If and When
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'ຖ້າ' (tha) for 'if' (conditions) and 'ເມື່ອ' (meua) or 'ຕອນ' (ton) for 'when' (time).
- Use 'ຖ້າ' (tha) to introduce a condition: 'ຖ້າຝົນຕົກ, ຂ້ອຍຈະບໍ່ໄປ' (If it rains, I won't go).
- Use 'ເມື່ອ' (meua) for formal 'when': 'ເມື່ອຂ້ອຍຮອດບ້ານ, ຂ້ອຍຈະໂທຫາ' (When I arrive home, I will call).
- Use 'ຕອນ' (ton) for informal time: 'ຕອນຂ້ອຍຍັງນ້ອຍ, ຂ້ອຍມັກຫຼິ້ນ' (When I was young, I liked to play).
Meanings
These conjunctions link clauses to establish conditions or timeframes. 'ຖ້າ' sets a hypothetical scenario, while 'ເມື່ອ' and 'ຕອນ' anchor actions to specific moments.
Conditional (If)
Used to express a condition that must be met.
“ຖ້າເຈົ້າໄປ, ຂ້ອຍກໍໄປ”
“ຖ້າບໍ່ມີເງິນ, ໄປບໍ່ໄດ້”
Temporal (When - Formal)
Used to mark a specific point in time.
“ເມື່ອຮອດເວລາ, ເຮົາຈະເລີ່ມ”
“ເມື່ອເຫັນລາວ, ຂ້ອຍດີໃຈ”
Temporal (When - Informal)
Used for daily life time references.
“ຕອນຂ້ອຍຮຽນ, ຂ້ອຍຫຍຸ້ງຫຼາຍ”
“ຕອນແລງ, ເຮົາໄປກິນເຂົ້າກັນ”
Conjunction Usage Table
| Conjunction | Meaning | Context | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| ຖ້າ | If | Condition | Neutral |
| ເມື່ອ | When | Time (Formal) | Formal |
| ຕອນ | When | Time (Informal) | Informal |
| ຖ້າຫາກ | If (Formal) | Condition | Formal |
| ຕອນທີ່ | At the time | Specific Event | Neutral |
| ເມື່ອໃດ | Whenever | Time | Formal |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | ຖ້າ + S + V | ຖ້າເຈົ້າໄປ, ຂ້ອຍໄປ |
| Negative | ຖ້າ + ບໍ່ + V | ຖ້າບໍ່ໄປ, ບອກເດີ້ |
| Question | ຖ້າ + V + ບໍ່? | ຖ້າໄປ, ໄປບໍ່? |
| Time (Informal) | ຕອນ + S + V | ຕອນຂ້ອຍມາ, ລາວຢູ່ |
| Time (Formal) | ເມື່ອ + S + V | ເມື່ອລາວມາ, ເຮົາເລີ່ມ |
| Condition (Formal) | ຖ້າຫາກ + S + V | ຖ້າຫາກລາວມາ, ດີ |
| Whenever | ເມື່ອໃດ + S + V | ເມື່ອໃດເຈົ້າວ່າງ, ມາຫາ |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
ຖ້າຫາກທ່ານວ່າງ, ເຮົາໄປກັນ. (Making plans)
ຖ້າເຈົ້າວ່າງ, ເຮົາໄປກັນ. (Making plans)
ຖ້າວ່າງ, ໄປກັນ. (Making plans)
ວ່າງບໍ່? ໄປກັນ! (Making plans)
Lao Conjunctions Map
Condition
- ຖ້າ If
Time
- ເມື່ອ When (Formal)
- ຕອນ When (Informal)
Examples by Level
ຖ້າເຈົ້າຫິວ, ກິນເຂົ້າ.
If you are hungry, eat rice.
ຕອນຂ້ອຍນອນ, ຂ້ອຍຝັນ.
When I sleep, I dream.
ຖ້າຝົນຕົກ, ບໍ່ໄປ.
If it rains, don't go.
ຕອນເຊົ້າ, ຂ້ອຍດື່ມກາເຟ.
In the morning, I drink coffee.
ຖ້າເຈົ້າບໍ່ວ່າງ, ບອກຂ້ອຍ.
If you are not free, tell me.
ເມື່ອຮອດສະໜາມບິນ, ໂທຫາຂ້ອຍ.
When you arrive at the airport, call me.
ຕອນຂ້ອຍຍັງນ້ອຍ, ຂ້ອຍມັກຫຼິ້ນ.
When I was young, I liked to play.
ຖ້າລາວມາ, ເຮົາກໍໄປ.
If he comes, we go.
ຖ້າເຈົ້າສາມາດມາໄດ້, ກໍດີຫຼາຍ.
If you can come, that would be great.
ເມື່ອວຽກສຳເລັດ, ເຮົາຈະພັກຜ່ອນ.
When the work is finished, we will rest.
ຕອນທີ່ລາວເວົ້າ, ທຸກຄົນຟັງ.
When he was speaking, everyone listened.
