B1 · Intermediate Chapter 34

Reported Speech

4 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying information accurately and naturally in Lao.

  • Identify common Lao reporting verbs like ບອກ (to tell) and ເວົ້າວ່າ (to say that).
  • Adjust pronouns and time references when shifting from direct to indirect speech.
  • Convert direct questions into reported statements using specific particles.
Speak for others, tell their stories with confidence.

What You'll Learn

How to relay what others have said. Covers indirect speech markers and reporting verbs.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use reporting verbs correctly in indirect speech sentences.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Transform direct questions into reported speech.

Tips & Tricks (3)

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Pronoun Check

Always check your pronouns. If the original speaker said 'I', you must change it to 'he' or 'she' in your report.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Speech Changes
💡

Pronoun Check

Always check if you need to change 'I' to 'he/she' when reporting.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Quoting Others
💡

Pronoun Check

Always check if you need to change 'I' to 'he/she' when reporting.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions

Key Vocabulary (5)

ບອກ to tell ເວົ້າວ່າ to say that ຖາມ to ask ວ່ານ that (connector) ມື້ກ່ອນ yesterday/previous day

Real-World Preview

briefcase

Office Update

Review Summary

  • Subject + Verb + ວ່າ/ວ່ານ + Clause
  • I -> He/She, Today -> That day
  • Quote + ວ່ານ
  • Subject + ຖາມ + ວ່າ + Question

Common Mistakes

Students often forget to shift the pronoun from 'I' to 'He/She' when reporting.

Wrong: ລາວບອກວ່າ ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປ (He said that I will go)
Correct: ລາວບອກວ່າ ລາວຈະໄປ (He said that he will go)

Avoid using question marks in reported speech; treat it as a statement.

Wrong: ລາວຖາມວ່າ ເຈົ້າໄປໃສ? (He asked where you go?)
Correct: ລາວຖາມວ່າ ເຈົ້າຈະໄປໃສ (He asked where you are going)

Do not double up the connectors 'ວ່າ' and 'ວ່ານ' unnecessarily.

Wrong: ລາວເວົ້າວ່າ ວ່ານ (He said that that)
Correct: ລາວເວົ້າວ່າ (He said that)

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job this chapter. Keep practicing these shifts and your Lao fluency will soar!

Listen to a Lao news clip and try to summarize it in three indirect sentences.

Continue to: Causative Verbs

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the blank.

ລາວ___ວ່າເປັນຄົນດີ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຖືກເວົ້າ
Passive structure needs 'ຖືກ'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Verbs

Fill in the blank.

ລາວຖາມ ___ ເຈົ້າໄປໃສ

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: wa
Use 'wa' to connect.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Lao bok waa lao pai
Correct structure.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Quoting Others

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

ມີການຖືກເວົ້າວ່າລາວມາ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ມີການເວົ້າວ່າລາວມາ.
Don't combine 'ມີການ' and 'ຖືກ'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reporting Verbs

Fill in the blank.

Lao bok ___ lao pai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: waa
Waa is the connector.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Quoting Others

Fill in the blank with 'ວາ'.

ລາວບອກ ___ ລາວຈະມາ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ວາ
The connector 'ວາ' is required.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Speech Changes

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ລາວຖາມວ່າເຈົ້າໄປໃສ
Standard structure.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

ລາວຖາມຖ້າວ່າເຈົ້າໄປບໍ່

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ລາວຖາມວ່າເຈົ້າໄປບໍ່
Remove 'tha'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions

Correct the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

ລາວບອກ: ຂ້ອຍຫິວ

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ລາວບອກວາລາວຫິວ
Remove colon, add 'ວາ', shift pronoun.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Speech Changes

Choose the correct reporting verb.

ລາວ ___ ວາເຈົ້າໄປໃສ.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ຖາມ
Questions use 'ຖາມ'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Indirect Speech Changes

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

No, only when the subject is the target of the action.
'ຖືກ' is for specific subjects, 'ມີການ' is for general situations.
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.
No, Lao does not use verb tenses like English.
Yes, it is the standard connector for reported speech.
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Passive Voice Constructions
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Causative Verbs
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