Temporal Sequencing
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use particles like 'ກ່ອນ' (before), 'ແລ້ວ' (already), and 'ຫຼັງຈາກ' (after) to clearly sequence your actions in Lao.
- Use 'ກ່ອນ' before the verb to indicate priority: 'ກ່ອນກິນເຂົ້າ' (before eating).
- Place 'ແລ້ວ' after the verb to show completion: 'ກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ' (finished eating).
- Use 'ຫຼັງຈາກ' at the start of a clause for sequence: 'ຫຼັງຈາກໄປຕະຫຼາດ' (after going to the market).
Meanings
Temporal sequencing in Lao relies on specific particles that anchor actions in time relative to one another.
Prior action
Indicates an action happens before another.
“ກ່ອນໄປໂຮງຮຽນ”
“ກ່ອນນອນ”
Completed action
Indicates an action is finished.
“ເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວ”
“ອ່ານປຶ້ມແລ້ວ”
Subsequent action
Indicates an action happens after another.
“ຫຼັງຈາກກິນເຂົ້າ”
“ຫຼັງຈາກຮຽນຈົບ”
Temporal Particle Placement
| Function | Particle | Placement | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior | ກ່ອນ | Before Verb | ກ່ອນກິນ |
| Completed | ແລ້ວ | After Verb | ກິນແລ້ວ |
| Subsequent | ຫຼັງຈາກ | Start of Clause | ຫຼັງຈາກກິນ |
| Not yet | ຍັງບໍ່ | Before Verb | ຍັງບໍ່ກິນ |
| Already | ແລ້ວ | End of Clause | ກິນແລ້ວ |
| First | ກ່ອນ | End of Sentence | ກິນກ່ອນ |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Verb + ແລ້ວ | ກິນແລ້ວ |
| Negative | ຍັງບໍ່ + Verb | ຍັງບໍ່ກິນ |
| Question | Verb + ແລ້ວ + ບໍ່ | ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່? |
| Before | ກ່ອນ + Verb | ກ່ອນໄປ |
| After | ຫຼັງຈາກ + Verb | ຫຼັງຈາກໄປ |
| Sequence | Verb1 + ແລ້ວ + Verb2 | ກິນແລ້ວໄປ |
| Future | ຈະ + Verb | ຈະໄປ |
| Past | Verb + ແລ້ວ | ໄປແລ້ວ |
Espectro de formalidad
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຮັບປະທານອາຫານແລ້ວ (Dining)
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ (Dining)
ກິນແລ້ວ (Dining)
ກິນແລ້ວເດ (Dining)
Temporal Markers
Past
- ແລ້ວ already
Before
- ກ່ອນ before
After
- ຫຼັງຈາກ after
Examples by Level
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ
I have eaten.
ກ່ອນນອນ
Before sleeping.
ໄປແລ້ວ
Already went.
ກ່ອນໄປ
Before going.
ເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່?
Have you eaten yet?
ຂ້ອຍເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວ
I have finished work.
ກ່ອນໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
Before going to school.
ຫຼັງຈາກກິນເຂົ້າ
After eating.
ຫຼັງຈາກຮຽນຈົບ ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປເຮັດວຽກ
After graduating, I will go to work.
ຂ້ອຍອ່ານປຶ້ມແລ້ວຈຶ່ງນອນ
I read the book, then slept.
ກ່ອນຈະອອກຈາກເຮືອນ ຕ້ອງກວດເບິ່ງກະແຈ
Before leaving the house, must check keys.
ລາວໄປຮອດແລ້ວ
He has already arrived.
ຫຼັງຈາກທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຂໍ້ມູນແລ້ວ ເຮົາຈະຕັດສິນໃຈ
After receiving the information, we will decide.
ກ່ອນການເລີ່ມຕົ້ນໂຄງການ ຕ້ອງມີການວາງແຜນ
Before starting the project, there must be planning.
ຂ້ອຍເຮັດວຽກນີ້ແລ້ວສອງຊົ່ວໂມງ
I have been doing this work for two hours.
