Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Lao, you can often drop relative pronouns like 'ທີ່' (thī) to sound more natural and fluid in conversation.
- Drop 'ທີ່' when it acts as the object of the following clause: ປຶ້ມ [ທີ່] ຂ້ອຍອ່ານ (The book I read).
- Keep 'ທີ່' in formal writing or when the relative clause is very long and complex.
- Avoid omission if it creates ambiguity between the subject and the object of the sentence.
Structure of Relative Clause Omission
| Head Noun | Optional Pronoun | Subject of Clause | Verb of Clause | Resulting Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ປຶ້ມ (Book)
|
[ທີ່]
|
ຂ້ອຍ (I)
|
ອ່ານ (Read)
|
ປຶ້ມຂ້ອຍອ່ານ
|
|
ຄົນ (Person)
|
[ທີ່]
|
ລາວ (He)
|
ພົບ (Meet)
|
ຄົນລາວພົບ
|
|
ອາຫານ (Food)
|
[ທີ່]
|
ແມ່ (Mother)
|
ແຕ່ງ (Cook)
|
ອາຫານແມ່ແຕ່ງ
|
|
ບ້ານ (Village)
|
[ທີ່]
|
ເຮົາ (We)
|
ຢູ່ (Live)
|
ບ້ານເຮົາຢູ່
|
|
ລົດ (Car)
|
[ທີ່]
|
ເຈົ້າ (You)
|
ຊື້ (Buy)
|
ລົດເຈົ້າຊື້
|
Common Spoken Contractions
| Full Form | Spoken Omission | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
|
ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າ
|
ສິ່ງຂ້ອຍເວົ້າ
|
What I say
|
|
ບ່ອນທີ່ເຮົາໄປ
|
ບ່ອນເຮົາໄປ
|
The place we go
|
|
ຄົນທີ່ເຈົ້າຮັກ
|
ຄົນເຈົ້າຮັກ
|
The person you love
|
Meanings
The practice of omitting the relative pronouns ທີ່ (thī), ຊຶ່ງ (sueng), or ອັນ (an) when they function as the object within a relative clause, making the sentence more concise.
Object Omission
Removing the pronoun when the head noun is the object of the relative clause's verb.
“ລົດລາວຊື້ໃໝ່ແມ່ນງາມຫຼາຍ”
“ຄົນຂ້ອຍພົບມື້ວານນີ້ແມ່ນຄູ”
Subject Omission (Rare/Stylistic)
In certain fast-paced speech or specific verb-stacking contexts, the pronoun can be omitted even if it's the subject.
“ມີຄົນຢາກພົບເຈົ້າ”
“ມີໝາແລ່ນກາຍໄປ”
Formal Retention
Keeping the pronoun for clarity, emphasis, or formal tone.
“ບຸກຄົນທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບລາງວັນແມ່ນທ່ານສົມສັກ”
“ບັນຫາຊຶ່ງພວກເຮົາກຳລັງປະເຊີນແມ່ນໃຫຍ່ຫຼວງ”
Reference Table
| Type | Structure | Lao Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + Subj + Verb
|
ວຽກຂ້ອຍເຮັດ
|
The work I do
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + Subj + ບໍ່ + Verb
|
ໜັງຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມັກ
|
The movie I don't like
|
|
Question
|
Noun + Subj + Verb + ບໍ?
|
ຂອງເຈົ້າຢາກໄດ້ບໍ?
|
The thing you want?
|
|
With Adjective
|
Noun + Adj + Subj + Verb
|
ລົດໃໝ່ລາວຊື້
|
The new car he bought
|
|
With Time
|
Noun + Subj + Verb + Time
|
ເພງຂ້ອຍຟັງມື້ວານ
|
The song I heard yesterday
|
|
Formal (No Omission)
|
Noun + ທີ່ + Subj + Verb
|
ບຸກຄົນທີ່ຂ້ອຍນັບຖື
|
The person whom I respect
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
ປຶ້ມທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ອ່ານນັ້ນແມ່ນດີຫຼາຍ. (Reviewing a book)
ປຶ້ມທີ່ຂ້ອຍອ່ານແມ່ນດີ. (Reviewing a book)
ປຶ້ມຂ້ອຍອ່ານດີໃດ໋. (Reviewing a book)
ປຶ້ມອ່ານຫັ້ນແຊບ (metaphorical/slangy). (Reviewing a book)
Relative Pronoun Omission Map
When to Omit
- Casual Speech Talking to friends
- Object Position Noun is the object
When to Keep
- Formal Writing Emails, Essays
- Ambiguity When meaning is unclear
Formal vs. Informal Lao
Should I drop 'ທີ່'?
