Buy used:
$19.89
$3.99 delivery May 16 - 22. Details
Or fastest delivery May 14 - 17. Details
Used: Good | Details
Sold by HPB-Red
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Tatsuo Hoshino
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Lao for Beginners: An Introduction to the Spoken and Written Language of Laos (Tuttle Language Library) Paperback – May 1, 2001

by Tatsuo Hoshino (Author), Russell Marcus (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 24 ratings
See all formats and editions
This is an effective and concise self–study Lao language book.

Lao for Beginners is for the person who is beginning to learn Lao. It is an incredibly useful introduction to spoken Lao for tourists, businesspeople or students. Lao for Beginners is primarily a workbook full of exercises to help beginners practice and acquire the ability to communicate with Lao people in spoken Lao. It is not a phrase book to scratch the surface of the Lao language. The book has been tested in classrooms and by individuals who have used it successfully to learn Lao. This beginning Lao text was designed for people who want to learn how to speak Lao fast. The book mainly teaches speaking Lao although there is a section which teaches reading Lao. The vocabulary in the whole text is limited to the 1,000 most frequently used words in everyday speech based on one of the author's own research in Vietnamese. The Lao words are listed in a special glossary for beginners which is arranged in English alphabetical order. To make studying easier, all exercises are written in phonetic Lao as well as authentic Lao script. As an additional aid, a review of the major features of Lao grammar is condensed into only 16 pages (including very useful tables) and is located in one place so that it can be read quickly and used as a reference frequently. Lao for Beginners is organized in five parts:
  • Part 1: How to speak Lao.
  • Part 2: Grammar Review.
  • Part 3: How to Read Lao.
  • Part 4: Lao–English Glossary for Beginners.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    210 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Tuttle Publishing
  4. Publication date
    May 1, 2001
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0804816298
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0804816298
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

About the Author

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tuttle Publishing; 6th edition (May 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 210 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0804816298
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0804816298
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 24 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Tatsuo Hoshino

Tatsuo Hoshino

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
24 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great transaction. Highly recommend
Helpful
 Report
Nicole Salas
4.0 out of 5 stars great book small font
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
The less in this book are very well organized, they flow with the learning process. The font is a little tiny so reading the Lao characters tend to tire my eyes. However I do not have 20/20 vision either.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
ck
3.0 out of 5 stars not easy and simple for beginners
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
not easy and simple for beginners
Helpful
 Report
Mark Bartlett
5.0 out of 5 stars A great start
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2007
I've been using this book on and off for 20 years and have found it very useful indeed. I always go back to it to brush up. It's simple (if a little crude in terms of its presentation) but it's systematic, breaks down the sentence structure into meaningful blocks of text and uses both lao script, phonetics (including numbers for the correct tone), as well as the English translation. There are a few mistakes here and there but not serious. It should be remembered that Lao is not spoken by a whole lot of people (between 5-15 million?) and there aren't many books that cover this language. This is the best introductory book that I've seen.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Karen Vinacour
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2014
Verified Purchase
Not helpful. Print too small
Helpful
 Report
A. Sombat
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to understand
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2007
This book is easy to use. It has all of the basics phrases and works that you could use in the country. Well worth the price.
Helpful
 Report
Mark A. Davis
4.0 out of 5 stars Learn to speak Lao
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2006
The books offers an easy to understand method of learning to speak Lao. After a quick study of the book I was able to communicate with a native Lao speaker and be understood. However the book doesn't really focus on the language a modern person might want if traveling in Laos.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
A.H.
2.0 out of 5 stars there are 2 books with the same name!
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2010
There are two books 'called Lao for beginngers' and 2 books called 'Let's learn Lao'. I have not seen the Tuttle publications book. The one by Buasawan Simmala and Benjawan Poomsan Becker (Baipoon publishing 2003) has lot of audio. It has many problems, but the words in Lao are spelled correctly.

Teach yourself methods have recently become very flimsy because few of the buyers actually get through them, so an author can sell a lot of substandard books. But for those who want to learn this is rather cruel punishment. It would be useful if the authors tried to learn a language from a book like what they have produced.
Helpful
 Report