Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Lao is a tonal language where 'Mai Ek' (່) and 'Mai Tho' (້) change the pitch of a syllable.
- Mai Ek (່) generally creates a low or falling tone depending on the consonant class.
- Mai Tho (້) generally creates a high or falling tone depending on the consonant class.
- The tone depends on the consonant class (High, Mid, Low) and the presence of these marks.
Tone Mark Placement
| Mark | Name | Effect | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
|
່
|
Mai Ek
|
Low/Falling
|
Above Consonant
|
|
້
|
Mai Tho
|
High/Falling
|
Above Consonant
|
Meanings
Tone marks are diacritics placed above consonants to indicate the pitch contour of a syllable.
Mai Ek (່)
Indicates a low or mid-falling pitch.
“ໄກ່ (chicken)”
“ປ່າ (forest)”
Mai Tho (້)
Indicates a high or high-falling pitch.
“ປ້າ (aunt)”
“ນ້ຳ (water)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Base
|
C + V
|
ປາ (Fish)
|
|
Mai Ek
|
C + V + ່
|
ປ່າ (Forest)
|
|
Mai Tho
|
C + V + ້
|
ປ້າ (Aunt)
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
ບິດາ (Family)
ພໍ່ (Family)
ພໍ່ (Family)
ປາປາ (Family)
Lao Tone Marks
Marks
- ໄມ້ເອກ Mai Ek
- ໄມ້ໂທ Mai Tho
レベル別の例文
ໄກ່
chicken
ປ່າ
forest
ພໍ່
father
ນ້ຳ
water
ຂ້ອຍມັກກິນໄກ່
I like to eat chicken.
ປ້າຂອງຂ້ອຍ
My aunt.
ຮ້ານອາຫານ
Restaurant.
ແມ່ໄປປ່າ
Mom goes to the forest.
ລາວໄປຮ້ານຂາຍປາ
He goes to the fish shop.
ພໍ່ຊື້ນ້ຳໃຫ້ປ້າ
Dad bought water for aunt.
ປ່າໄມ້ສວຍງາມ
The forest is beautiful.
ໄກ່ໂຕນີ້ໃຫຍ່
This chicken is big.
ການອອກສຽງມີຄວາມສຳຄັນ
Pronunciation is important.
ນ້ຳຕົກຕາດສວຍງາມ
The waterfall is beautiful.
ຮ້ານນີ້ມີອາຫານແຊບ
This shop has delicious food.
ປ້າຂອງຂ້ອຍເປັນຄູ
My aunt is a teacher.
ການຮຽນຮູ້ວັນນະຍຸດແມ່ນສິ່ງທ້າທາຍ
Learning tones is a challenge.
ຮ້ານຄ້າເຫຼົ່ານີ້ມີສິນຄ້າຫຼາກຫຼາຍ
These shops have various goods.
ປ່າດົງດິບມີຄວາມອຸດົມສົມບູນ
The rainforest is rich.
ນ້ຳໃຈຂອງຄົນລາວ
The kindness of Lao people.
ລະບົບວັນນະຍຸດລາວມີຄວາມຊັບຊ້ອນ
The Lao tonal system is complex.
ການໃຊ້ໄມ້ເອກແລະໄມ້ໂທຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງ
Using Mai Ek and Mai Tho correctly.
ນ້ຳສຽງທີ່ອ່ອນໂຍນ
A gentle tone of voice.
ປ້າຫຼານຮັກແພງກັນ
Aunt and niece love each other.
間違えやすい
Learners mix up the symbols.
English speakers use stress.
Learners forget the mark.
よくある間違い
ປາ (for aunt)
ປ້າ
ໄກ (for chicken)
ໄກ່
ພອ (for father)
ພໍ່
ນຳ (for water)
ນ້ຳ
ປາ (for forest)
ປ່າ
ຮານ (for shop)
ຮ້ານ
ແມ (for mother)
ແມ່
ປາ (for aunt)
ປ້າ
ໄກ (for chicken)
ໄກ່
ພອ (for father)
ພໍ່
ປາ (for forest)
ປ່າ
ຮານ (for shop)
ຮ້ານ
ແມ (for mother)
ແມ່
文型パターン
ຂ້ອຍມັກກິນ___
___ ຂອງຂ້ອຍໃຈດີ
ຂ້ອຍໄປ___
___ ນີ້ສວຍງາມຫຼາຍ
Real World Usage
ກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່?
ເອົາໄກ່ໜຶ່ງ
ສະບາຍດີປ້າ
ໄປປ່າ
ຂ້ອຍມີປະສົບການ
ຮ້ານນີ້ແຊບ
Listen carefully
Don't ignore marks
Use a dictionary
Be polite
Smart Tips
Always learn the tone mark with the word.
Exaggerate the pitch.
Look for the mark first.
Check the dictionary.
発音
Mai Ek
Low pitch contour.
Mai Tho
High pitch contour.
Falling
ປ່າ ↘
Low falling tone
暗記しよう
記憶術
Ek is low like an Egg, Tho is high like a Throne.
視覚的連想
Imagine an egg sitting on the floor (low) for Mai Ek, and a king sitting on a high throne for Mai Tho.
Rhyme
Ek is low, Tho is high, watch the marks as they fly.
Story
I went to the forest (ປ່າ) with my father (ພໍ່). We met my aunt (ປ້າ) who was drinking water (ນ້ຳ) near the chicken (ໄກ່) coop.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Write 5 words with tone marks and record yourself saying them.
文化メモ
Standard tonal pronunciation.
Distinctive tonal variations.
Southern tonal influence.
Derived from Indic scripts.
会話のきっかけ
ເຈົ້າກິນໄກ່ບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າໄປຮ້ານໃດ?
ພໍ່ຂອງເຈົ້າຢູ່ໃສ?
ປ່າໄມ້ໃນລາວສວຍງາມບໍ່?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
ປ_ (forest)
Which word means aunt?
Find and fix the mistake:
ຂ້ອຍກິນປາ (I eat aunt)
ປ່າ -> ?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
ພໍ່ / ປ້າ / ຊື້ / ນ້ຳ
ພອ + ່
Tone marks are optional.
Score: /8
練習問題
8 exercisesປ_ (forest)
Which word means aunt?
Find and fix the mistake:
ຂ້ອຍກິນປາ (I eat aunt)
ປ່າ -> ?
Match: ໄກ່, ປ່າ, ປ້າ
ພໍ່ / ປ້າ / ຊື້ / ນ້ຳ
ພອ + ່
Tone marks are optional.
Score: /8
よくある質問 (8)
No, they are essential for meaning.
There are 4 main ones, but Mai Ek and Mai Tho are most common.
Above the consonant.
You might be using the wrong consonant class.
Both are tonal, but rules differ.
Listen and repeat.
It's common but bad practice.
You will be misunderstood.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Pinyin tones
Chinese has 4+ tones, Lao has 6.
Pitch accent
Lao tones are more rigid.
Tilde
Lao marks change meaning entirely.
Accents
Lao marks change pitch.
None
Lao is tonal.
Tashkeel
Lao marks change pitch.
