ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມັກເຈົ້າ
khā pha chao mak chao
The phrase 'I like you' in Lao is translated as ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມັກເຈົ້າ (khā pha chao mak chao). Wiktionary also lists ຂ້ອຍມັກເຈົ້າ (khǭi mak chao).
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມັກເຈົ້າ | khā pha chao mak chao | |
| ຂ້ອຍມັກເຈົ້າ | khǭi mak chao | informal |
What does it mean word for word?
The informal phrase ຂ້ອຍມັກເຈົ້າ is composed of khǭi (I), mak (like) and chao (you).
Which one should you use?
The form khā pha chao mak chao uses the formal version of 'I' (khā pha chao), whereas khǭi mak chao uses the informal 'khǭi'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ຂ້ອຍມັກເຈົ້າ is the standard informal way to say 'I like you' among friends or peers. ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມັກເຈົ້າ is the formal version.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ມັກ (to like) does not change its form based on the subject or tense.
How do you pronounce it?
khā pha chao mak chao
Did you know?
- In very intimate or casual settings, speakers may use ກູ (ku) and ມຶງ (mueng) instead of ຂ້ອຍ and ເຈົ້າ, but using these with strangers is considered highly offensive.
- Because of the close relationship between the Lao and Thai languages, a speaker of Thai would understand ຂ້ອຍມັກເຈົ້າ almost perfectly, though some vocabulary differs.
- In many Lao social settings, people often omit the words 'I' and 'you' entirely and simply say ມັກ (mak) to imply 'I like (you)'.
Example sentences for Lao are not verified yet.
Example conversation
A expresses their feelings to B during a walk.
- Aຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມັກເຈົ້າ.khap phachao mak chao.I like you.
- Bຂອບໃຈ, ຂ້ອຍກໍມັກເຈົ້າຄືກັນ.khob chai, khoy kor mak chao khu kan.Thank you, I like you too.
- Aເຈົ້າເວົ້າແທ້ບໍ?chao vao thae bor?Are you serious?
- Bເວົ້າແທ້, ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າຈິງ.vao thae, khoy vao ching.Yes, I am telling the truth.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
