Indirect Speech Changes
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'ວາ' (vaa) or 'ບອກວ່າ' (bok vaa) to introduce indirect speech, effectively shifting the perspective from the speaker to the reporter.
- Use 'ບອກວ່າ' (bok vaa) to report a statement: 'ລາວບອກວ່າລາວຫິວ' (He said that he is hungry).
- Use 'ຖາມວ່າ' (thaam vaa) to report a question: 'ລາວຖາມວ່າເຈົ້າຈະໄປໃສ' (He asked where you are going).
- Omit quotation marks in Lao; the particle 'ວາ' acts as the bridge between the main verb and the reported content.
Meanings
Indirect speech is used to report what someone else said without using their exact words. In Lao, this is achieved by using the particle 'ວາ' (vaa) as a conjunction.
Reporting Statements
Relaying information or opinions.
“ລາວບອກວາລາວບໍ່ສະບາຍ.”
“ເພິ່ນເວົ້າວາຝົນຈະຕົກ.”
Reporting Questions
Relaying an inquiry.
“ລາວຖາມວາເຈົ້າຊື່ຫຍັງ.”
“ແມ່ຖາມວາເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່.”
Reporting Thoughts/Beliefs
Expressing internal states or assumptions.
“ຂ້ອຍຄິດວາລາວຈະມາຮອດແລ້ວ.”
“ລາວເຊື່ອວາທຸກຢ່າງຈະດີຂຶ້ນ.”
Reporting Structure Table
| Subject | Reporting Verb | Connector | Reported Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| ລາວ | ບອກ | ວາ | ລາວຫິວ |
| ເພິ່ນ | ຖາມ | ວາ | ເຈົ້າຈະໄປໃສ |
| ຂ້ອຍ | ຄິດ | ວາ | ຝົນຈະຕົກ |
| ລາວ | ເຊື່ອ | ວາ | ມັນເປັນຄວາມຈິງ |
| ຫົວໜ້າ | ແນະນຳ | ວາ | ເຮົາຄວນພັກ |
| ລາວ | ເຕືອນ | ວາ | ທາງນີ້ອັນຕະລາຍ |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subj + Verb + ວາ + Clause | ລາວບອກວາລາວມາ |
| Negative | Subj + Verb + ວາ + ບໍ່ + Clause | ລາວບອກວາລາວບໍ່ມາ |
| Question | Subj + ຖາມ + ວາ + Clause | ລາວຖາມວາເຈົ້າໄປໃສ |
| Thought | Subj + ຄິດ + ວາ + Clause | ຂ້ອຍຄິດວາລາວດີ |
| Belief | Subj + ເຊື່ອ + ວາ + Clause | ລາວເຊື່ອວາລາວຖືກ |
| Advice | Subj + ແນະນຳ + ວາ + Clause | ລາວແນະນຳວາເຮົາຄວນໄປ |
طیف رسمیت
ທ່ານກ່າວວາທ່ານຈະມາ. (Reporting arrival)
ລາວບອກວາລາວຈະມາ. (Reporting arrival)
ລາວເວົ້າວາລາວຈະມາ. (Reporting arrival)
ລາວວ່າລາວມາ. (Reporting arrival)
Indirect Speech Map
Communication
- ບອກ tell
- ເວົ້າ speak
Cognition
- ຄິດ think
- ເຊື່ອ believe
Inquiry
- ຖາມ ask
Examples by Level
ລາວບອກວາລາວຫິວ.
He said that he is hungry.
ແມ່ບອກວາເຮົາໄປກິນເຂົ້າ.
Mom said that we go eat.
ລາວເວົ້າວາລາວຮັກເຈົ້າ.
He said that he loves you.
ເພື່ອນບອກວາຮ້ານນີ້ດີ.
Friend said that this shop is good.
ລາວຖາມວາເຈົ້າຈະໄປໃສ.
He asked where you are going.
ຂ້ອຍຄິດວາຝົນຈະຕົກ.
I think that it will rain.
ລາວບອກວາລາວບໍ່ໄປ.
He said that he is not going.
ເພິ່ນຖາມວາເຈົ້າຊື່ຫຍັງ.
