FSI Lao Every Day Course

What is in the Lao Every Day course?

Lao Every Day, from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), helps learners build practical Lao skills for daily life. It brings together real conversation, essential grammar, and the kinds of words and expressions you’ll actually need in Laos. With 12 units spread over more than 200 pages, this material is structured for steady progress, blending speaking, listening, reading, and cultural awareness. Whether you’re just starting out or already know some Lao, it guides you through common situations and more nuanced exchanges.

Key Language Learning Topics and Skills

This course focuses on the Lao language as it’s spoken in daily life. Each unit covers a specific topic or theme relevant to real-world communication. Some of the major areas include:

- Making and understanding invitations

Learners practice inviting friends to events, responding to invitations, and talking about plans. This involves expressing intentions and discussing weekends or holidays.

- Giving, asking for, and following directions

Lessons guide you through asking where something is, understanding how to get there, and describing locations. You’ll learn to give detailed instructions using landmarks, turns, and prepositions.

- Booking hotels and talking about travel

Dialogues and activities center on reserving rooms, asking about amenities, and discussing travel arrangements. This includes handling common situations in hotels or with transportation.

- Talking about hobbies and leisure time

You’ll learn to describe your interests, ask what others like to do, and talk about plans for free time or vacations.

- Handling practical daily exchanges

The material covers asking and answering questions about time, duration of stays, and schedules. It also teaches you to talk about costs, make arrangements, and clarify details.

Each lesson builds four core skills:

- Speaking

- Listening

- Reading

- Vocabulary development

You’ll find yourself using Lao for real communication, not just textbook drills.

Grammar Points, Vocabulary Themes, and Cultural Elements

The course doesn’t just teach words; it explains how Lao sentences work. Here are some highlights:

Grammar Points

- Questions with "When?"

You’ll practice several ways to ask about times and dates, using phrases like ເມື່ອໃດ (when), ຍາມໃດ (at what time), and ເທື່ອໃດ (when, at what time).

- Talking about the future

Forms like ຈະ (will) help you say what you plan to do. You’ll get comfortable expressing intentions and making arrangements.

- Expressing likes and preferences

The verb ມັກ (to like) is used in both simple and complex sentences, so you can talk about what you or others enjoy, whether it’s food, activities, or places.

- Prepositions and place words

You’ll learn words for left, right, near, far, upstairs, downstairs, and so on, plus how to use them to describe locations and movements.

- Numbers, time phrases, and duration

There are sections for asking how long you’ll stay, how many nights, and when events happen.

Vocabulary Themes

- Directions and transportation:

Words for street, intersection, traffic light, turn left/right, and common buildings.

- Hotel and lodging:

Room types, costs, availability, checking in/out, paying, and amenities.

- Hobbies and free time:

Terms for sports, music, reading, traveling, cooking, and visiting places.

- Social gatherings and invitations:

Expressions for inviting, accepting, declining, and suggesting activities.

- Tourist cities and landmarks:

Names of major towns, provinces, and places to visit in Laos are introduced naturally.

Cultural Elements

- Politeness and social norms:

The dialogues reflect common ways of being polite, showing respect, and speaking to friends or strangers.

- Leisure and family life:

You’ll read and hear about weekend plans, family gatherings, and typical Lao hobbies, offering a window into daily life.

- Temples and religious activities:

Several conversations include visiting temples, making merit, and attending ceremonies, which are important in Laos.

Teaching Methodology and Approach

This material uses a communicative approach, blending structured practice with real conversation:

- Dialogues

Each lesson features natural Lao conversations. These are presented with English translations and clear speaker labels. You’ll see how native speakers ask questions, respond, and keep a conversation going.

- Vocabulary lists

Key words and phrases are listed with translations, making it easy to review or look up new terms.

- Grammar explanations

There are clear tables and examples for sentence patterns, question forms, and verb usage.

- Pronunciation and tone drills

Several sections focus on sound practice, including vowels, tones, and word stress. You repeat and compare similar-sounding words to build listening and speaking skills.

- Practice and response drills

The course offers structured exercises, such as taking turns asking and answering questions, or filling in missing information.

- Role-plays and activities

Each unit has practical activities. You might act out booking a hotel, asking for directions, or inviting a friend out. These are designed to help you use Lao in real situations.

- Cultural notes

Some units highlight local customs, polite forms, and what’s typical in Lao society.

Throughout, you’re encouraged to practice both with a partner and alone. The lessons are interactive, moving from guided practice to more open-ended conversation.

How Difficulty Progresses and Topics Build

The material starts with common, everyday exchanges and gradually adds complexity. Here’s how it develops:

- Early lessons

Introduce basic questions, greetings, and simple requests.

- Middle units

Move to directions, transportation, and booking services. You’ll use more detailed sentences and handle trickier vocabulary.

- Later lessons

Tackle social invitations, expressing plans, and discussing abstract topics like hobbies. The grammar gets more varied, and the conversations become longer and richer.

- Integrated skills

As you progress, earlier vocabulary and grammar are recycled in new contexts. For example, giving directions uses both place words and time phrases you learned before.

- Review and practice

Each lesson ends with review questions and activities to reinforce what you’ve learned.

- Role-plays and games

Towards the end, you’ll handle more open-ended scenarios, such as helping someone who’s lost, or planning a trip with friends.

You’re never left to guess what’s going on. Each new skill is introduced step by step, with plenty of examples and chances to practice.

Who Will Benefit and What You Need to Begin

This material works best for adult learners, travelers, expats, or professionals who want to use Lao for real communication. It’s ideal if you:

- Want to speak and understand spoken Lao in daily life

- Need to handle common situations like finding your way, booking a room, or talking about plans

- Appreciate learning language through conversation, not just drills

You don’t need to know Lao before starting, but being comfortable with reading the Lao script will help. The course uses both Lao and English, so you’ll see and hear how words and sentences fit together.

No prior knowledge of Lao grammar or culture is required—everything is explained step by step. However, regular practice is important, and having a partner will make the activities more effective.

If you’re looking for a practical, engaging way to learn Lao, especially for life in Laos, this material gives you a solid foundation.