Ever thought about combining your daily routine with a bit of language practice? I love using my to-do list for this. It's quick, it's easy, and it keeps me consistent without feeling like studying. Let me show you how to do the same.
Why use to-do lists for Lao practice?
Think of it as a five minute Lao workout you were going to do anyway. You're writing the list either way, so you may as well write it in Lao.
Learning a language isn't just about studying. It's about making Lao part of your day and using the words you actually need, not the ones a textbook thinks you need. And of course, every time you tick something off, you're making progress twice over.
What if I can't write in Lao yet?
That's completely fine. Write your list in Lao karaoke instead, which is Lao written in Latin letters. There's no right or wrong way to do it since it isn't standardised, so just write it the way you hear it.
Creating your first Lao to-do list
1. 📝 Grab your tools
A notebook, a pen, or your favourite notes app. Whatever you'll actually use. Then write your heading: Things to do, ສິ່ງທີ່ຕ້ອງເຮັດ singthee tohng hed.
2. 📖 Keep a dictionary handy
Have a Lao dictionary nearby for the words you get stuck on. Looking one up as you go is much more likely to stick than learning a list in advance. If you're not sure which to use, I've put together some recommendations in the LES Community.
3. 📅 Write the date
Dates come up constantly in real conversations, whether you're making plans or talking about when something happened, so this is worth practising every single day.
In Laos we write the date as DD/MM/YYYY. You can also write it out in full, which gives you reading practice too.
So if today is Monday the 1st of January 2026, here are a few ways to write it:
With the day of the week:
- ວັນຈັນ ທີ 1 ເດືອນ 1 ປີ 2026
ວັນຈັນ ທີ ໑ ເດືອນ ໑ ປີ ໒໐໒໖*
vanchan thee 1 deuan 1 pee 2026 - ວັນຈັນ ທີ ໜຶ່ງ ເດືອນ ໜຶ່ງ ປີ ສອງພັນຊາວຫົກ
vanchan thee neung deuan neung pee song-phan-saao-hok - ວັນຈັນ ທີ 1 ເດືອນມັງກອນ ປີ 2026
vanchan thee 1 deuan mangkohn pee 2026 - ວັນຈັນ ທີ ໜຶ່ງ ເດືອນມັງກອນ ປີ 2026
vanchan thee neung deuan mangkohn pee song-phan-saao-hok
Without the day of the week:
- ວັນທີ 1 ເດືອນ 1 ປີ 2026
ວັນທີ ໑ ເດືອນ ໑ ປີ ໒໐໒໖*
vanthee 1 deuan 1 pee 2026 - ວັນທີໜຶ່ງ ເດືອນ ໜຶ່ງ ປີ ສອງພັນຊາວຫົກ
vanthee neung deuan neung pee song-phan-saao-hok - ວັນທີ 1 ເດືອນມັງກອນ ປີ 2026
vanthee 1 deuan mangkohn pee 2026 - ວັນທີໜຶ່ງ ເດືອນມັງກອນ ປີ ສອງພັນຊາວຫົກ
vanthee neung deuan mangkohn pee song-phan-saao-hok
*using traditional Lao numerals
If you want to challenge yourself further, try the Buddhist year: 2569 ໒໕໖໙
4. ☑️ List your tasks in Lao
Adjust your list to your level. The further along you are, the more detail you can add.
When you're just starting, write your list in English first and then translate it. As you get more comfortable, you'll find yourself writing straight into Lao.
FOR BEGINNERS
◻︎ Wake up - ຕື່ນ teun
◻︎ Take a shower - ອາບນ້ຳ aab naam
◻︎ Cook - ເຮັດກິນ hed kin
◻︎ Eat food - ກິນເຂົ້າ kin khao
◻︎ Go to work - ໄປເຮັດວຽກ pai hed viak
◻︎ Go to school - ໄປໂຮງຮຽນ pai honghian
◻︎ Go to the market - ໄປຕະຫຼາດ pai talaad
◻︎ Workout - ອອກກຳລັງກາຍ ohk kamlang kaai
◻︎ Read a book - ອ່ານປຶ້ມ aan peum
◻︎ Meet a friend - ໄປຫາໝູ່ pai haa moo
◻︎ Meet my parents - ໄປຫາພໍ່ແມ່ pai haa phoh mae
FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS
- ◻︎ Wake up at 6 - ຕື່ນ 8 ໂມງ teun paed mong
- ◻︎ Take a shower by 7 - ອາບນ້ຳກ່ອນ 7 ໂມງ aab naam kohn 7 mong
- ◻︎ Cook for the kids - ເຮັດກິນໃຫ້ລູກ hed kin hai look
- ◻︎ Eat breakfast - ກິນເຂົ້າເຊົ້າ kin khao sao
- ◻︎ Go to work and drop off the kids at school - ໄປເຮັດວຽກ ແລະ ສົ່ງລູກຢູ່ໂຮງຮຽນ pai hed viak lae song look yoo honghian
- ◻︎ Go buy vegetables at the market - ໄປຊື້ຜັກຢູ່ຕະຫຼາດ pai seu phak yoo talaad
- ◻︎ Workout with a friend - ອອກກຳລັງກາຍກັບໝູ່ ohk kamlang kaai kab moo
- ◻︎ Read 1 page of the book - ອ່ານປຶ້ມ 1 ໜ້າ aan peum 1 naa
- ◻︎ Meet my parents on Monday - ໄປຫາພໍ່ແມ່ວັນຈັນ pai haa phoh mae vanchan
5. 🗣️ Read it out loud
Then read your list out loud. It's the easiest speaking practice there is, and saying the words is what makes them stick.
Stuck on a word for your list? Ask me in the LES Community and I'll help you write it. There's a searchable library of vocabulary in there too, so you may well find it before you even ask.
A few tips
Start small, with tasks from your daily routine, and keep it fun:
- Use what you know: start with verbs and words you already have, and go for tasks that come up most days. Those are the ones that will stick. And of course, you don't have to write the whole thing in Lao either, so mix in English for the rest.
- Expect it to feel slow at first: it will take you longer than writing in English, and that's okay. It gets quicker the more you practise.
- Keep it quick: five minutes is plenty. The goal here is consistency, not a perfect list.
- Have fun with it: add colours, little drawings, or your own categories to make it feel like yours.
- Celebrate the wins: do take a moment when you tick something off. You just did that in Lao!
Ready to start?
Take five minutes today and write your first Lao to-do list. Even three or four tasks will do.
And if writing a to-do list is something you already do in English, you might as well give it a go in Lao! It's such a simple way to bring the Lao language into your day, and every word you write and say brings you that little bit closer. You've got this 💪🏼
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