There’s only one key word you need to know — ແຊບ /saap/.
ແຊບ /saap/ means “delicious” and ແຊບຫຼາຍ /saap laai/ means “very delicious”. If someone asks you whether something was good or not, you can get by knowing only those words. ⠀
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Culturally, you should always say something is delicious if a guest offers you food to try (especially Lao food).⠀
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However, there are various ways to describe whether something was delicious or not. Unless you are a close friend/family or joking with someone, you should avoid ever telling someone their food/meal was “not delicious.”
Delicious
ແຊບ /saap/ = delicious
ແຊບໆ /saapsaap/, ແຊບຫຼາຍ /saap laai/ = very delicious
ແຊບອີ່ຫລີ /saap e-lee/ = truly delicious
ມີລົດຊາດ /mii lot saat/ (have + flavor) = Great tasting⠀
ມີລົດຊາດແຊບ /mii lot saat saap/ (have + flavor + delicious) = Yummy⠀
ນົວ /nua/ = pleasing taste (adding seasoning/strong flavor)
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Ex: ອາຫານແຊບນົວ /aahaan saap nua/⠀
ຖືກປາກ /theuak bpaak/ = (satisfy + mouth) = “Hits the spot!”
OK
ເພາະກິນ /paw gin/ (for + eat) = Edible (“average” taste)⠀
NOT REALLY Delicious
ບໍ່ແຊບປານໃດ /baw saap bpaan dai/ = Not as good⠀
ບໍ່ແຊບ /baw saap/ (not + delicious) = Not delicious
ຂີ້ດຽດ /kee diat/ = filthy, digusting, yucky⠀
(mainly use among close friends/family or as a “joke” for taste)⠀
Ready to take your Lao cooking vocabulary language to the next level? Check out this Lao cooking website:
Can you guess what it means? =)