Is it formal writing?
Is the noun the object?
수준별 예문
ອາຫານຂ້ອຍກິນ
The food I eat
ປຶ້ມເຈົ້າອ່ານ
The book you read
ນ້ຳລາວດື່ມ
The water he drinks
ເຮືອນພວກເຮົາຢູ່
The house we live in
ໝູ່ຂ້ອຍຮັກແມ່ນເຈົ້າ
The friend I love is you
ວຽກລາວເຮັດແມ່ນຍາກ
The work he does is hard
ໜັງຂ້ອຍເບິ່ງມື້ວານນີ້ມ່ວນຫຼາຍ
The movie I watched yesterday was very fun
ເສື້ອເຈົ້າຊື້ໃໝ່ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ?
How much was the shirt you newly bought?
ໂທລະສັບຂ້ອຍເສຍແມ່ນຍີ່ຫໍ້ຊຳຊຸງ
The phone I lost is a Samsung
ບົດຮຽນຄູສອນມື້ນີ້ເຂົ້າໃຈຍາກ
The lesson the teacher taught today is hard to understand
ຮ້ານອາຫານພວກເຮົາໄປກິນປະຈຳປິດແລ້ວ
The restaurant we usually go to eat at is closed
ເງິນລາວຢືມໄປຍັງບໍ່ທັນຄືນ
The money he borrowed hasn't been returned yet
ໂຄງການພວກເຮົາກຳລັງຈັດຕັ້ງປະຕິບັດມີຄວາມສຳຄັນຫຼາຍ
The project we are currently implementing is very important
ຂໍ້ມູນເຈົ້າສົ່ງໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍທາງອີເມວແມ່ນບໍ່ຄົບຖ້ວນ
The information you sent me via email is incomplete
ສະຖານທີ່ພວກເຮົາຈະໄປທັດສະນະສຶກສາແມ່ນຢູ່ພາກໃຕ້
The place we will go for the field trip is in the south
ຄວາມຄິດລາວສະເໜີໃນກອງປະຊຸມໄດ້ຮັບການສະໜັບສະໜູນ
The idea he proposed in the meeting received support
ມາດຕະການລັດຖະບານວາງອອກເພື່ອແກ້ໄຂບັນຫາເງິນເຟີ້ເຫັນວ່າໄດ້ຜົນ
The measures the government put forth to solve inflation seem effective
ຜົນກະທົບການປ່ຽນແປງສະພາບພູມອາກາດມີຕໍ່ກະສິກຳແມ່ນຮ້າຍແຮງ
The impact climate change has on agriculture is severe
ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍຢາກເນັ້ນໜັກແມ່ນຄວາມຮັບຜິດຊອບພວກເຮົາທຸກຄົນມີຕໍ່ສັງຄົມ
What I want to emphasize is the responsibility we all have towards society
ຫຼັກການພວກເຮົາຢຶດຖືມາຕະຫຼອດແມ່ນຄວາມຊື່ສັດ
The principle we have always adhered to is honesty
ປາກົດການທຳມະຊາດພວກເຮົາໄດ້ພົບເຫັນໃນຄ່ຳຄືນນີ້ແມ່ນຫາເບິ່ງໄດ້ຍາກ
The natural phenomenon we witnessed tonight is rare to see
ຂໍ້ຂັດແຍ່ງຄູ່ກໍລະນີພະຍາຍາມໄກ່ເກ່ຍມາເປັນເວລານານໄດ້ສິ້ນສຸດລົງ
The conflict the parties had been trying to mediate for a long time has ended
ມໍລະດົກທາງວັດທະນະທຳບັນພະບຸລຸດພວກເຮົາປະລະໄວ້ໃຫ້ແມ່ນລ້ຳຄ່າ
The cultural heritage our ancestors left for us is invaluable
ວິໄສທັດຜູ້ນຳລຸ້ນກ່ອນໄດ້ວາງໄວ້ກາຍເປັນເຂັມທິດເຍືອງທາງໃຫ້ພວກເຮົາ
The vision the previous generation of leaders set has become our guiding compass
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners often think 'ທີ່' can always be dropped, but when it means 'at' (location), it cannot be omitted.
