ສະບາຍດີ ເຈົ້າສະບາຍດີບໍ່
sabaidee, jao sabai dee baw
The English phrase "hello, how are you" is translated into Lao as ສະບາຍດີ ເຈົ້າສະບາຍດີບໍ່ (sabaidee, jao sabai dee baw).
The phrase is a common greeting used to say hello and ask about someone's well-being. In many social situations, simply saying ສະບາຍດີ is sufficient as a greeting without needing to ask how the person is.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ສະບາຍດີ is composed of sabaai, meaning comfortable/well and dee, meaning good. The word ເຈົ້າ functions as the second-person pronoun "you".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations exist for asking how someone is.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ເຈົ້າ functions as the second-person pronoun "you" in this greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
sabaidee, jao sabai dee baw
Did you know?
- While ເຈົ້າ means 'you' in this greeting, it is also the most common word used to say 'yes' in Lao.
- The level of respect in the greeting can be adjusted not just by words, but by how high you hold your hands during the 'nop' gesture relative to your face.
- The word ສະບາຍ is a loanword from the Khmer language, where it originally referred to a feeling of being at ease or relaxed.
Examples in context
- ສະບາຍດີ ເຈົ້າສະບາຍດີບໍ່ ສັນຕິsabai di chao sabai di bo santiHello, how are you, Santi?
- ສະບາຍດີ ເຈົ້າສະບາຍດີບໍ່ ມື້ນີ້sabai di chao sabai di bo mue niHello, how are you today?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ສະບາຍດີ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
