Negation with 'Bo'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To make a sentence negative in Lao, simply place the particle 'ບໍ່' (bo) directly before the verb or adjective.
- Place 'ບໍ່' before the verb: 'ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນ' (I do not eat).
- Place 'ບໍ່' before adjectives: 'ບໍ່ດີ' (not good).
- The particle 'ບໍ່' is pronounced with a low tone, often written as 'bo' in romanization.
Meanings
The particle 'ບໍ່' (bo) is the standard way to negate verbs, adjectives, and existence in Lao.
Verb negation
Negating an action.
“ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຮັກ”
“ລາວບໍ່ມາ”
Adjective negation
Negating a quality.
“ບໍ່ດີ”
“ບໍ່ສວຍ”
Existence negation
Negating presence or possession.
“ບໍ່ມີ”
“ບໍ່ແມ່ນ”
Negation Structure
| Subject | Negation | Verb/Adjective | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ຂ້ອຍ | ບໍ່ | ກິນ | ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນ |
| ລາວ | ບໍ່ | ໄປ | ລາວບໍ່ໄປ |
| ມັນ | ບໍ່ | ດີ | ມັນບໍ່ດີ |
| ເຮົາ | ບໍ່ | ຮັກ | ເຮົາບໍ່ຮັກ |
| ເຈົ້າ | ບໍ່ | ຮູ້ | ເຈົ້າບໍ່ຮູ້ |
| ພວກເຂົາ | ບໍ່ | ມາ | ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ມາ |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + Verb | ຂ້ອຍໄປ |
| Negative | Subject + ບໍ່ + Verb | ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ໄປ |
| Question | Subject + Verb + ບໍ່? | ເຈົ້າໄປບໍ່? |
| Adjective Negation | Subject + ບໍ່ + Adj | ມັນບໍ່ດີ |
| Existence | ບໍ່ + ມີ | ບໍ່ມີເງິນ |
| Past Negative | ບໍ່ + ໄດ້ + Verb | ບໍ່ໄດ້ໄປ |
औपचारिकता का स्तर
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ຊາບ (General)
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຮູ້ (General)
ບໍ່ຮູ້ (General)
ບໍ່ຮຸ້ (General)
Negation Concept Map
Verbs
- ບໍ່ກິນ not eat
Adjectives
- ບໍ່ດີ not good
Existence
- ບໍ່ມີ not have
Examples by Level
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນ
I do not eat
ລາວບໍ່ໄປ
He/She does not go
ມັນບໍ່ດີ
It is not good
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຮັກ
I do not love
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມີເງິນ
I do not have money
ມື້ນີ້ບໍ່ຮ້ອນ
Today is not hot
ລາວບໍ່ແມ່ນຄົນລາວ
He is not Lao
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຮູ້
I do not know
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຢາກໄປໂຮງຮຽນ
I do not want to go to school
ອາຫານນີ້ບໍ່ແຊບປານໃດ
This food is not very tasty
ລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ມາເມື່ອວານນີ້
He did not come yesterday
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຄິດວ່າລາວຈະມາ
I do not think he will come
ມັນບໍ່ແມ່ນເລື່ອງງ່າຍທີ່ຈະຮຽນພາສາລາວ
It is not an easy matter to learn Lao
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຄີຍໄປປະເທດໄທ
I have never been to Thailand
ລາວບໍ່ຄວນເຮັດແບບນັ້ນ
He should not do that
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ສາມາດຊ່ວຍເຈົ້າໄດ້
I cannot help you
ບໍ່ມີໃຜຮູ້ຄວາມຈິງ
No one knows the truth
ລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ສະແດງຄວາມຄິດເຫັນ
He did not express an opinion
ມັນບໍ່ໄດ້ໝາຍຄວາມວ່າເຈົ້າຜິດ
It does not mean you are wrong
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ໄດ້ຕັ້ງໃຈຈະເຮັດໃຫ້ເຈົ້າເສຍໃຈ
I did not intend to hurt your feelings
ບໍ່ວ່າຈະເກີດຫຍັງຂຶ້ນ ຂ້ອຍກໍຈະຢູ່ກັບເຈົ້າ
No matter what happens, I will be with you
ລາວບໍ່ໄດ້ມີເຈດຕະນາບໍ່ດີ
He did not have bad intentions
ບໍ່ມີທາງທີ່ລາວຈະເຮັດແບບນັ້ນ
There is no way he would do that
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ໄດ້ຄາດຫວັງວ່າຈະໄດ້ຮັບການຕອບຮັບ
I did not expect to receive a response
Easily Confused
They are spelled the same.
