🇱🇦 Lao phrases

How to Say "I don't know" in Lao

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
ຂໍອະໄພ
"I don't know" in Lao · say it like kho ah-pai

The most natural way to say "I don't know" in Lao is ຂໍອະໄພ. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

ບໍ່ຮູ້
more casual way to say it
ຂໍອະໄພບໍ່ໄດ້
more formal way to express uncertainty

When to use it

Use this phrase when you genuinely do not have the information someone is asking for. It can be used in both formal and informal situations. It's polite to use when someone expects you to know something but you do not.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "I don't know" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Lao

LaoEnglish
ຂໍອະໄພ, ຂໍແຈ້ງບໍ່ໄດ້.I don't know, please explain.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this phrase with 'ຂໍອະໄພບໍ່ໄດ້', which is more formal.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear ຂໍອະໄພ, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Lao with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use 'ຂໍອະໄພ'?

Use it when you want to express that you do not have the answer to a question.

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