ດີ
dī[diː˩(˧)]
The English word "good" is translated into Lao as ດີ (dī).
The adjective ດີ is used to describe things that are pleasant, enjoyable.
Meaning: pleasant, enjoyable (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
dī
When do people say it?
The standard greeting for "hello" is ສະບາຍດີ, which is constructed by combining the words for "comfortable/well" and ດີ (good).
Did you know?
- In Lao culture, the word ດີ is often used in a 'merit' context, where being 'good' is tied to the spiritual concept of accumulating positive karma.
- While ດີ means 'good', using it to describe a person's character can sometimes imply they are naive or too soft to be taken advantage of.
- The word ດີ is a cognate shared with several languages across Asia, including Thai, Shan and the ancient Ahom language of India.
Examples in context
- ສະບາຍດີຕອນເຊົ້າ!Good morning!This sentence shows how to use ດີ in a morning greeting.Tatoeba #2427263 by google, translation #329713 by YURY0608
- ລາວເປັນນັກການເມືອງດີແຕ່ລາວບໍ່ແມ່ນຜົວດີ.He is a good politician but he isn’t a good husband.This sentence demonstrates how to use ດີ to describe a person's qualities.Tatoeba #8981588 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8981589 by Analu_Kalaka
- ທ່ຽວຄັ້ງນີ້ແມ່ນດີຫຼາຍ.thiao khang ni maen di lai.This trip was very good.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie they just watched.
- Aເຈົ້າຄິດວ່າໜັງເລື່ອງນີ້ເປັນແນວໃດ?chao khit va nang lueang nee pen naew dai?What do you think of this movie?
- Bຂ້ອຍຄິດວ່າໜັງເລື່ອງນີ້ດີຫຼາຍ.khoy khit va nang lueang nee dee laiI think this movie is very good.
- Aຂ້ອຍກໍ່ຄິດແບບນັ້ນຄືກັນ.khoy kor khit baeb nan khue kanI think so too.
- Bພວກເຮົາຄວນໄປເບິ່ງອີກເທື່ອໜຶ່ງ.phuak hao khuan pai beng ik thuea nuengWe should go see it again.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ດີ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ດີ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
