ເປັນ

Lao

Etymology

From Proto-Tai *m̩.pelᴬ (“to be; to become”). Cognate with Thai เป็น (bpen), Northern Thai ᨸᩮ᩠ᨶ, Lü ᦔᦲᧃ (ṗiin), Tai Nüa ᥙᥥᥢ (pen), Shan ပဵၼ် (pǎen), Ahom 𑜈𑜢𑜃𑜫 (bin), Zhuang baenz, Saek พั๊น.

Pronunciation

• (Vientiane) IPA^(key): [pen˩(˧)]
• (Luang Prabang) IPA^(key): [pen˩˨]
• Hyphenation: ເປັນ
• Rhymes: -en

Verb

ເປັນ • (pen) (abstract noun ການເປັນ or ຄວາມເປັນ)

1. (copulative, transitive) to be; to become, get
2. (intransitive) to live, exist
3. (intransitive) to come back to life, to regain consciousness
4. (transitive) to be ill, to have a disease

Derived terms

• ເປັນຫຍັງ (pen nyang, “why?”)

See also

• ຄື (khư̄)
• ແມ່ນ (mǣn)
• ຢູ່ (yū)