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Lao Verb Usage Patterns

Complete usage patterns for the 20 most essential Lao verbs. Lao verbs never change form — there is no conjugation for person, number, tense, or gender. Instead, tense and aspect are expressed through markers placed before or after the verb. Each verb includes Lao script, romanization, and example sentences.

Essential Verbs

Tense/Aspect Patterns

60+

Example Sentences

How Lao Verbs Work

Lao (ພາສາລາວ) is the official language of Laos, a tonal language in the Kra-Dai family closely related to Thai. Like Chinese, Lao verbs do not conjugate — the verb form stays exactly the same regardless of subject, tense, or number.

Instead, Lao uses aspect and tense markers placed around the verb:

ກຳລັງ (kamlang) — progressive: "is doing" (placed before verb)
ແລ້ວ (laew) — completed: "already did" (placed after verb)
ຈະ (ja) — future: "will do" (placed before verb)
ບໍ່ (baw) — negative: "don't / didn't" (placed before verb)
ເຄີຍ (kheuy) — experience: "have ever" (placed before verb)
ໄດ້ (dai) — past / ability: "did / can" (placed before or after verb)

Context and time words (ມື້ນີ້ meu nii "today", ມື້ວານ meu waan "yesterday", ມື້ອື່ນ meu eun "tomorrow") also indicate tense.

Personal Pronouns

Lao	Romanization	English
ຂ້ອຍ	khoy	I / me
ເຈົ້າ	jao	you (singular)
ລາວ	lao	he / she
ພວກເຮົາ	phuak hao	we
ພວກເຈົ້າ	phuak jao	you (plural)
ພວກເຂົາ	phuak khao	they