່ຮຽນ |
| Negative | Noun + ທີ່ + ບໍ່ + Verb | ຄົນທີ່ບໍ່ຮຽນ |
| Past Tense | Noun + ທີ່ + Verb + ແລ້ວ | ຄົນທີ່ຮຽນແລ້ວ |
| Future Tense | Noun + ທີ່ + ຈະ + Verb | ຄົນທີ່ຈະຮຽນ |
| Question | Noun + ທີ່ + Verb + ບໍ່? | ຄົນທີ່ຮຽນບໍ່? |
| Location | ບ່ອນ + ທີ່ + Verb | ບ່ອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍຢູ່ |
| Time | ເວລາ + ທີ່ + Verb | ເວລາທີ່ຂ້ອຍມາ |
Espectro de formalidad
ບຸກຄົນທີ່ກຳລັງລໍຖ້າຢູ່. (Describing someone waiting.)
ຄົນທີ່ກຳລັງລໍຖ້າຢູ່. (Describing someone waiting.)
ຄົນທີ່ຖ້າຢູ່. (Describing someone waiting.)
ຄົນທີ່ຖ້າ. (Describing someone waiting.)
The 'Thii' Bridge
People
- ຜູ້ທີ່ who
Things
- ອັນທີ່ which
Places
- ບ່ອນທີ່ where
Examples by Level
ຂ້ອຍມີໝາທີ່ສີຂາວ.
I have a dog that is white.
ນີ້ແມ່ນປຶ້ມທີ່ດີ.
This is a book that is good.
ລາວເປັນຄົນທີ່ໃຈດີ.
He is a person who is kind.
ຂ້ອຍມັກອາຫານທີ່ເຜັດ.
I like food that is spicy.
ຜູ້ຊາຍທີ່ນັ່ງຢູ່ຫັ້ນແມ່ນພໍ່ຂ້ອຍ.
The man who is sitting there is my father.
ຂ້ອຍຊື້ເສື້ອທີ່ລາວມັກ.
I bought the shirt that he likes.
ນີ້ແມ່ນບ່ອນທີ່ພວກເຮົາພົບກັນ.
This is the place where we met.
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມັກຄົນທີ່ເວົ້າຕົວະ.
I don't like people who lie.
ປຶ້ມທີ່ຂ້ອຍອ່ານເມື່ອຄືນນີ້ໜ້າສົນໃຈຫຼາຍ.
The book that I read last night is very interesting.
ລົດທີ່ລາວຂັບແມ່ນລົດໃໝ່.
The car that he is driving is a new car.
ໝູ່ທີ່ຂ້ອຍໄປທ່ຽວນຳກັນຍ້າຍໄປຢູ່ຕ່າງປະເທດ.
The friend that I traveled with moved abroad.
ເຫດຜົນທີ່ຂ້ອຍມາລາວແມ່ນເພື່ອຮຽນພາສາ.
The reason that I came to Laos is to learn the language.
ບັນຫາທີ່ພວກເຮົາກຳລັງປະເຊີນຢູ່ແມ່ນຍາກຫຼາຍ.
The problem that we are facing is very difficult.
ຄົນທີ່ເຈົ້າເຫັນໃນຮູບແມ່ນນ້ອງສາວຂ້ອຍ.
The person that you see in the photo is my younger sister.
ຂ້ອຍຕ້ອງການວຽກທີ່ໃຫ້ເງິນເດືອນສູງ.
I want a job that pays a high salary.
ໂຮງຮຽນທີ່ຂ້ອຍເຄີຍຮຽນໄດ້ປິດໄປແລ້ວ.
The school that I used to attend has closed down.
ນັກວິທະຍາສາດທີ່ຄົ້ນພົບທິດສະດີນີ້ໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນ.
The scientist who discovered this theory received an award.
ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍຢາກບອກເຈົ້າແມ່ນຄວາມຈິງ.
What I want to tell you is the truth.
ເມືອງທີ່ຂ້ອຍເກີດມີການປ່ຽນແປງຫຼາຍ.
The city where I was born has changed a lot.
ຄວາມຄິດທີ່ລາວສະເໜີມາແມ່ນໜ້າສົນໃຈ.
The idea that he proposed is interesting.
ວັນເວລາທີ່ຜ່ານມາແມ່ນບົດຮຽນທີ່ລ້ຳຄ່າ.
The days that have passed are a valuable lesson.
ຜູ້ທີ່ປະສົບຜົນສຳເລັດມັກຈະເປັນຄົນທີ່ພະຍາຍາມ.
Those who succeed are usually people who try hard.
ສິ່ງທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ລາວພິເສດແມ່ນຄວາມອົດທົນ.
What makes him special is his patience.
ເຫດການທີ່ເກີດຂຶ້ນໃນອະດີດມີຜົນຕໍ່ປັດຈຸບັນ.
Events that happened in the past affect the present.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'ທີ່' for locations where 'ບ່ອນທີ່' is more precise.
Learners think 'ທີ່' cannot be used for people.
Learners mix up the object marker.
