Color Adjectives
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Lao, color adjectives always follow the noun they describe, unlike in English where they come before.
- Place the color after the noun: 'Noun + Color'. Example: 'ລົດສີແດງ' (Car + Red).
- Use the word 'ສີ' (sii) before the color name for clarity. Example: 'ສີຟ້າ' (Blue).
- Adjectives do not change based on gender or number. Example: 'ລົດສີແດງ' (Red car/cars).
Meanings
Color adjectives are used to describe the visual appearance of objects. In Lao, they function as post-positive modifiers.
Descriptive
Identifying the color of a specific object.
“ປຶ້ມສີເຫຼືອງ”
“ໝາກໂມສີແດງ”
Color Adjective Structure
| Noun | Particle | Color | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ລົດ | ສີ | ແດງ | Red car |
| ເສື້ອ | ສີ | ຂາວ | White shirt |
| ປຶ້ມ | ສີ | ດຳ | Black book |
| ເຮືອນ | ສີ | ຟ້າ | Blue house |
| ໝາກໄມ້ | ສີ | ເຫຼືອງ | Yellow fruit |
| ໃບໄມ້ | ສີ | ຂຽວ | Green leaf |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Noun + Sii + Color | ລົດສີແດງ |
| Negative | Noun + Bor maen + Sii + Color | ລົດບໍ່ແມ່ນສີແດງ |
| Question | Noun + Sii + Color + Bor? | ລົດສີແດງບໍ່? |
| Light Shade | Noun + Sii + Color + On | ລົດສີແດງອ່ອນ |
| Dark Shade | Noun + Sii + Color + Khem | ລົດສີແດງເຂັ້ມ |
| Short Answer | Sii + Color | ສີແດງ |
طیف رسمیت
ລົດຄັນນີ້ມີສີແດງ (Describing an object)
ລົດສີແດງ (Describing an object)
ລົດສີແດງເດ (Describing an object)
ລົດແດງ (Describing an object)
Lao Color Structure
Modifier
- ສີ Color particle
- ແດງ Red
English vs Lao Word Order
Examples by Level
ລົດສີແດງ
Red car
ປຶ້ມສີຂາວ
White book
ໝາກໂມສີແດງ
Red watermelon
ເສື້ອສີຟ້າ
Blue shirt
ລົດນີ້ບໍ່ແມ່ນສີແດງ
This car is not red
ເຈົ້າມັກລົດສີຫຍັງ?
What color car do you like?
ຂ້ອຍມັກເສື້ອສີຂາວ
I like the white shirt
ດອກໄມ້ສີເຫຼືອງງາມ
The yellow flower is beautiful
ຂ້ອຍຢາກໄດ້ລົດສີແດງເຂັ້ມ
I want a dark red car
ທ້ອງຟ້າມື້ນີ້ມີສີຟ້າອ່ອນ
The sky today is light blue
ລາວໃສ່ເສື້ອສີດຳສະເໝີ
He always wears a black shirt
ເຮືອນຫຼັງນັ້ນມີສີຂຽວອ່ອນ
That house is light green
ສີຂອງລົດຄັນນີ້ແມ່ນສີແດງສົດ
The color of this car is bright red
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຄ່ອຍມັກສີເຫຼືອງປານໃດ
I don't really like yellow that much
ສີຂຽວມັກຈະເຮັດໃຫ້ເຮົາຮູ້ສຶກສະຫງົບ
Green usually makes us feel calm
ເຈົ້າເຫັນລົດສີແດງທີ່ຈອດຢູ່ຫັ້ນບໍ່?
Do you see the red car parked there?
ສີແດງຊາດເປັນສີທີ່ເປັນເອກະລັກ
Vermilion is a unique color
ການເລືອກສີໃຫ້ເໝາະສົມແມ່ນສຳຄັນ
Choosing the right color is important
ສີຟ້າຄາມສະທ້ອນເຖິງຄວາມເລິກເຊິ່ງ
Indigo reflects depth
ສີຂາວບໍລິສຸດປຽບເໝືອນຄວາມຫວັງ
Pure white is like hope
ສີສັນຂອງວັດທະນະທຳລາວມີຄວາມຫຼາກຫຼາຍ
The colors of Lao culture are diverse
ສີແດງອົມດຳສະແດງເຖິງຄວາມຂລັງ
Darkish red signifies sacredness
ສີຂຽວມໍລະກົດແມ່ນສີທີ່ຫາຍາກ
Emerald green is a rare color
ສີຟ້າທະເລສ້າງບັນຍາກາດທີ່ຜ່ອນຄາຍ
Sea blue creates a relaxing atmosphere
Easily Confused
Learners mix up the order of size and color.
