Signification
Asking about current activity.
Contexte culturel
In Laos, privacy is viewed differently than in the West. Asking 'What are you doing?' is seen as friendly and caring, not nosy. On Facebook and WhatsApp, 'Het yang yu?' is the most common conversation starter among Lao youth. In a Lao office, colleagues often ask this before asking for a favor to see if the person is busy. Lao parents use this phrase constantly to check in on children, often followed by 'Kin khao laeo bor?' (Have you eaten yet?).
The 'Yu' Rule
Always put 'yu' at the end of the sentence to talk about what's happening right now.
Tone Matters
If you say 'yu' with a high tone, it might sound like a different word. Keep it low!
Signification
Asking about current activity.
The 'Yu' Rule
Always put 'yu' at the end of the sentence to talk about what's happening right now.
Tone Matters
If you say 'yu' with a high tone, it might sound like a different word. Keep it low!
Don't be shy
Lao people love to chat. Asking this is a great way to make friends.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to ask 'What are you doing?'
ເຈົ້າເຮັດ...ຢູ່?
'ຫຍັງ' (yang) means 'what'.
Which sentence means 'I am eating'?
Select the correct response to 'ເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່?'
'ກິນເຂົ້າ' (kin khao) means 'eat rice/food' and 'ຢູ່' (yu) makes it continuous.
Complete the text message dialogue.
A: ສະບາຍດີ, ເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່? B: ...
'Sleeping, and you?' is a natural response to 'What are you doing?'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Phrase: 'ກຳລັງເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່?'
This is the primary use of the phrase.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Common Answers
Food
- • ກິນເຂົ້າຢູ່ (Eating)
- • ແຕ່ງກິນຢູ່ (Cooking)
Rest
- • ນອນຢູ່ (Sleeping)
- • ພັກຜ່ອນຢູ່ (Resting)
Work
- • ເຮັດວຽກຢູ່ (Working)
- • ຮຽນຢູ່ (Studying)
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesເຈົ້າເຮັດ...ຢູ່?
'ຫຍັງ' (yang) means 'what'.
Select the correct response to 'ເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່?'
'ກິນເຂົ້າ' (kin khao) means 'eat rice/food' and 'ຢູ່' (yu) makes it continuous.
A: ສະບາຍດີ, ເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່? B: ...
'Sleeping, and you?' is a natural response to 'What are you doing?'.
Phrase: 'ກຳລັງເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່?'
This is the primary use of the phrase.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's very friendly among peers. Just add 'Chao' or 'Doi' for elders.
Say 'Bo dai het yang' (Not doing anything).
No, it's too informal. Use 'Suang ni het yang dae?' (What have you been doing lately?) instead.
'Het yang' is general (What do you do?), 'Het yang yu' is now (What are you doing?).
In casual speech, no. It's often dropped.
You can say 'ພວກເຈົ້າເຮັດຫຍັງຢູ່?' (Phuak chao het yang yu?).
Yes, 'Hing yu?' is a very casual, slurred version used by teens.
No, for the past you would add 'Tae kon' or use different markers.
Lao grammar places aspect markers after the verb/object.
Yes, it's almost identical to the Thai 'Tham arai yu?'.
Expressions liées
ກຳລັງເຮັດຫຍັງ?
similarWhat are you currently doing?
ເປັນຈັງໃດ?
similarHow is it going?
ໄປໃສ?
similarWhere are you going?
ກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ?
similarHave you eaten yet?
ຫວ່າງບໍ່?
builds onAre you free?
