lah

See also: LAH, -lah, and --lah

Translingual

Symbol

lah

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Lahnda.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Lahnda terms

English

WOTD – 9 August 2015

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɑː/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː

Etymology 1

An anglicised spelling of la.

Noun

lah (plural lahs)

1. (music) Alternative spelling of la

Etymology 2

From Malay lah, Cantonese 啦 (laa1) and Hokkien 啦 (--la). Doublet of la.

Alternative forms

• la, lar

Pronunciation

• (Singapore, Malaysia) IPA^(key): /lɑː/*
  • *The different senses of this word are distinguished by lexical tone.
  • Variant for senses 1–4: IPA^(key): [lɑh˨]

Particle

lah (Manglish, Singlish)

2. Placed at the end of a sentence to accentuate the mood or attitude of the speaker.

   Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

   Don’t do it lah, it’s not worth it. ― Disapproval

   Hurry up, lah! ― Impatience

   • 1978, Leong Choon Cheong, Youth in the Army, Singapore: Federal Publications, →OCLC, page 75:

     Don’t know lah […] this is very hard to say.

   • 2007, Elangovan, P, Singapore, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 47:

     Even if you don't know, just pretend as if you know-lah Mike. You are embarrassing me you know.

   • 2020, Stephanie Street, Dragonflies, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act 2, scene 2, page 110:

     Please lah, you want to save me, save me the headache.

   • 2024 July 16, Clement Yong, “Theatre review: National Day Charade mimes familiar criticisms of NDP but doles out a lesson or two”, in The Straits Times, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited:

     In a few months that have been both dispiriting and heartening with regard to public art […] is it any wonder that one of the most earnest things one can say to Singapore right now is: “Stop complaining, lah”?

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:lah.
4. Placed at the end of a sentence to convey reassurance or express solidarity.

   Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

   You won’t drown one lah. The water is very shallow.

   • 1999, Alfian Sa'at, Corridor, Singapore: SNP Editions, →OCLC, page 15:

     Don’t worry lah. We’ll meet the deadline.

6. Indicates an attempt at expressing sympathy, being sincere, conveying informality or establishing a rapport with the listener.

   Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨]

   Just try your best lah, and don’t think too much about it.

   • 1990, Pao Kun Kuo, “No Parking On Odd Days”, in The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole and Other Plays, →OCLC, page 63:

     I mean, I didn’t want to break the law, and I honestly went down to find out whether that place was OK to park or not. Let’s be fair lah, you can’t expect me to see one sign saying something and still go a long way to see if there is another one saying something else.

   • 2016, Junjia Ye, quoting Jayakumar, chapter 5, in Class Inequality in the Global City: Migrants, Workers and Cosmopolitanism in Singapore, Palgrave Macmillan UK, →ISBN, pages 139–140:

     I had Malay friends who were just turned away like that. It’s quite bad lah.

   • 2022, Hunter Ng, As Coarse as Emporium, Jettison Books, →ISBN:

     You know that for tattooing, we are supposed to use disposable needles, right? Well, Joseph (Rough Face) will tell us not to throw them away after use. The next morning when I come into the studio, the needle box is always full again but the needles are without their original seal. You know why lah.

   • 2024, Jojo Chia, Afternoon Yuan Yang Club, Epigram Books, →ISBN:

     Aiyah, we will always chat or message what... We’ll keep in touch lah, hor?

8. Placed at the end of an assertive statement to express denial or dismissiveness.

   Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

   — I don’t think you should be cutting corners, at least put in some effort and make it look legit.
   — They won’t care one lah... I don’t have all day...

   • 2011, Robert Yeo, The Adventures of Holden Heng, Epigram Books, →ISBN:

     “No lah,” she had said, almost casually to his proposal. He was flabbergasted.

   • 2012 March 25, Maureen Koh, quoting Ha Wai Kay, “Her luck is in the duck”, in The Straits Times, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited, PEOPLE, pages 6–7:

     No lah, they must look at it this way... even though the founder (Colonel Harland Sanders) of KFC has died, his recipe lives on.

   • 2011, Siong Chye Sim, Once Bitten, Never Shy: Confessions of a Backpacking Diplomat, Armour, →ISBN, page 63:

     Don’t bother about him lah. Let’s pack up and get some sleep as we have a long day ahead.

   • 2013, Kevin Kwan, chapter 3, in Crazy Rich Asians, Doubleday, →ISBN:

     “Papa, I’m telling you—the property was immense. It was like the Istana. The driveway itself went on for miles.”
     “Cannot be! Two or three acres I might believe, but fifty? No such thing, lah.”