Learners put 'this/that' in the wrong place.
Learners put possessives before the noun.
اشتباهات رایج
ແດງລົດ
ລົດສີແດງ
ລົດແດງ
ລົດສີແດງ
ລົດສີແດງສ
ລົດສີແດງ
ສີແດງລົດ
ລົດສີແດງ
ລົດບໍ່ແດງ
ລົດບໍ່ແມ່ນສີແດງ
ລົດສີແດງບໍ່ແມ່ນ
ລົດບໍ່ແມ່ນສີແດງ
ລົດສີແດງບໍ
ລົດສີແດງບໍ່
ລົດສີແດງເຂັ້ມໆ
ລົດສີແດງເຂັ້ມ
ລົດສີແດງອ່ອນໆ
ລົດສີແດງອ່ອນ
ລົດສີແດງຫຼາຍ
ລົດສີແດງ
ສີແດງຊາດໆ
ສີແດງຊາດ
ສີຂາວບໍລິສຸດໆ
ສີຂາວບໍລິສຸດ
ສີຟ້າຄາມໆ
ສີຟ້າຄາມ
Sentence Patterns
___ ສີ ___
___ ບໍ່ແມ່ນສີ ___
___ ສີ ___ ງາມຫຼາຍ
ຂ້ອຍມັກ ___ ສີ ___
Real World Usage
ເອົາເສື້ອສີຟ້າໂຕນີ້
ລົດສີແດງເດ
ທ້ອງຟ້າສີຟ້າງາມຫຼາຍ
ເຮືອນສີຂາວຢູ່ຫັ້ນ
ຖົງສີດຳ
ເສື້ອສີຂາວເໝາະສົມ
Use 'Sii'
Don't translate word-for-word
Add intensity
Colors have meaning
Smart Tips
Always pause after the noun to add 'sii'.
Use 'sii' + color to specify your choice.
Add 'on' or 'khem' at the end.
Add 'bor' at the end.
تلفظ
Tones
Lao is a tonal language. 'ສີ' (sii) is a high-rising tone.
Question
ລົດສີແດງບໍ່? ↑
Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'Color Tag'. In Lao, the tag (sii) and the color always follow the object.
Visual Association
Imagine a car driving by, and a giant red sticker labeled 'ສີແດງ' is stuck to its back bumper.
Rhyme
Noun comes first, color behind, Lao grammar is easy to find!
Story
I bought a car. I wanted it red. I said 'Lot' (car). Then I added 'Sii' (color). Finally, I added 'Daeng' (red). Now I have a 'Lot Sii Daeng'!
Word Web
چالش
Look around your room and name 5 objects using the 'Noun + Sii + Color' pattern.
نکات فرهنگی
Colors often have symbolic meanings in Lao culture, such as yellow representing Buddhism.
Similar structure to Thai, as they are related languages.
The Isan dialect of Northeast Thailand uses almost identical color structures.
The word 'ສີ' comes from Sanskrit 'śrī', meaning beauty or color.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າມັກສີຫຍັງ?
ລົດຂອງເຈົ້າສີຫຍັງ?
ເສື້ອໂຕນີ້ສີຂາວບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າຄິດວ່າສີແດງງາມບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ລົດ ___ ແດງ
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ແດງລົດສີ
ສີ / ລົດ / ແດງ
White shirt
Answer starts with: ເສື...
A: ລົດເຈົ້າສີຫຍັງ? B: ລົດຂ້ອຍ ___.
ລົດສີແດງ
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesລົດ ___ ແດງ
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ແດງລົດສີ
ສີ / ລົດ / ແດງ
White shirt
A: ລົດເຈົ້າສີຫຍັງ? B: ລົດຂ້ອຍ ___.
ລົດສີແດງ
Match 'ຂຽວ'
Score: /8
سوالات متداول (8)
In formal writing, yes. In very casual speech, you might hear it dropped, but it's best to use it.
No, Lao nouns and adjectives do not change for number.
Sometimes, but they function primarily as adjectives or stative verbs.
Lao is a head-initial language, meaning the core noun comes before the modifiers.
Yes, use 'on' for light and 'khem' for dark after the color.
Use 'sii yang' (what color) at the end of the sentence.
Yes, it is the universal color classifier.
Usually not, unless describing clothing or skin tone in a specific context.
In Other Languages
Adjective after noun
Lao has no gender or number agreement.
Adjective after noun
Lao is invariant.
Adjective before noun
Lao word order is the opposite.
Adjective before noun
Lao is post-positive.
Adjective after noun
Lao has no agreement.
Adjective before noun
Lao word order is the opposite.
