Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ເດັກຍິງ | dek nying |
| ເດັກຜູ້ຍິງ | dek phū nying |
| ຍິງສາວ | nying sāo |
| ຍັງສາວ | nyang sāo |
| ກຸມາລິ | ku mā li |
In Lao, the term you choose for "girl" depends on the age of the person and the context of your speech. While some terms refer to small children, others are more appropriate for adolescents or young women.
What does it mean word for word?
The term ເດັກຍິງ (dek nying) is composed of ເດັກ (child) and ຍິງ (female/girl).
Which one should you use?
ເດັກຍິງ (dek nying) is typically used for younger children. In contrast, ຍິງສາວ (nying sāo) is more commonly used to refer to adolescent girls or young women rather than small children.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ກຸມາລິ (ku mā li) is a formal or literary term, often used in poetic or religious contexts to mean a maiden or young girl.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term ເດັກຍິງ (dek nying) is a noun and does not change its form based on number in standard usage.
How do you pronounce it?
dek nying
Did you know?
- In some spiritual traditions in the region, a girl described as a ກຸມາລິ may be viewed as a living embodiment of a goddess.
- The word ເດັກ used in ເດັກຍິງ is also used as a colloquial term for a 'junior' or 'underling' in a professional hierarchy.
- While ຍິງສາວ means 'young woman', the word ສາວ alone is often used to describe any woman who is unmarried, regardless of her age.
Examples in context
- ເດັກຍິງຄົນນັ້ນໜ້າຮັກຫຼາຍ.dek nying khon nan na hak lai.That girl is very cute.
- ມີເດັກຍິງກໍາລັງຫຼິ້ນຢູ່.mi dek nying kam lang lin yu.There is a girl playing.
- ເດັກຍິງຄົນນີ້ຮຽນເກັ່ງ.dek nying khon ni hian keng.This girl is a good student.
Example conversation
Two people are watching children play in a park.
- Aເບິ່ງເດັກຍິງຄົນນັ້ນດູ!beung dek nying khon nan du!Look at that girl!
- Bລາວກຳລັງເຕັ້ນລະບຳ.lao kam lang ten ra bam.She is dancing.
- Aລາວເຕັ້ນເກັ່ງແທ້.lao ten keng thae.She dances really well.
- Bແມ່ນແລ້ວ, ລາວເກັ່ງຫຼາຍ.maen laew, lao keng lai.Yes, she is very talented.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
