1. The meaning of  îik don paanday ອີກດົນປານໃດw differs when it appears at the beginning orthe end of the sentence.   Notice these examples:

ເຈົ້າສິເຣັດອີກດົນປານໃດ	càw si hēt îik don paanday	How much longer are you going to work?
ອີກດົນປານໃດ ເຈົ້າສິເຮັດ	îik don paanday càw si hēt	How long before you are going to do it?

îik don ອີກດົນw is often omitted when it comes at the beginning.

ປານໃດລາວສິຮູ້w

paanday láaw si hùu How long before he's going to know?

2. khýy si ຄືສິw functions similarly to a helping verb.  It may have verious translations.  

ລາວຄືສິໄປw	láaw khýy si pay	He will probably go.
ລາວຄືສິບໍ່ມາw	láaw khýy si bɔ̄ɔ máa	He must not be coming.
ອາຫານຄືສິແຊບw	aahǎan khýy si sὲεp	The food should taste good.

 

3. Note the word order of the following.

    

ເຈົ້າມີເຮືອນແລ້ວຫລຶຫຍັງ	càw míi hýan lὲεw ly̌y ñáŋ	Do you have a house yet?
ມີແລ້ວ	míi lὲεw	I have one already.

Any one of the following are acceptable negative answers meaning 'I don't have one yet.' 

ຫຍັງບໍ່ທັນມີເທື່ອw	ñáŋ bɔ̄ɔ thán míi thȳa
ຫຍັງບໍ່ທັນມີw	ñáŋ bɔ̄ɔ thán míi
ຫຍັງບໍ່ມີເທື່ອw	ñáŋ bɔ̄ɔ míi thȳa
ຫຍັງບໍ່ມີw	ñáŋ bɔ̄ɔ míi
ບໍ່ທັນມີເທື່ອw	bɔ̄ɔ thán míi thȳa
ບໍ່ທັນມີw	bɔ̄ɔ thán míi
ບໍ່ມີເທື່ອw	bɔ̄ɔ míi thȳa

4. dε̄ε ແດ່w  can be translated 'who all, what all', etc.

ມີໃຜແດ່w	míi phǎy dε̄ε	Who all is there?
ໄດ້ກິນຫຍັງແດ່w	dày kin ñǎŋ dε̄ε	What all did you eat?