ຖ້າບໍ່ມີຫຍັງຜິດພາດ, ເຮົາຈະຮອດ.
If nothing goes wrong, we will arrive.
ຖ້າຫາກວ່າເຈົ້າຕ້ອງການຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ, ໃຫ້ບອກ.
If you happen to need help, let me know.
ເມື່ອພິຈາລະນາເບິ່ງແລ້ວ, ມັນກໍສົມເຫດສົມຜົນ.
When considering it, it is reasonable.
ຕອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍຍ່າງຜ່ານ, ລາວບໍ່ເຫັນ.
When I walked past, he didn't see me.
ຖ້າຈະໃຫ້ດີ, ເຮົາຄວນປຶກສາກັນ.
If it is to be good, we should consult.
ຖ້າປາສະຈາກຄວາມພະຍາຍາມ, ຜົນສຳເລັດກໍຈະບໍ່ເກີດ.
If devoid of effort, success will not occur.
ເມື່ອໃດທີ່ເຈົ້າພ້ອມ, ເຮົາຈະເລີ່ມ.
Whenever you are ready, we will start.
ຕອນທີ່ເຫດການນັ້ນເກີດຂຶ້ນ, ຂ້ອຍຢູ່ບ່ອນອື່ນ.
At the time that event happened, I was elsewhere.
ຖ້າຫາກບໍ່ມີການແກ້ໄຂ, ບັນຫາຈະຍືດເຍື້ອ.
If there is no solution, the problem will persist.
ຖ້າຫາກວ່າທ່ານມີຂໍ້ສົງໄສໃດໆ, ກະລຸນາຕິດຕໍ່.
Should you have any doubts, please contact.
ເມື່ອເບິ່ງຈາກມຸມມອງນີ້, ມັນມີຄວາມໝາຍເລິກເຊິ່ງ.
When viewed from this perspective, it has deep meaning.
ຕອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍຍັງເຍົາໄວ, ໂລກນີ້ຍັງບໍ່ທັນວຸ້ນວາຍ.
Back when I was young, the world wasn't so chaotic.
ຖ້າຈະເວົ້າກັນຕາມກົງ, ມັນບໍ່ແມ່ນເລື່ອງງ່າຍ.
To speak frankly, it is not an easy matter.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'ເວລາ' (time) as a conjunction like 'when'.
Learners use 'ເມື່ອ' for everything.
Learners think they are different.
자주 하는 실수
ຖ້າຂ້ອຍໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
ຕອນຂ້ອຍໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
ເມື່ອເຈົ້າໄປບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າຈະໄປບໍ່?
ຖ້າຝົນຕົກ ບໍ່ໄປ
ຖ້າຝົນຕົກ, ຂ້ອຍຈະບໍ່ໄປ
ຕອນເຈົ້າຫິວ ຖ້າກິນເຂົ້າ
ຖ້າເຈົ້າຫິວ, ໃຫ້ກິນເຂົ້າ
ເມື່ອຂ້ອຍຍັງນ້ອຍ
ຕອນຂ້ອຍຍັງນ້ອຍ
ຖ້າລາວມາ ເຮົາໄປ
ຖ້າລາວມາ, ເຮົາກໍໄປ
ຕອນທີ່ລາວຈະມາ
ເມື່ອລາວມາ
ຖ້າຫາກວ່າລາວບໍ່ມາ, ເຮົາກໍຈະບໍ່ໄປ
ຖ້າລາວບໍ່ມາ, ເຮົາກໍບໍ່ໄປ
ເມື່ອໃດທີ່ເຈົ້າໄປ, ບອກຂ້ອຍ
ຕອນເຈົ້າໄປ, ບອກຂ້ອຍ
ຕອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍເຫັນລາວ, ຂ້ອຍຈະຖາມ
ເມື່ອຂ້ອຍເຫັນລາວ, ຂ້ອຍຈະຖາມ
ຖ້າປາສະຈາກເຈົ້າ, ຂ້ອຍຄົງບໍ່ສຳເລັດ
ຖ້າບໍ່ມີເຈົ້າ, ຂ້ອຍຄົງບໍ່ສຳເລັດ
ເມື່ອພິຈາລະນາ, ມັນຜິດ
ເມື່ອພິຈາລະນາເບິ່ງແລ້ວ, ມັນຜິດ
ຕອນທີ່ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ຍິນ, ຂ້ອຍຕົກໃຈ
ເມື່ອໄດ້ຍິນ, ຂ້ອຍຕົກໃຈ
Sentence Patterns
ຖ້າເຈົ້າ___, ຂ້ອຍກໍ___.
ຕອນຂ້ອຍ___, ຂ້ອຍ___.
ເມື່ອ___, ເຮົາຈະ___.
ຖ້າຫາກວ່າ___, ມັນຈະ___.
Real World Usage
ຖ້າຮອດແລ້ວ ບອກເດີ້
ຕອນໄປທ່ຽວ, ມ່ວນຫຼາຍ
ເມື່ອຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ຮັບໂອກາດ...