He asked what your name is.
ລາວແນະນຳວາເຮົາຄວນໄປໄວ.
He advised that we should go early.
ລາວເຊື່ອວາທຸກຢ່າງຈະດີ.
He believes that everything will be fine.
ຫົວໜ້າບອກວາເຮົາຕ້ອງເຮັດວຽກ.
The boss said that we must work.
ລາວຢືນຢັນວາລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ເຮັດ.
He confirmed that he did not do it.
ລາວເຕືອນວາເສັ້ນທາງນີ້ອັນຕະລາຍ.
He warned that this road is dangerous.
ລາວອ້າງວາລາວບໍ່ຮູ້ເລື່ອງ.
He claimed that he didn't know about it.
ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ສຶກວາເຮົາຄວນປ່ຽນແຜນ.
I feel that we should change the plan.
ລາວຍອມຮັບວາລາວຜິດ.
He admitted that he was wrong.
ນັກຂ່າວລາຍງານວາສະຖານະການດີຂຶ້ນ.
The reporter reported that the situation improved.
ລາວສົງໄສວາຂໍ້ມູນນີ້ບໍ່ຖືກ.
He doubts that this information is correct.
ເພິ່ນສະເໜີວາເຮົາຄວນລົງທຶນ.
He suggested that we should invest.
ລາວຄາດຄະເນວາລາຄາຈະຂຶ້ນ.
He predicted that the price will rise.
ຜູ້ຊ່ຽວຊານວິເຄາະວາບັນຫານີ້ຊັບຊ້ອນ.
The expert analyzed that this problem is complex.
ລາວປະຕິເສດວາລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ກ່ຽວຂ້ອງ.
He denied that he was involved.
ຫຼາຍຄົນເຊື່ອຖືວາເລື່ອງນີ້ເປັນຄວາມຈິງ.
Many people believe that this story is true.
ລາວເນັ້ນໜັກວາຄວາມສາມັກຄີສຳຄັນ.
He emphasized that unity is important.
Easily Confused
Learners often mix up the punctuation and pronoun shifts.
Both mean to say/tell, but 'ບອກ' is more specific to relaying info.
Learners use 'ບອກ' for questions.
اشتباهات رایج
ລາວບອກ: ຂ້ອຍຫິວ
ລາວບອກວາລາວຫິວ
ລາວບອກວາຂ້ອຍຫິວ
ລາວບອກວາລາວຫິວ
ລາວບອກຫິວ
ລາວບອກວາລາວຫິວ
ລາວເວົ້າວາ: ຂ້ອຍໄປ
ລາວເວົ້າວາລາວໄປ
ລາວຖາມວາເຈົ້າໄປໃສ
ລາວຖາມວາລາວໄປໃສ
ລາວຄິດ: ມັນດີ
ລາວຄິດວາມັນດີ
ລາວບອກວາລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ໄປ
ລາວບອກວາລາວບໍ່ໄປ
ລາວແນະນຳວາເຈົ້າຄວນໄປ
ລາວແນະນຳວາຂ້ອຍຄວນໄປ
ລາວເຊື່ອວາລາວຈະໄປ
ລາວເຊື່ອວາລາວຈະມາ
ລາວຢືນຢັນວາລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ເຮັດ
ລາວຢືນຢັນວາລາວບໍ່ເຮັດ
ລາວອ້າງວາລາວບໍ່ຮູ້
ລາວອ້າງວາລາວບໍ່ຮູ້ເລື່ອງ
ນັກຂ່າວລາຍງານວາສະຖານະການແມ່ນດີ
ນັກຂ່າວລາຍງານວາສະຖານະການດີ
ລາວປະຕິເສດວາລາວບໍ່ກ່ຽວ
ລາວປະຕິເສດວາລາວກ່ຽວ
Sentence Patterns
___ ບອກວາ ___
ຂ້ອຍຄິດວາ ___
ລາວຖາມວາ ___
ລາວແນະນຳວາ ___
Real World Usage
ລາວບອກວາລາວຮອດແລ້ວ.
ເພື່ອນບອກວາຮ້ານນີ້ແຊບ.
