Perfective Aspect
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the particle 'ແລ້ວ' (laew) after a verb to indicate that an action is finished or completed.
- Place 'ແລ້ວ' immediately after the main verb: 'ກິນແລ້ວ' (ate/have eaten).
- Use 'ຍັງບໍ່...ເທື່ອ' for negative completed actions: 'ຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ' (haven't eaten yet).
- Add 'ບໍ່' before the verb for simple negation: 'ບໍ່ກິນ' (don't eat).
Meanings
The perfective aspect in Lao is marked by the particle 'ແລ້ວ'. It signals that a specific action has reached completion or a state has been achieved.
Completed Action
Indicates an action is finished.
“ຂ້ອຍເຮັດວຽກແລ້ວ (I finished work).”
“ລາວໄປແລ້ວ (He has gone).”
Change of State
Indicates a new situation has begun.
“ມັນໃຫຍ່ແລ້ວ (It is big now).”
“ມືດແລ້ວ (It is dark now).”
Emphasis
Used to emphasize that something is already done.
“ຂ້ອຍບອກແລ້ວ (I already told you).”
“ເຫັນແລ້ວ (I saw it already).”
Perfective Aspect Formation
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Verb + ແລ້ວ | ກິນແລ້ວ |
| Negative | ຍັງບໍ່ + Verb + ເທື່ອ | ຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ |
| Question | Verb + ແລ້ວ + ບໍ່? | ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່? |
| State Change | Adjective + ແລ້ວ | ຮ້ອນແລ້ວ |
| Emphasis | Verb + ແລ້ວ | ຮູ້ແລ້ວ |
| Future Negative | ຍັງບໍ່ + Verb + ເທື່ອ | ຍັງບໍ່ໄປເທື່ອ |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + Verb + ແລ້ວ | ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວ |
| Negative | Subject + ຍັງບໍ່ + Verb + ເທື່ອ | ຂ້ອຍຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ |
| Question | Subject + Verb + ແລ້ວ + ບໍ່? | ເຈົ້າກິນແລ້ວບໍ່? |
| Short Answer (Yes) | ແລ້ວ | ແລ້ວ |
| Short Answer (No) | ຍັງ | ຍັງ |
| State Change | Subject + Adjective + ແລ້ວ | ມັນໃຫຍ່ແລ້ວ |
Espectro de formalidade
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຮັບປະທານອາຫານແລ້ວ. (Dining)
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ. (Dining)
ກິນແລ້ວ. (Dining)
ກິນແລ້ວເດ. (Dining)
Perfective Aspect Usage
Actions
- ກິນແລ້ວ Ate
States
- ຮ້ອນແລ້ວ It's hot
Emphasis
- ຮູ້ແລ້ວ I know
Examples by Level
ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວ
I have eaten.
ລາວໄປແລ້ວ
He has gone.
ເຮັດແລ້ວ
Done.
ນອນແລ້ວ
Already slept.
ເຈົ້າເຫັນແລ້ວບໍ່?
Have you seen it yet?
ຂ້ອຍຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ
I haven't eaten yet.
ຝົນຕົກແລ້ວ
It has rained.
ຮ້ອນແລ້ວ
It is hot now.
ຂ້ອຍເຮັດວຽກບ້ານແລ້ວ
I have finished my homework.
ລາວຊື້ປຶ້ມແລ້ວ
He has bought the book.
ພວກເຂົາໄປຮອດແລ້ວ
They have arrived.
ຂ້ອຍບອກລາວແລ້ວ
I have already told him.
ເມື່ອຂ້ອຍໄປຮອດ, ລາວໄປແລ້ວ
When I arrived, he had already left.
ເຖິງວ່າຈະດຶກແລ້ວ, ແຕ່ຂ້ອຍຍັງເຮັດວຽກຢູ່
Even though it is late, I am still working.
ເຈົ້າແຕ່ງກິນແລ້ວບໍ່?
Have you finished cooking?
ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ແລ້ວວ່າລາວຈະມາ
I already know that he will come.
ພໍແຕ່ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າຈົບ, ລາວກໍອອກໄປແລ້ວ
As soon as I finished speaking, he left.
ວຽກງານທັງໝົດໄດ້ສຳເລັດແລ້ວ
All work has been completed.
ເຖິງເວລາແລ້ວທີ່ຈະຕ້ອງຕັດສິນໃຈ
It is time to make a decision.
ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ອ່ານປຶ້ມນີ້ແລ້ວ
I have read this book.
ເມື່ອເຫດການໄດ້ສິ້ນສຸດລົງແລ້ວ, ພວກເຮົາຈຶ່ງເຂົ້າໃຈ
Only when the event had ended did we understand.