ເມື່ອເຮັດແລ້ວ ກະລຸນາສົ່ງໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍ
When finished, please send it to me.
ຫຼັງຈາກທີ່ໄດ້ຜ່ານຜ່າອຸປະສັກຕ່າງໆມາແລ້ວ ລາວຈຶ່ງປະສົບຜົນສຳເລັດ
After overcoming various obstacles, he succeeded.
ກ່ອນຈະກ່າວເຖິງບັນຫາ ຂໍໃຫ້ພິຈາລະນາເຫດຜົນກ່ອນ
Before mentioning the problem, please consider the reasons first.
ວຽກງານທັງໝົດໄດ້ສຳເລັດແລ້ວ
All work has been completed.
ກ່ອນໜ້ານີ້ ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຄີຍຮູ້ມາກ່ອນ
Before this, I had never known.
ຫຼັງຈາກທີ່ໄດ້ໄຕ່ຕອງຢ່າງຖີ່ຖ້ວນແລ້ວ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈຶ່ງຂໍສະເໜີ...
After reflecting thoroughly, I would like to propose...
ກ່ອນການປ່ຽນແປງໃດໆ ຕ້ອງມີການປຶກສາຫາລື
Before any changes, there must be consultation.
ເມື່ອເຫດການໄດ້ຜ່ານພົ້ນໄປແລ້ວ ທຸກຢ່າງກໍຈະດີຂຶ້ນ
Once the event has passed, everything will improve.
ກ່ອນອື່ນໝົດ ເຮົາຕ້ອງເຂົ້າໃຈເຖິງຮາກຖານ
First of all, we must understand the foundation.
Easily Confused
One is future, one is past.
Errores comunes
ແລ້ວກິນ
ກິນແລ້ວ
ກ່ອນກິນແລ້ວ
ກິນແລ້ວ
ຫຼັງຈາກກິນແລ້ວ
ຫຼັງຈາກກິນ
ກ່ອນໜ້າກິນ
ກ່ອນກິນ
Sentence Patterns
___ + ກ່ອນ + ___
Real World Usage
ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່?
Keep it simple
Smart Tips
Use 'ແລ້ວ' to end each segment.
Pronunciación
Tone
Ensure the tone of 'ແລ້ວ' (falling) is clear.
Question
ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່? ↑
Rising intonation for yes/no questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ແລ້ວ' as 'Done' (at the end) and 'ກ່ອນ' as 'Go-on' (before you start).
Visual Association
Imagine a train. The engine is the verb. 'ກ່ອນ' is the signal light before the station, 'ແລ້ວ' is the caboose (the end) of the train.
Rhyme
ກ່ອນຢູ່ໜ້າ, ແລ້ວຢູ່ຫຼັງ, ຟັງໃຫ້ດີ, ເວລາຈະປັງ!
Story
Somchai wants to eat. He says 'ກ່ອນກິນ' (before eating) he washes hands. He eats. Then he says 'ກິນແລ້ວ' (finished eating). Now he is ready for the day.
Word Web
Desafío
Write 3 sentences about your morning routine using 'ກ່ອນ' and 'ແລ້ວ'.
Notas culturales
Asking 'ກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່?' is a standard way to show care, not just a question about food.
These particles evolved from ancient Tai verbs.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າ___
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ແລ້ວກິນເຂົ້າ
ກິນ / ແລ້ວ / ຂ້ອຍ
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
I ate then left.
ຫຼັງຈາກ / ໄປ / ຮຽນຈົບ
Score: /8
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າ___
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ແລ້ວກິນເຂົ້າ
ກິນ / ແລ້ວ / ຂ້ອຍ
ກ່ອນ = ?
___ໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
I ate then left.
ຫຼັງຈາກ / ໄປ / ຮຽນຈົບ
Score: /8
Preguntas frecuentes (1)
No, 'ແລ້ວ' is for completed actions.
In Other Languages
Ya + verb
Lao particle is post-verbal.
Passé composé
Lao has no conjugation.
Perfekt
Lao is isolating.
Ta-form
Lao uses separate particles.
Qad + past
Lao is strictly post-verbal for completion.
Le
Lao markers are more flexible.