10. Used after an assertive statement to reinforce its authoritativeness, or to show that the speaker is confident with what they are saying.

    Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

    These shoes are too small lah.

    No need to count lah. I’m sure the number is right.

    • 1997, Eric Khoo, James Toh, 00:27:01 from the start, in 12 Storeys:

      Eleven, eleven thirty, same same lah.

    • 2007, Michael Vatikiotis, Singapore Ground Zero, Talisman, →ISBN, page 3:

      Every once in a long while when someone asked why, he said: “No time-lah. So busy-leh.”

    • 2008, Preeta Samarasan, Evening Is the Whole Day, Fourth Estate, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 116:

      “Keretapi Tanah Melayu means railway lah thanggachi [தங்கச்சி (taṅkacci), term of address for a younger woman],” the man went on. “Means Malay Land Railway. Malay Land that means Malaysia lah [Sense 6], thanggachi, that also you don’t know ah? […]

12. Asserts that something is clear, obvious or straightforward.

    Pitch contour: falling [lɑ(ː)˦˨]

    Get a whiteboard marker and write over it lah.

    They’re not wrong lah... But they’re only taking themselves into consideration.

    • 2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene v, page 30:

      Mud you can clean up. Cobwebs you can sweep away. Stains, use bleach lah!

    • 2009, Alfian Sa'at, “Nadirah”, in Collected Plays Three, Singapore, →ISBN, Scene ii, page 57:

      Nadirah: You never told me Sally was leaving. I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye.
      Sahirah: You visit her lah when you go to KL.

14. Used to tone down an imperative sentence, so it sounds more like a request or suggestion.

    Pitch contour: falling [lɑ(ː)˦˨]

    • 2013 June 18, Huang Lijie, quoting Samantha Lo, “Sticking to budding artist label”, in The Straits Times, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited, LIFE! Arts, page 2:

      I remember my friends telling me, 'People already say you're an artist, then be one lah.'

16. Indicates strong persuasion at the end of an imperative sentence.

    Pitch contour: mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

    Don’t waste your time there lah.

    • 2014, Danielle Lim, The Sound of SCH: A Mental Breakdown, A Life Journey, Ethos Books, →ISBN:

      […] I say politely, No thank you, it’s okay. But he insists, Take lah, never mind, no need to pai-seh!

18. Indicates a retrospective remark, a reassessment of one’s opinion, or an attempt at finding a middle ground.

    Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

    — Not many people would think of using a pressure cooker.
    — I mean, it’s pretty unconventional lah, I have to admit.

    • 1994, C. S. Chong, NS: An Air-Level Story, Singapore: Times Books International, →ISBN, page 58:

      Oh well, it was xiong, but overall OK, lah.

    • 2019 March 5, Ong Ye Kung, “Committee of Supply – Head K (Ministry of Education)”, in Parliamentary Debates: Official Report (Parliament of Singapore), volume 94:

      He said that in the past, […] a teacher might admonish a noisy class and say: “4N(T), keep quiet!” Immediately, all the N(T) students felt that they were singled out. Today, the teacher would say: “NCC, keep quiet!” and the Normal stream students feel: “Okay lah.”

    • 2021 December 9, Ilyas Sholihyn, Rainer Cheung, quoting Syed, “20 Years On, What Do Singaporeans Remember About JI’s Failed Bomb Plot?”, in ricemedia.co‎^[1], archived from the original on 9 December 2024:

      Different priorities lah these days.

    • 2022, Bernice Loh, chapter 4, in Tween Girls' Dressing and Young Femininity in Singapore: Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast?, Springer Nature Singapore, →ISBN, page 94:

      Interviewer: But what is expensive to your parents? Like $50 for a dress?
      Lola: Er ... it’s not that bad lah.

20. Reinforces a suggestion with the implication that it is the more practical option.

    Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

    The nearest train station is 15 minutes away. I think we take the bus lah, hor?

    Use the mittens lah.

22. Indicates confirmation-seeking at the end of an inferential statement.

    Pitch contour: falling [lɑː˦˨]

    In other words, you’re the one who started it lah!

    • 2019 June 4, Ethel Pang, “As Long As SAP Schools Exist, ‘Chinese Elitism’ in Singapore Will Exist”, in ricemedia.co‎^[2], archived from the original on 10 February 2025:

      “Huh? SAP school? Oh, you mean Chinese schools lah.”