Lao doesn't have a true passive voice like English. Omission can sometimes look like passive voice to English speakers.
Learners use 'ຊຶ່ງ' in casual speech thinking it's just a synonym.
자주 하는 실수
ຂ້ອຍມັກອາຫານທີ່
ຂ້ອຍມັກອາຫານ
ປຶ້ມທີ່ຂ້ອຍ
ປຶ້ມຂ້ອຍອ່ານ
ທີ່ອາຫານຂ້ອຍມັກ
ອາຫານຂ້ອຍມັກ
ອາຫານຂ້ອຍມັກແມ່ນ
ອາຫານຂ້ອຍມັກແມ່ນ [something]
ຄົນຮັກຂ້ອຍ
ຄົນທີ່ຮັກຂ້ອຍ
ລົດຂ້ອຍຊື້ໃໝ່
ລົດໃໝ່ຂ້ອຍຊື້
ບ່ອນຂ້ອຍໄປທີ່
ບ່ອນຂ້ອຍໄປ
ບັນຫາຊຶ່ງຂ້ອຍມີ
ບັນຫາຂ້ອຍມີ
ສິ່ງຂ້ອຍເວົ້າແມ່ນທີ່ຈິງ
ສິ່ງຂ້ອຍເວົ້າແມ່ນຄວາມຈິງ
ຄົນຂ້ອຍພົບຢູ່ຕະຫຼາດທີ່
ຄົນຂ້ອຍພົບຢູ່ຕະຫຼາດ
ການທີ່ພວກເຮົາເຮັດ
ສິ່ງພວກເຮົາເຮັດ
ບຸກຄົນຂ້ອຍນັບຖື
ບຸກຄົນທີ່ຂ້ອຍນັບຖື
문장 패턴
[Noun] + [Subject] + [Verb] + ແມ່ນ + [Description]
ຂ້ອຍ ມັກ + [Noun] + [Subject] + [Verb]
[Abstract Noun] + [Subject] + [Verb] + ສົ່ງຜົນກະທົບຕໍ່ + [Object]
ບໍ່ມີ + [Noun] + [Subject] + [Verb] + ໄດ້
Real World Usage
ເສື້ອເຈົ້າຢາກໄດ້ ຢູ່ຮ້ານນີ້ເດີ
ເອົາເຜັດຂ້ອຍກິນໄດ້
ປະສົບການທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມີ...
ວິວພວກເຮົາເຫັນມື້ນີ້ງາມແທ້ໆ
ເຫດການທີ່ເກີດຂຶ້ນໃນມື້ນີ້...
ທາງເຮົາຊິໄປແມ່ນທາງນີ້ບໍ?
The 'Subject' Rule
Avoid Ambiguity
Sound Like a Local
Formal Writing
Smart Tips
Try removing 'ທີ່'. If it still makes sense, keep it out to sound more natural.
Always put 'ທີ່' back in. Omission can be seen as too casual or even lazy in a business context.
Keep 'ທີ່' to act as a 'mental anchor' for the listener so they don't lose track of the noun.
You can almost always drop 'ທີ່' after 'ມີ' + Noun.
발음
Tonal Continuity
When 'ທີ່' is omitted, the tone of the noun and the following subject must be distinct to avoid merging words.
Rhythmic Stress
In omitted clauses, the stress usually falls on the verb of the relative clause.
Rising-Falling
ລົດຂ້ອຍຊື້... (Rising on car, falling on bought)
Topic-Comment structure
암기하기
기억법
If the noun is the *target* of the action, 'ທີ່' is just a distraction!
시각적 연상
Imagine a bridge (the word ທີ່) between two islands (Noun and Clause). In the daytime (formal), the bridge is visible. At night (informal), the bridge is still there but invisible, and people just jump across.
Rhyme
When you speak with speed and grace, leave 'thi' out of its place.
Story
Somsack was in a hurry to tell his mom about the 'fish he caught'. He was so fast he forgot to say 'thi'. His mom understood perfectly because the fish didn't catch Somsack; Somsack caught the fish!
Word Web
챌린지
Look around your room. Pick 5 objects and describe them using an omitted relative clause in Lao (e.g., 'The phone I use', 'The chair I sit on').
문화 노트
In Vientiane, omission is extremely frequent in daily markets. It signals that you are a 'local' and not a tourist reading from a phrasebook.
The northern dialect may use 'ອັນ' more frequently than 'ທີ່', and its omission follows similar rules but with a distinct melodic lilt.