Errores comunes
ໝາ ທີ່ ມັນ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ໝາ ທີ່ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ໝາ ກິນເຂົ້າ ທີ່
ໝາ ທີ່ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ໝາ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ໝາ ທີ່ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ທີ່ ໝາ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ໝາ ທີ່ ກິນເຂົ້າ
ບ່ອນ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ໄປ ຫັ້ນ
ບ່ອນ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ໄປ
ຄົນ ທີ່ ບໍ່ ມັກ ບໍ່ ໄປ
ຄົນ ທີ່ ບໍ່ ມັກ ໄປ
ປຶ້ມ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ຊື້ ມັນ
ປຶ້ມ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ຊື້
ເວລາ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ໄປ ຫາ ລາວ
ເວລາ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ໄປ ຫາ
ສິ່ງ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ຕ້ອງການ ແມ່ນ
ສິ່ງ ທີ່ ຂ້ອຍ ຕ້ອງການ
ຜູ້ ທີ່ ເຂົາ ມາ
ຜູ້ ທີ່ ມາ
ເຫດຜົນ ທີ່ ເຂົາ ບໍ່ ມາ ແມ່ນ ເພາະ
ເຫດຜົນ ທີ່ ເຂົາ ບໍ່ ມາ
ຄົນ ທີ່ ວ່າ ເຂົາ ໄປ
ຄົນ ທີ່ ໄປ
ສິ່ງ ທີ່ ມັນ ເປັນ
ສິ່ງ ທີ່ ເປັນ
Sentence Patterns
ຂ້ອຍມັກຄົນທີ່___.
ນີ້ແມ່ນບ່ອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍ___.
ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍຕ້ອງການແມ່ນ___.
ປຶ້ມທີ່ຂ້ອຍອ່ານແມ່ນ___.
Real World Usage
ຮູບທີ່ຂ້ອຍຖ່າຍມື້ນີ້.
ຄົນທີ່ເຈົ້າເວົ້າເຖິງແມ່ນໃຜ?
ວຽກທີ່ຂ້ອຍເຄີຍເຮັດ.
ເອົາແກງທີ່ບໍ່ໃສ່ຜັກ.
ບ່ອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍຢາກໄປ.
ບັນຫາທີ່ພົບເຫັນ.
Keep it simple
Avoid repetition
Use 'ບ່ອນທີ່' for places
Listen to locals
Smart Tips
Use 'ຜູ້ທີ່' to sound more professional.
Use 'ບ່ອນທີ່' instead of just 'ທີ່'.
Use 'ສິ່ງທີ່' for ideas or concepts.
Stick to 'ທີ່' to avoid mistakes.
Pronunciación
Thii
The 'th' is an aspirated 't' sound, similar to 'top' but with a puff of air.
Rising
Noun + ທີ່ + Verb?
Indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Thii' as a 'T-shaped' bridge connecting two islands (the noun and the description).
Visual Association
Imagine a giant letter 'ທີ່' standing between a person and their action, holding them together like a rope.
Rhyme
Use 'Thii' to link, don't let it sink, it connects the noun to the thing you think.
Story
Once there was a cat. The cat was hungry. The cat ate fish. In Lao, we don't need three sentences. We just say: The cat (ທີ່) ate fish.
Word Web
Desafío
Write 5 sentences describing 5 things in your room using 'ທີ່'.
Notas culturales
In Vientiane, people often shorten 'ທີ່' to just a slight pause in very casual speech.
They use 'ທີ່' similarly but with a slightly different melodic tone.
They might use 'ອັນ' more frequently than 'ທີ່' in certain contexts.
The particle 'ທີ່' originates from older Tai languages, serving as a general marker of subordination.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າມັກຄົນທີ່ເປັນແນວໃດ?
ບ່ອນທີ່ເຈົ້າມັກໄປທ່ຽວແມ່ນບ່ອນໃດ?
ສິ່ງທີ່ເຈົ້າຢາກເຮັດໃນອະນາຄົດແມ່ນຫຍັງ?
ອາຫານທີ່ເຈົ້າມັກກິນທີ່ສຸດແມ່ນຫຍັງ?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ຂ້ອຍມັກຄົນ___ຮຽນເກັ່ງ.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ຄົນທີ່ລາວເວົ້າລາວ (Error: 'ລາວ')
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The man who is tall.
Answer starts with: ຜູ້...
A: ເຈົ້າມັກອາຫານແນວໃດ? B: ຂ້ອຍມັກອາຫານ___.
Combine: ໝາ (dog) + ທີ່ (that) + ເຫົ່າ (barks).
Sort by type: ທີ່, ບ່ອນທີ່, ເວລາທີ່.
Score: /8
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesຂ້ອຍມັກຄົນ___ຮຽນເກັ່ງ.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ຄົນທີ່ລາວເວົ້າລາວ (Error: 'ລາວ')
ທີ່ / ປຶ້ມ / ດີ / ຂ້ອຍ / ຊື້
The man who is tall.
A: ເຈົ້າມັກອາຫານແນວໃດ? B: ຂ້ອຍມັກອາຫານ___.
Combine: ໝາ (dog) + ທີ່ (that) + ເຫົ່າ (barks).
Sort by type: ທີ່, ບ່ອນທີ່, ເວລາທີ່.
Score: /8
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Yes, it is the most versatile connector. It works for people, things, and abstract concepts.
It is just a more specific version of 'ທີ່' used for people. It sounds a bit more formal.
In very casual speech, you might hear it omitted, but for learners, it is best to keep it for clarity.
Yes, the tense is determined by the verb inside the clause, not by 'ທີ່'.
You can stack them, but it can get confusing. Try to keep sentences simple.
No, 'ທີ່' is invariant. It doesn't change for gender, number, or case.
The relative clause 'ທີ່' is a connector. The preposition 'ທີ່' means 'at'. Context will tell you which is which.
Yes, it is very common in both formal and informal writing.
In Other Languages
que
Spanish 'que' is a pronoun; Lao 'ທີ່' is a particle.
qui/que
French has grammatical gender and case agreement; Lao does not.
der/die/das
German is highly inflected; Lao is isolating.
no
Japanese is head-final; Lao is head-initial.
alladhi
Arabic requires gender/number agreement; Lao is invariant.
de
Chinese 'de' is placed before the noun; Lao 'ທີ່' is placed after.
