ກາເຟ
kā fē[kaː˩(˧).feː˧˥]
ກາເຟ (kā fē) is the Lao word for coffee.
ກາເຟ refers to the beverage coffee. When you want to say you are drinking coffee, you use the phrase ກິນກາເຟ. This uses the verb ກິນ, which literally means to eat or consume, to express the act of drinking coffee.
Meaning: beverage (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kā fē
Did you know?
- The Lao word ກາເຟ is a loanword from the French word 'café', a legacy of French influence in the region during the colonial era.
- Traditional Lao ກາເຟ is often brewed using a 'sock' filter, a cloth bag suspended over a glass, which is a legacy of French and Vietnamese colonial coffee culture.
- In Laos, it is common to serve ກາເຟ with a thick layer of sweetened condensed milk at the bottom of the glass, which the drinker stirs in themselves.
Examples in context
- ແມ່ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມັກກາເຟນີ້.My mother doesn’t like this coffee.This sentence shows how to use ກາເຟ to talk about someone's preference.Tatoeba #8978767 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8978768 by Analu_Kalaka
- ພໍ່ເຖົ້າພວກຂ້ອຍບໍ່ມັກກາເຟ.Our maternal grandfather doesn’t like coffee.This sentence demonstrates the use of ກາເຟ in a sentence about an elder's preference.Tatoeba #8983131 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8983133 by Analu_Kalaka
- ເຈົ້າຢາກກິນກາເຟຫຼືນ້ຳຊາບໍ?Do you want to drink coffee or tea?This sentence shows how to offer ກາເຟ as a beverage choice.Tatoeba #8995298 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8995299 by Analu_Kalaka
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting at a cafe.
- Aເຈົ້າຢາກສັ່ງກາເຟບໍ?chao yak sang ka fe bo?Do you want to order coffee?
- Bແມ່ນແລ້ວ, ຂ້ອຍຢາກກິນກາເຟ.maen laew, khoy yak kin ka fe.Yes, I want to drink coffee.
- Aເຈົ້າມັກກາເຟດຳຫຼືກາເຟນົມ?chao mak ka fe dam leu ka fe nom?Do you like black coffee or coffee with milk?
- Bຂ້ອຍມັກກາເຟນົມ.khoy mak ka fe nom.I like coffee with milk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations and entries ກາເຟ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ກາເຟ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
