Equality Comparisons
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To say two things are equal, use the structure [Subject A] + [ຄືກັນກັບ] + [Subject B].
- Use 'thao-kan' (ເທົ່າກັນ) for numerical or measurable equality: 'A thao-kan B'.
- Use 'khue-kan-kap' (ຄືກັນກັບ) for similarity in appearance or nature: 'A khue-kan-kap B'.
- Add 'bo' (ບໍ່) before the verb to negate: 'A bo thao-kan B' (A is not equal to B).
Equality Structures
| Type | Lao Phrase | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Quantity
|
ເທົ່າກັນ
|
Math/Price
|
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ
|
|
Quality
|
ຄືກັນ
|
Appearance
|
ສອງອັນນີ້ຄືກັນ
|
|
Comparison
|
ຄືກັນກັບ
|
Similarity
|
ອັນນີ້ຄືກັນກັບອັນນັ້ນ
|
|
Negative
|
ບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນ
|
Inequality
|
ນ້ຳໜັກບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນ
|
|
Negative
|
ບໍ່ຄືກັນ
|
Difference
|
ນິໄສບໍ່ຄືກັນ
|
|
Question
|
ເທົ່າກັນບໍ່?
|
Inquiry
|
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນບໍ່?
|
Meanings
This grammar is used to express that two entities share the same value, size, or quality.
Numerical Equality
Expressing that two quantities or measurements are identical.
“ອາຍຸຂອງລາວເທົ່າກັນກັບຂ້ອຍ”
“ນ້ຳໜັກເທົ່າກັນ”
Qualitative Similarity
Expressing that two things look or act the same.
“ສອງຄົນນີ້ຄືກັນຫຼາຍ”
“ລົດຄັນນີ້ຄືກັນກັບລົດຂອງເຈົ້າ”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Quantity)
|
A + B + ເທົ່າກັນ
|
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ
|
|
Affirmative (Similarity)
|
A + ຄືກັນກັບ + B
|
ລາວຄືກັນກັບອ້າຍ
|
|
Negative (Quantity)
|
A + B + ບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນ
|
ລາຄາບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນ
|
|
Negative (Similarity)
|
A + ບໍ່ຄືກັນກັບ + B
|
ລາວບໍ່ຄືກັນກັບອ້າຍ
|
|
Question (Quantity)
|
A + B + ເທົ່າກັນບໍ່?
|
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນບໍ່?
|
|
Question (Similarity)
|
A + ຄືກັນກັບ + B + ບໍ່?
|
ລາວຄືກັນກັບອ້າຍບໍ່?
|
Formality Spectrum
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ (shopping)
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ (shopping)
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ (shopping)
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ (shopping)
Equality in Lao
Quantity
- ເທົ່າກັນ Equal
Quality
- ຄືກັນ Same
Examples by Level
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ
The price is the same
ສອງອັນນີ້ຄືກັນ
These two are the same
ອັນນີ້ຄືກັນກັບອັນນັ້ນ
This is the same as that
ບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນ
Not equal
ນ້ຳໜັກຂອງພວກມັນເທົ່າກັນ
Their weights are equal
ນິໄສຂອງລາວຄືກັນກັບຂ້ອຍ
His personality is the same as mine
ລາຄາບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນ
The prices are not the same
ເຈົ້າຄິດຄືກັນກັບຂ້ອຍບໍ່?
Do you think the same as me?
