Learn Lao Greetings | Lao Lessons

How to say ‘Hello’ in Lao — learn basic Lao words for greetings and etiquette.

What is ສະບາຍ /Sabai/? The word ສະບາຍ /Sabai/ by itself means, "wellness, easy-going, relaxed." This also describes the social attitude of Lao culture and society.

What is ດີ /Dee/? The word ດີ /Dee/ means "Good." Thus, ສະບາຍ /Sabai/ and ດີ /Dee/ put together becomes ສະບາຍດີ /Sabai Dee/, which literally means, "having good well-being". It's the most common way of greeting someone in Lao.

Basic Lao greetings/etiquette words

	Lao	English
	ສະບາຍດີ /Sabai Dee/	Hi/Hello
	ສະບາຍດີບໍ່ /Sabaidee baw/	How is it going?/How are you?
	ເຈົ້າ /jow/	Yes (can also be used as "you're welcome")
	ຂ້ອຍສະບາຍດີ /khawi sabai dee/	I'm fine
	ຂອບໃຈ /khop jai/	Thank you
	ຂໍໂທດ /kaw thot/	Sorry/Excuse me
	ກະລຸນາ/galunaa/	Please
Requested file could not be found (error code 404). Verify the file URL specified in the shortcode.	ລາກ່ອນ /laa gawn/	Good bye (a short farewell)

What about Good Morning/afternoon/evening?

To translate ‘Good morning’ into Lao would be ສະບາຍດີ /Sabai Dee/ + ຕອນເຊົ້າ /dtawn sao/ (morning) = ສະບາຍດີຕອນເຊົ້າ

Most simply greet one another with the universal ສະບາຍດີ /Sabai Dee/. As a new Lao language learner, you can just say “Hello/Hi” is ສະບາຍດີ /Sabai dee/ in Lao anytime of the day.

What about ‘Good Bye’?

The word ລາກ່ອນ /laa gawn/ is mainly use when leaving for an extended period of time. If you happen to forget the word for ‘Good bye’, just saying, “Bye” as in ບາຍ /baai/ is fine.

Other ways to say ‘Good Bye’ in Lao:

ເມືອກ່ອນເດີ /meau gawn derr/ = Another day (in an endearing way)
ກັບກ່ອນເດີ /gap gawn derr/ = Next time (in an endearing way)

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Greetings in Lao

Basic Lao greetings/etiquette words

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