Both negate.
Both negate.
सामान्य गलतियाँ
ກິນບໍ່
ບໍ່ກິນ
ບໍ່ໝາ
ບໍ່ແມ່ນໝາ
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນ
ບໍ່ດີຂ້ອຍ
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ດີ
ບໍ່ມີເງິນຂ້ອຍ
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມີເງິນ
ບໍ່ໄດ້ໄປ
ບໍ່ໄປ
ບໍ່ແມ່ນດີ
ບໍ່ດີ
ບໍ່ຢາກບໍ່ໄປ
ບໍ່ຢາກໄປ
ບໍ່ເຄີຍບໍ່ໄປ
ບໍ່ເຄີຍໄປ
ບໍ່ແມ່ນໄປ
ບໍ່ໄປ
ບໍ່ວ່າບໍ່ໄປ
ບໍ່ວ່າຈະໄປ
ບໍ່ໄດ້ບໍ່ຮູ້
ບໍ່ຮູ້
ບໍ່ມີບໍ່ໄດ້
ບໍ່ມີ
Sentence Patterns
ຂ້ອຍ___ກິນ
ມັນ___ດີ
ຂ້ອຍ___ມີເງິນ
ລາວ___ໄດ້ມາ
Real World Usage
ບໍ່ຮູ້
ບໍ່ໃສ່ຜັກ
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ມີປະສົບການ
ບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈ
ບໍ່ມັກ
ບໍ່ເໝາະສົມ
Placement
Homophones
Tone
Softening
Smart Tips
Place 'ບໍ່' immediately before the action word.
Place 'ບໍ່' before the adjective.
Use 'ບໍ່ມີ' to say you don't have something.
Use 'ບໍ່ໄດ້' before the verb.
उच्चारण
Low tone
The particle 'ບໍ່' has a low tone.
Flat
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນ ➔
Neutral statement
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Bo is the 'No' button. Press it before the verb to stop the action.
Visual Association
Imagine a big red 'STOP' sign with the word 'ບໍ່' on it, placed right in front of a person running.
Rhyme
Before the verb, put the 'bo', to say 'no' and make it go.
Story
I wanted to eat, but the food was bad. I said 'Bo kin' (don't eat). The food was 'Bo di' (not good). I had 'Bo mi' (no) money to buy more.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Write 5 sentences about things you don't like using 'ບໍ່'.
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
Lao people often use 'ບໍ່' with a smile to soften the refusal.
The particle 'ບໍ່' is a common Tai-Kadai negation marker.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າຫິວບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າໄປຕະຫຼາດບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າຮູ້ຈັກລາວບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າມັກອາຫານນີ້ບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ຂ້ອຍ___ກິນ.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ລາວໄປບໍ່.
ຂ້ອຍຮັກເຈົ້າ.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: ເຈົ້າຫິວບໍ່? B: ___.
ຂ້ອຍ / ບໍ່ / ໄປ.
Negate 'ມີເງິນ'.
Score: /8
अभ्यास प्रश्न
8 exercisesຂ້ອຍ___ກິນ.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
ລາວໄປບໍ່.
ຂ້ອຍຮັກເຈົ້າ.
Match 'ບໍ່ດີ'.
A: ເຈົ້າຫິວບໍ່? B: ___.
ຂ້ອຍ / ບໍ່ / ໄປ.
Negate 'ມີເງິນ'.
Score: /8
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (8)
Yes, it is the standard negation for verbs and adjectives.
Yes, but it is a particle, not a standalone word in most cases.
Always before the verb or adjective.
Use 'ບໍ່ໄດ້' before the verb.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
That is the question particle, not the negation particle.
Use 'ບໍ່ມີ'.
No, you need a verb like 'ແມ່ນ' (to be).
In Other Languages
no
Spanish 'no' is more flexible in placement.
ne...pas
Lao is a single particle.
nicht
Lao 'bo' is strictly pre-verbal.
nai
Lao uses a separate particle.
la/lam
Lao uses one particle for all.
bu
Chinese 'bu' has tone changes.
