뜻
Referring to the previous day.
문화적 배경
In Laos, 'yesterday' is often used to refer to the start of a festival or a multi-day wedding. If someone says 'it started yesterday,' they are inviting you into the ongoing story of the event. In communities in the US or France, 'mue wan ni' is one of the 'heritage words' that children often retain even if they lose complex grammar, as it's used so often in daily parental questioning. Monks may use 'mue wan ni' when discussing the previous day's alms round (tak bat). It serves as a marker for the cycle of merit-making. In farming communities, 'yesterday' is often defined by the work done (e.g., 'the day we planted the rice'). 'Mue wan ni' is the formal way to say it, but people might also say 'mue nan' (that day).
The 'Past' Shortcut
If you forget how to conjugate a verb into the past (which you don't need to do in Lao anyway!), just start your sentence with 'Mue wan ni' and everyone will know you're talking about the past.
Don't say 'In'
Avoid saying 'Nai mue wan ni'. It's a classic translation error from English. Just say the phrase directly.
뜻
Referring to the previous day.
The 'Past' Shortcut
If you forget how to conjugate a verb into the past (which you don't need to do in Lao anyway!), just start your sentence with 'Mue wan ni' and everyone will know you're talking about the past.
Don't say 'In'
Avoid saying 'Nai mue wan ni'. It's a classic translation error from English. Just say the phrase directly.
Casual dropping
Drop the 'ni' when texting friends. 'Mue wan' is perfectly fine and makes you sound like a local.
The 'Where' Question
If a Lao person asks 'Mue wan ni pai sai?' (Where did you go yesterday?), they aren't being nosy; it's just a standard greeting like 'How are you?'
셀프 테스트
Fill in the blank with the Lao word for 'yesterday'.
_______ ຂ້ອຍໄປໂຮງຮຽນ. (Yesterday I went to school.)
ມື້ວານນີ້ is the correct term for yesterday. ມື້ນີ້ is today and ມື້ອື່ນ is tomorrow.
Which sentence is grammatically correct and natural?
How do you say 'I ate bread yesterday'?
Sentence 2 is correct. Sentence 1 uses an unnecessary 'nai' (in), and sentence 3 uses 'ja' (will), which is future tense.
Match the Lao time words with their English meanings.
Match the following:
These are the four basic temporal anchors in Lao.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ມື້ວານນີ້ເຈົ້າເຮັດຫຍັງ? B: ມື້ວານນີ້ຂ້ອຍ _______ (stayed home).
'Yu ban' means to stay/be at home.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
Formal vs Informal Yesterday
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제_______ ຂ້ອຍໄປໂຮງຮຽນ. (Yesterday I went to school.)
ມື້ວານນີ້ is the correct term for yesterday. ມື້ນີ້ is today and ມື້ອື່ນ is tomorrow.
How do you say 'I ate bread yesterday'?
Sentence 2 is correct. Sentence 1 uses an unnecessary 'nai' (in), and sentence 3 uses 'ja' (will), which is future tense.
왼쪽의 각 항목을 오른쪽의 짝과 연결하세요:
These are the four basic temporal anchors in Lao.
A: ມື້ວານນີ້ເຈົ້າເຮັດຫຍັງ? B: ມື້ວານນີ້ຂ້ອຍ _______ (stayed home).
'Yu ban' means to stay/be at home.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문Yes, but 'Wan ni' (ວານນີ້) is slightly more formal. 'Mue wan ni' is more common in speech.
No, the tones of the words remain the same. The question is indicated by the question word at the end (e.g., 'bo' or 'sai').
Use 'Tang tae mue wan ni' (ຕັ້ງແຕ່ມື້ວານນີ້).
Almost! In Thai it's 'Muea-wan-ni'. The 'muea' is slightly different from Lao 'mue', but they are mutually intelligible.
Say 'Mue wan ni ton sao' (ມື້ວານນີ້ຕອນເຊົ້າ).
It's not slang, just informal/casual. It's appropriate for friends and family.
'Ni' means 'this'. It specifies 'this previous day' to make it clear we mean exactly one day ago.
Sometimes, in very casual speech, but 'mue gon' (ມື້ກ່ອນ) is better for 'the other day'.
It's optional. 'Mue wan ni khoy pai' and 'Mue wan ni khoy dai pai' both mean 'Yesterday I went'.
ມື້ວານນີ້ແມ່ນວັນພັກ (Mue wan ni maen wan phak).
관련 표현
ມື້ນີ້
similarToday
ມື້ອື່ນ
contrastTomorrow
ມື້ວານຊື່ນ
builds onThe day before yesterday
ມື້ຄືນນີ້
similarLast night
ແຕ່ກ່ອນ
specialized formBefore / In the past
