Time and dates

❃ Time and dates

ຈັກໂມງແລ້ວ? [ chak mong laew? ]: What time is it?
ຕອນນີ້ສິບໂມງແລ້ວ [ ton ni sip mong laew ]: It is ten o'clock now.
ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປມື້ອື່ນຕອນເຊົ້າ [ khoi cha pai mu uen ton sao ]: I will go tomorrow morning.
ພົບກັນຕອນສວາຍເດີ້ [ phop kan ton suay doe ]: Let's meet in the afternoon.
ຕອນແລງນີ້ເຈົ້າຊິເຮັດຫຍັງ? [ ton laeng ni chao si het nyang? ]: What are you doing this evening?
ມື້ນີ້ຂ້ອຍຄາວຽກຫຼາຍ [ mu ni khoi kha viak lai ]: I am very busy today.
ຂ້ອຍຈະອອກເດີນທາງມື້ອື່ນ [ khoi cha ok doen thang mu uen ]: I will leave tomorrow.
ຂ້ອຍມາຮອດມື້ວານນີ້ [ khoi ma hot mu van ni ]: I arrived yesterday.
ມື້ນີ້ແມ່ນມື້ຫຍັງ? [ mu ni maen mu nyang? ]: What day is it today?
ຂ້ອຍຈະໄປວຽງຈັນວັນຈັນ [ khoi cha pai viang chan van chan ]: I will go to Vientiane on Monday.
ພວກເຮົາພົບກັນວັນສຸກ [ phuak hao phop kan van suk ]: We will meet on Friday.
ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ເຮັດວຽກວັນເສົາ ແລະ ວັນອາທິດ [ khoi bo het viak van sao lae van a thit ]: I don't work on Saturday and Sunday.
ພົບກັນອາທິດໜ້າເດີ້ [ phop kan a thit na doe ]: See you next week.
ເດືອນແລ້ວນີ້ຂ້ອຍຢູ່ຫຼວງພະບາງ [ duan laew ni khoi yu luang phabang ]: I was in Luang Prabang last month.
ປີໜ້າຂ້ອຍຈະກັບມາລາວອີກ [ pi na khoi cha kap ma lao ik ]: I will come back to Laos next year.
ໃຊ້ເວລາເດີນທາງຈັກນາທີ? [ xai wela doen thang chak nathi? ]: How many minutes does the trip take?
ໃຊ້ເວລາປະມານສາມສິບນາທີ [ xai wela paman sam sip nathi ]: It takes about thirty minutes.
ກະລຸນາລໍຖ້າໜຶ່ງຊົ່ວໂມງ [ kaluna lo tha nung sua mong ]: Please wait for one hour.
ມື້ອື່ນພົບກັນໃໝ່ [ mu uen phop kan mai ]: See you tomorrow.
ຂ້ອຍຕ້ອງໄປດຽວນີ້ [ khoi tong pai diaw ni ]: I have to go right now.

Cultural notes

In Laos, the concept of time is significantly different from what we experience in the West. Here, life flows on "Lao time," a relaxed and unhurried approach where strict punctuality often gives way to flexibility and the famous *Bor pen nyang* (no worries) mindset. If you arrange to meet someone at ten o'clock (ສິບໂມງ - sip mong), do not be surprised if they arrive thirty minutes later with a warm, unapologetic smile. Linguistically, to ask "What time is it?", you say ຈັກໂມງແລ້ວ? (chak mong laew?). However, the true nuance of Lao time-telling lies in how they divide the day. Laotians almost always specify the part of the day before stating the time or discussing plans. The word ຕອນ (ton) indicates a "period" or "phase." Therefore, locals use ຕອນເຊົ້າ (ton sao) for the morning, ຕອນສວາຍ (ton suay) for the early afternoon, and ຕອນແລງ (ton laeng) for the late afternoon or evening. If you want to explain that you are leaving tomorrow morning, you combine ມື້ອື່ນ (mu uen - tomorrow) and ຕອນເຊົ້າ (ton sao) to form: ມື້ອື່ນຕອນເຊົ້າ (mu uen ton sao). Understanding this structural division of the day is essential for organizing your travels, booking a bus, or setting a meeting with a tuk-tuk driver. By adopting this specific vocabulary, you are not only synchronizing with Lao grammar but, more importantly, with the soothing, hospitable rhythm of local life.

✣

← Numbers and classifiers Contents Polite requests →

Other sections

Greetings and pronouns Politeness and thanks Understanding Introducing yourself Basic questions Short answers Numbers and classifiers Polite requests Asking directions Tuk-tuk and fares Buses and songthaews Train Boats and river crossings Two-wheeler rental Tickets and tours Airport and borders Road and safety Duration and delays Restaurant and street food Lao dishes Flavors and chili Diets and allergies Drinks Bill and takeaway Markets Bargaining Crafts and souvenirs Convenience stores and money Guesthouse and hotel v Room facilities Hotel problems Phone and Wi-Fi Laundry Toilets and hygiene Electricity Post and parcels General health Common symptoms Stomach issues and heatstroke Pain and body Bites and skin allergies Pharmacy Doctor and clinic Hospital and emergencies Police and safety Lost documents Lost or broken items Breaking the ice Family and age Religion and temples Traditional festivals Emotions Opinions Work and daily life Weather and nature Tourism and impressions Invitations and socializing Farewells and keeping in touch