ຖ້າລົດເມມາ, ເຮົາຂຶ້ນເລີຍ
ເມື່ອໄດ້ອາຫານແລ້ວ, ໂທຫາຂ້ອຍ
ຖ້າຫາກທ່ານມີຂໍ້ສົງໄສ...
Use 'ກໍ' for flow
Don't over-formalize
The 'ຕອນ' trick
Politeness
Smart Tips
Use 'ຖ້າຫາກ' instead of 'ຖ້າ'.
Use 'ຕອນທີ່' to set the scene.
Use 'ຖ້າ' + 'ກໍ'.
Use 'ເມື່ອ' to start your sentences.
발음
ຖ້າ (tha)
Aspirated 'th' sound, followed by a low tone.
ເມື່ອ (meua)
Starts with 'm', followed by a diphthong 'eua', mid tone.
ຕອນ (ton)
Starts with 't', mid tone.
Conditional
ຖ້າເຈົ້າໄປ, ↗ ຂ້ອຍໄປ ↘
Rising intonation on the condition, falling on the result.
Temporal
ຕອນຂ້ອຍຮອດ, ↗ ຂ້ອຍໂທຫາ ↘
Rising on the time clause, falling on the action.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ຖ້າ' (tha) as a 'TH-at' condition, and 'ຕອນ' (ton) as 'TON-time' (a ton of time).
Visual Association
Imagine a fork in the road for 'ຖ້າ' (If you go left or right), and a clock for 'ຕອນ' (Time).
Rhyme
ຖ້າ for if, ຕອນ for when, use them right, again and again.
Story
I was walking. 'ຕອນ' (When) I saw a shop. 'ຖ້າ' (If) I have money, I will buy a drink. 'ເມື່ອ' (When) I finish, I will go home.
Word Web
챌린지
Write 3 sentences about your day using 'ຕອນ' and 3 'what-if' sentences using 'ຖ້າ'.
문화 노트
People in Vientiane often use 'ຕອນ' more than 'ເມື່ອ' in daily speech.
In formal writing, 'ເມື່ອ' is almost always used instead of 'ຕອນ'.
Sometimes 'ຖ້າ' is shortened to 'ຖ້າວ່າ' (tha wa) for emphasis.
These are native Lao conjunctions derived from ancient Tai roots.
Conversation Starters
ຖ້າເຈົ້າມີເງິນຫຼາຍ, ເຈົ້າຈະເຮັດຫຍັງ?
ຕອນເຈົ້າຍັງນ້ອຍ, ເຈົ້າມັກຫຼິ້ນຫຍັງ?
ເມື່ອຮຽນຈົບ, ເຈົ້າຈະເຮັດວຽກຫຍັງ?
ຖ້າຝົນບໍ່ຕົກມື້ອື່ນ, ເຮົາໄປທ່ຽວບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
___ ເຈົ້າໄປ, ຂ້ອຍກໍໄປ.
___ ຂ້ອຍຍັງນ້ອຍ, ຂ້ອຍມັກຫຼິ້ນ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ຖ້າຂ້ອຍຮອດບ້ານ, ຂ້ອຍຈະໂທຫາ.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
If you are hungry, eat.
Answer starts with: ຖ້າ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Which is more formal?
___ ວຽກສຳເລັດ, ເຮົາຈະພັກ.
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercises___ ເຈົ້າໄປ, ຂ້ອຍກໍໄປ.
___ ຂ້ອຍຍັງນ້ອຍ, ຂ້ອຍມັກຫຼິ້ນ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ຖ້າຂ້ອຍຮອດບ້ານ, ຂ້ອຍຈະໂທຫາ.
ໄປ / ຖ້າ / ຂ້ອຍ / ໄປ / ເຈົ້າ
If you are hungry, eat.
ຖ້າ - Condition, ເມື່ອ - Formal Time, ຕອນ - Informal Time
Which is more formal?
___ ວຽກສຳເລັດ, ເຮົາຈະພັກ.
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No, 'ຖ້າ' is strictly for conditions. Use 'ຕອນ' or 'ເມື່ອ' for time.
They are the same. 'ຖ້າວ່າ' is just slightly more emphatic.
Use it in formal writing or speeches.
Yes, it is the standard for daily conversation.
It helps connect the condition to the result smoothly.
Yes, but they function as conjunctions, not question words.
People will understand, but you might sound slightly unnatural.
Yes, 'ຖ້າຫາກ' is a formal version of 'ຖ້າ'.
In Other Languages
Si / Cuando
Spanish has complex verb conjugation changes after 'cuando' in future contexts.
Si / Quand
French requires strict tense agreement which Lao does not.
Wenn / Falls
Lao keeps 'if' and 'when' distinct, unlike German.
Moshi / Toki
Japanese particles are attached to the end of the clause, whereas Lao uses prefix conjunctions.
Idha / Law
Arabic distinguishes between real and hypothetical conditions with different words.
Ruguò / Dāng
Chinese word order is stricter than Lao.