ຄຸນນະພາບຂອງສິນຄ້ານີ້ບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນກັບສິນຄ້ານັ້ນ
The quality of this product is not equal to that one
ເຖິງວ່າຈະຕ່າງກັນ ແຕ່ຄວາມຄິດເຫັນກໍຄືກັນ
Even though they are different, the opinions are the same
ລົດສອງຄັນນີ້ມີຄວາມໄວເທົ່າກັນ
These two cars have equal speed
ເຮົາສອງຄົນມີເປົ້າໝາຍຄືກັນ
We two have the same goal
ການບໍລິການນີ້ບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນກັບມາດຕະຖານທີ່ຕັ້ງໄວ້
This service is not equal to the set standard
ຄວາມຮູ້ສຶກຂອງຂ້ອຍຄືກັນກັບເຈົ້າທຸກຢ່າງ
My feelings are exactly the same as yours
ເຖິງຈະເປັນຄົນລະບ່ອນ ແຕ່ບັນຫາກໍເທົ່າກັນ
Even if from different places, the problems are equal
ຜົນລັບທີ່ໄດ້ມາຄືກັນກັບທີ່ຄາດໄວ້
The result obtained is the same as expected
ມາດຕະຖານການດຳລົງຊີວິດໃນເມືອງນີ້ບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນກັບເມືອງຫຼວງ
The standard of living in this city is not equal to the capital
ທັດສະນະຄະຕິຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າຄືກັນກັບຄົນຮຸ່ນກ່ອນ
Their attitude is the same as the previous generation
ຄວາມຮັບຜິດຊອບຂອງທັງສອງຝ່າຍເທົ່າກັນ
The responsibilities of both sides are equal
ສະຖານະການນີ້ຄືກັນກັບທີ່ເຄີຍເກີດຂຶ້ນໃນອະດີດ
This situation is the same as what happened in the past
ຄວາມສະເໝີພາບທາງສັງຄົມຍັງບໍ່ເທົ່າກັນກັບຄວາມເປັນຈິງ
Social equality is still not equal to reality
ສິ່ງທີ່ລາວເວົ້າຄືກັນກັບສິ່ງທີ່ລາວເຮັດ
What he says is the same as what he does
ມູນຄ່າຂອງວັດຖຸບູຮານນີ້ເທົ່າກັນກັບລາຄາເຮືອນ
The value of this antique is equal to the price of a house
ຄວາມຄິດເຫັນຂອງນັກວິຊາການຄືກັນກັບຜົນການວິໄຈ
The scholars' opinions are the same as the research results
Easily Confused
Both involve similarity.
Common Mistakes
ລາຄາຄືກັນ
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນ
ລາວຄືກັນອ້າຍ
ລາວຄືກັນກັບອ້າຍ
ລາວບໍ່ຄືກັນ
ລາວບໍ່ຄືກັນກັບອ້າຍ
ຄວາມຄິດເທົ່າກັນ
ຄວາມຄິດຄືກັນ
Sentence Patterns
___ ເທົ່າກັນກັບ ___
Real World Usage
ລາຄາເທົ່າກັນບໍ່?
Context is Key
Smart Tips
Always use 'thao-kan'.
Pronunciation
Tone
Ensure the 'thao' has a low tone and 'kan' has a mid tone.
Question
ເທົ່າກັນບໍ່? ↑
Rising intonation at the end for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Thao' as 'Total' (math) and 'Khue' as 'Copy' (looks).
Visual Association
Imagine a scale balancing two identical gold coins (Thao-kan) and two identical twins standing side-by-side (Khue-kan).
Rhyme
Thao-kan for the count, Khue-kan for the amount.
Story
Somsak went to the market. He checked the price of two bags; they were 'thao-kan'. He saw two shirts that looked identical; they were 'khue-kan'. He was happy because everything was the same.
Word Web
Challenge
Find two objects in your room and say in Lao: 'This is the same as that' (using khue-kan-kap).
Cultural Notes
Bargaining is common. Using 'thao-kan' helps clarify if items are the same price.
Derived from Tai roots for 'equal' and 'same'.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າກັບໝູ່ມີນິໄສຄືກັນບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
ລາຄາ ___ ກັນ.
ນິໄສຂອງລາວ ___ ກັບຂ້ອຍ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ລາຄາຄືກັນ.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The weight is the same.
Answer starts with: ນ້ຳ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
ສອງຄົນນີ້ ___ ກັນ.
ລາຄາ ___ ກັນກັບອັນນັ້ນ.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesລາຄາ ___ ກັນ.
ນິໄສຂອງລາວ ___ ກັບຂ້ອຍ.
Find and fix the mistake:
ລາຄາຄືກັນ.
ກັນ / ລາຄາ / ເທົ່າ
The weight is the same.
ເທົ່າກັນ
ສອງຄົນນີ້ ___ ກັນ.
ລາຄາ ___ ກັນກັບອັນນັ້ນ.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, use 'khue-kan' for people's qualities.
Only when comparing two specific things.
Add 'bo' before the verb.
Yes, it is standard.
Use 'bo thao-kan'.
No, 'khue' is for 'like'.
Yes, similar structures exist.
About 20 minutes.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
igual
Lao splits them into two distinct words.
égal
Lao grammar is more rigid.
gleich
Lao requires particles.
onaji
Lao uses different verbs for quantity.
musawi
Lao is gender-neutral.
yiyang
Lao is more specific with 'thao-kan'.