Lao speakers in the US or France might over-use 'ທີ່' because of the influence of English/French relative pronouns (who/which/que).
Lao is an isolating language. Historically, grammatical markers like 'ທີ່' were added later to clarify relationships as the language became more complex and influenced by Pali/Sanskrit structures.
대화 시작하기
ອາຫານເຈົ້າກິນມື້ເຊົ້ານີ້ແມ່ນຫຍັງ?
ໜັງເຈົ້າເບິ່ງຫຼ້າສຸດແມ່ນເລື່ອງຫຍັງ?
ວຽກເຈົ້າເຮັດຢູ່ດຽວນີ້ຍາກບໍ?
ບັນຫາພວກເຮົາກຳລັງປະເຊີນຢູ່ດຽວນີ້ ເຈົ້າຄິດວ່າຈະແກ້ໄຂແນວໃດ?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
The book I bought is expensive.
The food (that) my mom cooked is delicious. -> ອາຫານ ___ ແຕ່ງແຊບຫຼາຍ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ບຸກຄົນຂ້າພະເຈົ້ານັບຖືແມ່ນທ່ານປະທານ.
ຮ້ານອາຫານທີ່ພວກເຮົາໄປກິນແມ່ນຢູ່ໃກ້ໆນີ້.
You can always omit 'ທີ່' even if it's the subject of the clause and causes ambiguity.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Casual text to friend, B: Legal contract, C: Short object clause, D: Long complex subject clause
A: ເສື້ອໂຕນີ້ງາມເນາະ? B: ແມ່ນແລ້ວ, ມັນແມ່ນເສື້ອ ___.
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesThe book I bought is expensive.
The food (that) my mom cooked is delicious. -> ອາຫານ ___ ແຕ່ງແຊບຫຼາຍ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ບຸກຄົນຂ້າພະເຈົ້ານັບຖືແມ່ນທ່ານປະທານ.
ຮ້ານອາຫານທີ່ພວກເຮົາໄປກິນແມ່ນຢູ່ໃກ້ໆນີ້.
You can always omit 'ທີ່' even if it's the subject of the clause and causes ambiguity.
1. The car I like, 2. The person I met, 3. The work I do
A: Casual text to friend, B: Legal contract, C: Short object clause, D: Long complex subject clause
A: ເສື້ອໂຕນີ້ງາມເນາະ? B: ແມ່ນແລ້ວ, ມັນແມ່ນເສື້ອ ___.
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Generally, no. If 'ທີ່' is the subject (e.g., 'The man who lives here'), omitting it can make the sentence sound like two separate, broken sentences. However, after 'ມີ' (there is), it is sometimes dropped in fast speech.
Not at all! It's perfectly correct. Omitting it just makes you sound more 'native' and less like you're reading from a script. It's about 'flow' rather than 'correctness'.
Technically yes, but 'ຊຶ່ງ' is already a formal word. If you are in a situation where you'd use 'ຊຶ່ງ', you are likely in a situation where you should *not* be omitting pronouns.
Look at the word immediately following the noun. If it's another noun or a pronoun (like 'I', 'Somsack', 'the teacher'), then the first noun is the object and you can omit 'ທີ່'.
The adjective usually stays with the noun. So 'The big house I bought' becomes `ເຮືອນຫຼັງໃຫຍ່ຂ້ອຍຊື້`. The adjective comes before the relative clause starts.
No. Newspapers and formal news broadcasts tend to retain 'ທີ່' and 'ຊຶ່ງ' to ensure there is absolutely no ambiguity in their reporting.
It doesn't change the grammatical tone (pitch), but it changes the 'social tone' to be more relaxed, friendly, and informal.
Yes. For example: `ຂອງເຈົ້າຢາກໄດ້ແມ່ນຫຍັງ?` (The thing [that] you want is what?). This is very common in shopping.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
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In Other Languages
Contact Clauses / Zero Relative Pronoun
Lao omission is more frequent in spoken registers than English.
Que / Qui
French requires the pronoun; Lao prefers to drop it in speech.
Der / Die / Das
German is highly inflected and rigid; Lao is isolating and flexible.
Noun-modifying clauses
Japanese uses word order (Verb-Noun); Lao uses (Noun-Verb).
Al-lathi (الذي)
Arabic omission depends on definiteness; Lao depends on register/role.
的 (de)
Chinese requires a linker (de); Lao often deletes it.