ການປ່ຽນແປງໄດ້ເກີດຂຶ້ນແລ້ວຢ່າງຫຼວງຫຼາຍ
The change has already occurred significantly.
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄດ້ພິຈາລະນາບັນຫານີ້ແລ້ວ
I have already considered this issue.
ເຖິງແມ່ນວ່າຈະດຶກດື່ມແລ້ວ, ລາວກໍຍັງບໍ່ນອນ
Even though it was very late, he still hadn't slept.
Easily Confused
Learners think 'ແລ້ວ' is past tense.
Mixing up 'ບໍ່ກິນ' and 'ຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ'.
Mixing up 'ກຳລັງ' and 'ແລ້ວ'.
Erros comuns
ຂ້ອຍແລ້ວໄປ
ຂ້ອຍໄປແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ກິນແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ
ລາວໄປ
ລາວໄປແລ້ວ
ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່
ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່?
ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວເຂົ້າ
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວ
ຍັງບໍ່ກິນ
ຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ
ຮ້ອນ
ຮ້ອນແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍໄດ້ກິນແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວ
ລາວໄປແລ້ວເມື່ອວານ
ລາວໄປເມື່ອວານ
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ໄດ້ເຮັດແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍຍັງບໍ່ໄດ້ເຮັດເທື່ອ
ລາວໄປແລ້ວໃນອະດີດ
ລາວໄດ້ໄປໃນອະດີດ
ມັນສຳເລັດແລ້ວ
ມັນສຳເລັດແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວ
ຂ້ອຍກິນແລ້ວ
Sentence Patterns
ຂ້ອຍ ___ ແລ້ວ.
ເຈົ້າ ___ ແລ້ວບໍ່?
ຂ້ອຍຍັງບໍ່ ___ ເທື່ອ.
ມັນ ___ ແລ້ວ.
Real World Usage
ຮອດແລ້ວ
ສັ່ງແລ້ວ
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເຮັດວຽກນີ້ແລ້ວ
ໄປຮອດແລ້ວ
ເຫັນແລ້ວ!
ສົ່ງແລ້ວ
Placement
Negative
Emphasis
Politeness
Smart Tips
Add 'ແລ້ວ' to the adjective.
Repeat the verb + 'ແລ້ວ'.
Use the full 'ຍັງບໍ່...ເທື່ອ' frame.
Put 'ແລ້ວ' at the end of the sentence.
Pronúncia
Tone of ແລ້ວ
The word 'ແລ້ວ' has a high-falling tone.
Question
ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່? ↑
Rising intonation for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Laew' as 'Done'. If you are 'Laew', you are done.
Visual Association
Imagine a chef putting a 'Done' stamp on a plate of food. The stamp says 'ແລ້ວ'.
Rhyme
When the action is through, just add 'ແລ້ວ'.
Story
Som is cooking. She finishes the soup. She says 'ແລ້ວ'. Her friend asks 'ກິນແລ້ວບໍ່?' (Eaten yet?). Som says 'ຍັງບໍ່ກິນເທື່ອ' (Not yet).
Word Web
Desafio
Write 5 sentences about things you finished today using 'ແລ້ວ'.
Notas culturais
Lao people use 'ແລ້ວ' to show politeness by confirming tasks are done.
The particle 'ແລ້ວ' comes from the verb 'to finish'.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າເຮັດວຽກບ້ານແລ້ວບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າໄປທ່ຽວແລ້ວບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າອ່ານປຶ້ມເລື່ອງນີ້ແລ້ວບໍ່?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າ___.
I haven't eaten yet.
Find and fix the mistake:
ຂ້ອຍແລ້ວໄປ.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
He has arrived.
Answer starts with: ລາວ...
A: ເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່? B: ___.
Use 'ຮ້ອນ' and 'ແລ້ວ'.
Which is completed?
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າ___.
I haven't eaten yet.
Find and fix the mistake:
ຂ້ອຍແລ້ວໄປ.
ແລ້ວ / ເຮັດ / ຂ້ອຍ
He has arrived.
A: ເຈົ້າກິນເຂົ້າແລ້ວບໍ່? B: ___.
Use 'ຮ້ອນ' and 'ແລ້ວ'.
Which is completed?
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, it marks completion, not time.
No, that would be contradictory.
Use 'ຍັງບໍ່...ເທື່ອ'.
No, it is invariant.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
Yes, to show a change of state.
The sentence might sound incomplete or habitual.
Yes, it is cognate and functions similarly.
In Other Languages
ya
Spanish 'ya' is more flexible in sentence position.
déjà
French 'déjà' is an adverb, not a post-verbal particle.
schon
German 'schon' is an adverb.
mou
Japanese 'mou' is pre-verbal.
le
Chinese 'le' has more complex aspectual nuances.
qad
Arabic 'qad' is pre-verbal.
