Lao Writing System: Lao Alphabet

Lao Alphabet

Click on each Lao alphabet to listen to the sound.

In these lists the consonants are cited by their "full" names. For example, the letter d is called kOO ka#y, the kOO of "chicken". Naming the letters in this way precludes ambiguity when spelling aloud. Asked to spell xhk you could do so correctly by saying pOO, salá aa, mày thóo. It would be better, however, to say pOO paa, salá aa, mày thóo. Calling the letter x by its full name (pOO paa) makes it impossible to mistake it for [ (bOO bét).

Note how the following words are spelled:

9t	cOO cua, salá á
;af	vO@O vií, mày kan, dOO dék
g0qhk	khO4O kha#y, salá aw, mày thóo
c0;'	khO4O kha#y, vO@O vií, salá EE, NO@O Nuú
]e	lO@O liíN, salá am
\|k	hO4O ha4i, mO@O màa, salá aa

How would you spell xtgrou, glnhv, Vu, and dkog,nv' using the full names of the consonants?

The consonants (phañánsana#) in alphabetical order:

	kOO ka#y	chicken		pOO paa	fish
chicken			fish
	khO4O kha#y	egg		phO4O phe3N	bee
egg			bee
	khO@O khua@y	buffalo		fO4O fa4a	wall
buffalo			rain
	NO@O Nu@u	snake		phO@O phu@u	mountain
cow			mountain
	cOO cOk	novice		fO@O fa@y	fire
cup			fire
	sO4O sya4	tiger		mO@O mEEw	horse
tiger			cat
	sO4O saa1N	elephant		yOO yaa	tobacco
elephant			medicine
	ñO@O ñu@N	mosquito		rO@O (lO@O) lo#t	car
mosquito			car
	dOO de@k	child		lO@O liíN	monkey
child			monkey
	tOO taa	eye		vO@O vií	fan
eye			fan
	thO4O thuN	bag		hO4O ha4y	jar
bag			goose
	thO@O thu@N	flag		?OO oo	bowl
flag			bowl
	nO@O no#k	bird		hO@O hya@	boat
bird			house
	bOO bEE	sheep
goat

The consonants grouped according to class:

kaaN [Middle]: d kOO ka#y, 9 cOO cua, f dOO de@k, 8 tOO taa, [ bOO be@t, x pOO paa, 1 yOO yaa, v ?OO oo

tam [Low]: 7 khO@O khua@y, ' NO@O Nu@u, - sO4O saa1N, p ñO@O ñu@N, m thO@O thu@N, o nO@O no#k, r phO@O phu@u, 2 fO@O fa@y, , mO@O ma1a, i rO@O (lO@O) lo#t, ] lO@O liíN, ; vO@O vií, I hO@O hya@

su4uN [High]: 0 khO4O kha#y, l sO4O sya4, 4 thO4O tha4y, z phO4O phe3N, / fO4O fa4a, s hO4O ha4y

Combinations with s in which the s is silent:

In spelling, one names the two elements of the combination separately, e.g., s' is hO4O ha4y, NO@O Nu@u. The vowels (salá): (s indicates a short diphthong.)

xt	-a?	cx	-EE	gxbv	-ya
xa	-a + -p/t/k/n/N	3xt	-o	gxnv	-yya
xk	-aa	xq	-o	x;qt	-ua? (s)
xy	-i	3x	-oo	xq;	-ua
xu	-ii	gxkt	-O?	x;x	-ua + Final
xb	-y	xvax	-O + Final	.x	-ay
xn	-yy	x=	-OO	wx	-ay
x5	-u	xvx	-OO + Final	gxqk	-aw
x6	-uu	gxy	-e	xe	-am
gxt	-e?	gxu	-ee	xP	-Oj
gxa	-e	gxaPt	-ia?
gx	-ee	gxaP	-ia 1*
cxt	--E?	gxp	-ia 2*
cxa	--E	xPx	-ia + Final

Five of the vowel symbols have special names: xxa ma1y kan; xxq ma1y koN; .x ma1y mua1n; wx ma1y máay; xP ñO@O fya3N. * Note that -ia has two written forms, depending on the date of use and the publication of the dictionary. The Lao writing system has undergone periodic reforms, and these variations are the result.

s'	sp,sP	V	\|	si	s],s^	s;
NO4O	ñO4O	nO4O	mO4O	rO4O or lO4O	lO4O	vO4O