Thai word
ล่ะ
lâ
那...呢/温和的质疑助词
How to pronounce ล่ะ
Falling tone
Starts high, falls quickly to low
ล่ะ is written lâ and carries the falling tone. Listen first, then copy the pitch — in Thai the pitch belongs to the word the way a vowel does.
Same syllable, five tones
Thai uses pitch to tell words apart. Below is the same syllable on each of the five tones — nothing changes but the pitch. Say your word (highlighted) on one of the other four and a Thai listener hears a different word, or none at all.
-
la
Mid tone
-
là
Low tone
- ล่ะ
lâ
Falling tone
-
lǎ
Rising tone
-
lá
High tone
What does ล่ะ mean?
Translation
那...呢/温和的质疑助词
ล่ะ (lâ) means "那...呢/温和的质疑助词" in Thai.
Example sentences
ผมกินข้าวแล้ว คุณล่ะ
phŏm gin khâao láew, khun lâ
我 phŏm gin khâao láew 了。您呢？
เดี๋ยวไปไงดีล่ะเนี่ย รถเมล์ก็ไม่มา
dǐao bpai ngai dii lâ nîia, rót-may gâw mâi maa
那我们怎么去呢？公交车都没来。
Test yourself
One word from the same tone group. Its meaning is not on this page — see whether it stuck.
What does this word mean?
ห้า
hâa
Related words
More words with the falling tone — the same pitch shape, different words.
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