- The negative of "mE#En" (ແມ່ນ)
 q is "bO#O mE#En" (ບໍ່ແມ່ນ). q The negative of "pen" (ເປັນ)q is
"bO#O da1y pen" (ບໍ່ໄດ້ເປັນ). q "da1y" (ໄດ້) q has several meanings in Lao depending on how it is used. Here it is
a helping verb before the main verb. In this position, it usually means "to get
to do, to have the fortune to do, to have done something". The context may
refer to past, present, or future time.For
example,
| ເຈົ້າຊື່ຈິມ ແມ່ນບໍ |
cA$w sy#y ci1m, mE#En bOO |
Is your name
Jim? |
| ບໍ່ ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ໄດ້ຊື່ຈິມ |
bO#O, khO3y bOO da1y sy#y ci1m |
No, my name
isn't Jim. |
| ເຈົ້າເປັນທະຫານ ບໍ |
cA$w pen thaha4an bOO |
Are you a
soldier? |
| ບໍ່ ບໍ່ໄດ້ເປັນ |
bO#O, bO#O da1y pen |
No, I'm not. |
| ເຈົ້າເຣັດການນຳຢູເສດ ບໍ |
cA$w he#t kaan na2m yu#use3et bOO |
Do you
work for USAID? |
| ບໍ່, ບໍ່ໄດ້ເຣັດນຳຢູເສດ |
bO#O, bO#O da1y he#t na2m yuu#se3et |
No, I
don't work for USAID. |
As you go along, you will learn to use "da1y" in other situations. Don't try to link it
with some particular word or grammatical feature in English.
"kho2n" (ຄົນ) q
is combined with the name of an organization to mean personnel of
that organization.
For example,
| ຄົນຢູເສດ |
kho2n
yu#use3et |
USAID
personnel |
| ຄົນເອວີເອດ |
kho2n
aywii2e#t |
an IVS'er |
|
