ຕຳຫຼວດ
tam lūat[tam˩(˧).luːə̯t̚˧˩]
The English word "police" can be translated into Lao as ຕຳຫຼວດ (tam lūat). Wiktionary also lists ໂປລິດ (pō lit).
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ຕຳຫຼວດ | tam lūat | [tam˩(˧).luːə̯t̚˧˩] (narrow) [tam˩˨.luːə̯t̚˥˥˨] (narrow) |
| ໂປລິດ | pō lit |
The term refers to a local or general law enforcement agency.
Which one should you use?
ຕຳຫຼວດ is the standard term for police. ໂປລິດ is a loanword from English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ຕຳຫຼວດ is the standard, formal and most common term used in official contexts and daily speech. In contrast, ໂປລິດ is used in informal, colloquial speech.
How do you pronounce it?
tam lūat
Did you know?
- The formal word ຕຳຫຼວດ is derived from the word for 'inspect' or 'examine'. This reflects a historical view of the police as inspectors of public order rather than just arresters.
- When addressing a police officer in Laos, it is common to use the term ທ່ານ meaning 'sir' or 'respected person' before ຕຳຫຼວດ to show proper social status.
- The Lao word for police ຕຳຫຼວດ shares a linguistic root with the Thai word for police ตำรวจ, as both languages evolved from similar regional administrative influences.
Examples in context
- ທະຫານຕ້ອງລໍຖ້າຕຳຫຼວດມາ.The soldiers must wait for the police to come.This sentence is useful for practicing the word ຕຳຫຼວດ.Tatoeba #8991656 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8991657 by Analu_Kalaka
- ໂຮງໜັງຢູ່ໄກຈາກເຮືອນຂ້ອຍຫຼາຍ, ແຕ່ຫ້ອງການຕຳຫຼວດຢູ່ໃກ້.The movie theater is very far from my house but the police station is close.Tatoeba #8995281 by Analu_Kalaka, translation #8995282 by Analu_Kalaka
- ຕຳຫຼວດກຳລັງມາຮອດແລ້ວ.tam luat kam lang ma hod laew.The police are arriving now.
Example conversation
A person reports a lost bag to a friend.
- Aຂ້ອຍຊອກຫາກະເປົາບໍ່ເຫັນ.khoy sok ha ka pao bo henI can't find my bag.
- Bເຈົ້າໄປແຈ້ງຕຳຫຼວດແລ້ວບໍ?chao pai chaeng tam luat laew boHave you reported it to the police?
- Aຍັງ, ຂ້ອຍບໍ່ຮູ້ວ່າຕຳຫຼວດຢູ່ໃສ.yang, khoy bo hu wa tam luat yu saiNo, I don't know where the police are.
- Bຂ້ອຍຈະພາເຈົ້າໄປເດດນີ້.khoy cha pha chao pai det niI will take you there right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations and entries ຕຳຫຼວດ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
