Lao Language--Grammar Notes 23

hây ໃຫ້w has several uses in Lao depending on word order and context. As a main verb followed by a person or thing. it means 'to give'.

ລາວໃຫ້ເງິນw	láaw hây ŋǝ́n	He gave money.
ລາວໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍw	láaw hây khôy	He gave to me.

When both the person and the thing are in the same sentence, hây ໃຫ້w preceds the person and may be translated 'to'.

ລາວເອົາເງິນໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍw láaw aw ŋǝ́n hây khɔ̂y He gave money to me

ລາວສົ່ງໜັງສືມາໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍw láaw sōŋ nǎŋsy̌y máa hây khɔ̂y He sent me a letter.

hây ໃຫ້w may also be translated 'for'.

ລາວບອກນາຍຄູໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍw láaw bɔ̂ɔk náay khúu hây khɔ̂y He told the teacher for me.

ລາວຕັດຜົມໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍw láaw tát phǒm hây khɔ̂y He cuts my hair for me.

hây ໃຫ້ like 'for' in English, may be ambiguous. The meaning is determined by the context.

ລາວຊື້ປຶ້ມໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍw láaw sỳy pỳm hây khɔ̂y He bought a book for me.

In this case, hây khɔ̂ŋ ໃຫ້ຂອງw and 'for me' may both mean 'to give to me' or 'on behalf of me' (I was able to.)

hây ໃຫ້ w has a causative meaning when it precedes a verb or another sentence. Compare the following.

ຂ້ອຍສິຂັບລົດw khɔ̂y si kháp lōt I will drive.

ລາວສິໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍຂັບລົດw láaw si hây khɔ̂y kháp lōt He's going to have me drive.

ຂ້ອຍສິໄປw khɔ̂y si pay I am goig.

ລາວຢາກໃຫ້ຂ້ອຍໄປw láaw jâak hây khɔ̂y pay He wants (for) me to go.

The following two sentences have an identical meaning. The second sentence is more emphatic.

ຂັບລົດຄັນນີ້ ຍາກw kháp lōt khán nìiˏ ñàak It is hard to drive this car.

ລົດຄັນນີ້ ຂັບຍາກw lōt khán nìiˏ kháp ñàak This car is hard to drive.

eeŋ ເອງw has the meaning 'myself, himself, ourselves, ' etc.

ລາວປຸກເຮືອນເອງw	láaw púk hýan eeŋ	He built the house himself.
ຂ້ອຍສິຖາມລາວເອງw	khɔ̂y si thǎam láaw eeŋ	I'll ask him myself.
ເຮົາສິເຮັດເອງw	háw si hēt eeŋ	We'll do it ourselves.

Compare the following:

ຂ້ອຍສິເຮັດຜູ້ດຽວw khɔ̂y si hēt phūu diaw I'll do it alone (by myself.)

ຂ້ອຍສິເຮັດເອງw khɔ̂y si hēt eeŋ I'll do it myself (without help.)

nɔ̀ɔŋ ນ້ອງ,w àay ອ້າຍ,w ỳay ເອື້ອຍw are often used instead of pronouns. They refer to friends who may or may not be related.

ນ້ອງສິໄປໃສw nɔ̀ɔŋ si pay sǎy Where are you (younger sister or brother) going?

ຂ້ອຍສິໄປເຮັດໃຫ້ອ້າຍສຸກສົມບູນ khɔ̂y si pay hēt hây àay súksǒmbuun I am going to do it for older brother Suksomboon.

ເອື້ອຍດົວງເດືອນບໍ່ມາບໍw ỳay duaŋdyan bɔ̄ɔ máa bɔɔ Didn't (older sister) Douangdeuan come?