ຫົວໜ້າບອກວາເຮົາຕ້ອງມີປະສົບການ.
ລາວບອກວາທາງນີ້ໄປວັດ.
ຮ້ານບອກວາອາຫານຈະມາຮອດ.
ນັກຂ່າວລາຍງານວາຝົນຈະຕົກ.
Pronoun Check
No Quotes
Context is King
Polite Reporting
Smart Tips
Always pause before 'ວາ' to emphasize the reporting verb.
Use a rising intonation at the end of the reported question.
Use 'ຄິດວາ' to soften your opinion.
Use 'ເຂົາບອກວາ' (they say that) to report general information.
تلفظ
Vaa
The particle 'ວາ' is pronounced with a short 'a' sound, similar to 'ah'.
Statement
ລາວບອກວາລາວມາ ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Question
ລາວຖາມວາເຈົ້າໄປໃສ ↗
Rising intonation for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ວາ' as a bridge. It connects the speaker to the message.
Visual Association
Imagine a person holding a megaphone (the reporting verb) connected by a rope (ວາ) to a thought bubble (the reported clause).
Rhyme
To report what they say, use 'ວາ' every day.
Story
Som told me he was tired. I told my friend, 'Som ບອກວາລາວເມື່ອຍ'. My friend then asked me, 'ລາວຖາມວາລາວເມື່ອຍບໍ່?'. I said yes.
Word Web
چالش
Report three things your friends told you today using the 'ບອກວາ' structure.
نکات فرهنگی
In Lao culture, indirect speech is often used to soften criticism or deliver news politely.
The particle 'ວາ' is derived from the verb 'ເວົ້າ' (to speak).
Conversation Starters
ເພື່ອນເຈົ້າບອກວາແນວໃດ?
ເຈົ້າຄິດວາມື້ນີ້ຝົນຈະຕົກບໍ່?
ຫົວໜ້າເຈົ້າແນະນຳວາແນວໃດ?
ລາວອ້າງວາລາວບໍ່ຮູ້ເລື່ອງ, ເຈົ້າເຊື່ອບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ລາວບອກ ___ ລາວຈະມາ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ລາວບອກ: ຂ້ອຍຫິວ
ລາວ ___ ວາເຈົ້າໄປໃສ.
ສົມເວົ້າວ່າ: ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປ.
A: ລາວເວົ້າຫຍັງ? B: ລາວ ___.
ລາວ / ບອກ / ວາ / ບໍ່ / ມາ
ວາ / ບອກ / ລາວ / ລາວ / ມາ
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesລາວບອກ ___ ລາວຈະມາ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ລາວບອກ: ຂ້ອຍຫິວ
ລາວ ___ ວາເຈົ້າໄປໃສ.
ສົມເວົ້າວ່າ: ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປ.
A: ລາວເວົ້າຫຍັງ? B: ລາວ ___.
ລາວ / ບອກ / ວາ / ບໍ່ / ມາ
ວາ / ບອກ / ລາວ / ລາວ / ມາ
1. ບອກ 2. ຖາມ 3. ຄິດ
Score: /8
سوالات متداول (8)
No, Lao does not have grammatical tense markers like English. The context provides the timeline.
Yes, 'ວ່າ' is the standard written form, while 'ວາ' is often used in speech or informal writing.
Use the name of the person if it's clearer, e.g., 'ສົມບອກວາສົມຫິວ'.
Yes, it is the essential connector for indirect speech.
Yes, use 'ບອກວາ' followed by the instruction, e.g., 'ລາວບອກວາໃຫ້ໄປ'.
Place 'ບໍ່' before the verb in the reported clause.
In formal contexts, you might use 'ກ່າວວາ' instead of 'ບອກວາ'.
It's a common habit from English. Practice by thinking about the perspective shift before you speak.
In Other Languages
que
Spanish requires tense changes; Lao does not.
que
French requires complex sequence of tenses.
dass
German changes word order in the subordinate clause.
to
Japanese places the particle after the verb, while Lao places it before the clause.
anna
Arabic requires specific case endings.
shuo
Chinese does not always require a connector particle.
