Thai word
เล่า
lâo
讲述/叙述
How to pronounce เล่า
Falling tone
Starts high, falls quickly to low
เล่า is written lâo 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.
-
lao
Mid tone
-
lào
Low tone
- เล่า
lâo
Falling tone
-
lǎo
Rising tone
-
láo
High tone
What does เล่า mean?
Translation
讲述/叙述
เล่า (lâo) means "讲述/叙述" in Thai.
Example sentences
เดี๋ยวเล่าเรื่องเมื่อวานให้ฟังนะ
dǐeow lâo rûuang mûuea-waan hâi fang ná
dǐeow，我把 mûuea-waan 的 rûuang 讲给你听 ná。
เขาเล่าว่าเจอผี แต่ปรากฏว่าเป็นแค่แมว
kǎo lâo wâa jer phǐi, dtàae bpraa-gòt wâa bpen kâae maew
他说他看到了鬼，结果只是一只猫。
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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