What Language Do They Speak in Laos?

Official language of Laos Lao

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

The official language of Laos is Lao.

Learn some Lao before you go

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We are also a member of the CJ Affiliate and AWIN affiliate networks. Links below are affiliate links.

AMAZON

Lao Phrasebook & Dictionary
The essentials for ordering food, asking directions and being polite.

Check Price →

AMAZON

Learn Lao for Beginners
A structured course book to go beyond the basics.

Check Price →

Languages of Laos at a glance

Official language	Lao
Number of official languages	1
Countries on this site where Lao is official	1
People (demonym)	Laotian
Capital	Vientiane
Internet domain	.la

Languages of neighbouring countries

Myanmar	Burmese
Cambodia	Khmer
China	Chinese
Thailand	Thai
Vietnam	Vietnamese

Laos in context

Laos covers 236,800 km², making it the 82nd largest of the 196 countries on this site.
Its population density of about 32 people per km² ranks 148th of 196 (1st = most crowded).
It shares a land border with 5 countries: Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam.
Laos is landlocked, with no direct coastline.
With 7,647,000 people, Laos holds about 1.1% of the population of South-Eastern Asia.
Traffic drives on the right, and calendars start the week on Monday.
Laos is a member state of the United Nations.

Useful phrases for visitors to Laos

Everyday Lao phrases you will hear and use in Laos:

English	Lao
Hello	ສະບາຍດີ (sabaidee)
Thank you	ຂອບໃຈ (khop chai)
Please	ກະລຸນາ (kaluna)
Goodbye	ລາກ່ອນ (la kon)
Yes	ແມ່ນ (maen)
No	ບໍ່ (bo)

Spellings can vary by region, and some languages use different forms for formal or informal speech. Even a simple greeting in the local language is usually appreciated.

Languages in Laos — FAQ