24. Used to express realisation, or vexation when something is already obvious.

    Pitch contour: falling [lɑː˦˨]

    So in the end it wasn’t my fault lah!

    Do it yourself lah! Always need me to help is it?

    • 1983, Stella Kon, Emily of Emerald Hill, →ISBN, Act 1, page 14:

      When Richard was going to join Anglo-Chinese School I expected the father to bring him to see the Headmaster, after all he was from ACS himself, but he couldn't be bothered. (Emily imitates Kheong's brusque brush-off) 'You look after it, you arrange it lah!'

26. (less common) Reinforces the factuality of an assertive statement made to correct an inaccurate, underlying assumption.

    Pitch contour: mid-rising [lɑ(ː)˧˦]

    Oh wait it’s not today, lah. It’s on Sunday.

28. (less common) Used to convey a slight sense of dissatisfaction or irritation.

    Pitch contour: mid-rising [lɑ(ː)˧˦]

30. (less common) Used for enumeration.

    Pitch contour: mid [lɑː˧]

    • 2010, Haresh Sharma, Those Who Can't, Teach, Epigram Books, Act I, scene ii:

      He teach them how to cook lah, learn computer lah... […]

32. (chiefly Malaysia, less common in Singapore) A separator, used to reverse the order of the usual topic–comment structure of a sentence.

    Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨]

    No fun lah, you. ― You’re no fun.

    • 2014, Latha [K. Kanagalatha], The Goddesses in the Living Room, Singapore: Epigram Books, →ISBN, page 102:

      “Who lah that Panjali? A real ‘number nine’ [From Tamil ஒன்பது (oṉpatu), a derogatory term for a transgender person].”
      “You don’t play a fool you know. He is not a ‘number nine’, not a hermaphrodite, but a man. He is the one who has been cross-dressing and performing the role of Panjali for many years.”

34. (less common) Used sarcastically.

    Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑː˨], (in the example below) high-mid [lɑ(ː)˦]

    No lah, no lah. ― No, definitely not. (sarcastic reply)

See also

• (Singlish particles): ah, hor, know, leh, liao, lor, mah, meh, one, sia, what

References

• Wong, J. (2004) “The particles of Singapore English: a semantic and cultural interpretation”, in Journal of Pragmatics, volume 36, number 4, →DOI, pages 739–793
• Ler Soon Lay, Vivien (2006) “A relevance-theoretic approach to discourse particles in Singapore English”, in Kerstin Fischer, editor, Approaches to Discourse Particles, →DOI, pages 149–166
• Lee, Junwen (2022) “An Analysis of Colloquial Singapore English lah and Its Interpretation across Speech Acts”, in Languages, volume 7, number 3, →DOI, page 203

Further reading

• Singlish "lah", with a possible deep connection to colloquial Arabic from Language Log
• Manglish "lah" and its affinity to Arabic "muhibbah" from Language Log

Anagrams

• Ahl, HAL, HLA, Hal, LHA

Malay

Alternative forms

• la, ah (Etymology 1, informal, clipping)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lah]
• Rhymes: -ah
• Hyphenation: lah

Etymology 1

Particle

lah (Jawi spelling له)

1. (informal) Final particle indicating an imperative, reassurance or emphasis.

   Saya ada di sini lah. ― I'm here.

   Kau ni bodoh betul lah! ― You are so stupid!

   Diam lah! ― Shut up!

   Pergi sana lah! ― Go there!

Descendants

• → English: lah (or directly from Cantonese 啦 (laa¹))

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Interjection

lah (Jawi spelling له)

1. (dialectal, informal, Kelantan-Pattani, Pahang, Perak, Terengganu) Used to invite someone to do something.

   Synonyms: jom, ayuh, mari

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

burung lah (Jawi spelling بوروڠ له, plural burung-burung lah)

1. A type of bird; Pitta brachyura cyanoptera.

   Synonym: kubung

Further reading

• “lah” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• laȝ, laȝgh, laghe, lawe, law, louȝ, lou, loȝ, logh, lough, low, lowe, loue

Etymology

From Old Norse lágr, from Proto-Germanic *lēgaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɑːx/

Adjective

lāh (plural and weak singular lāhe, comparative lāhere, superlative lāhest)

1. low

Related terms

• alowe

Descendants

• English: low
• Geordie English: law
• Scots: laich

References

• “loue, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɑːx/

Verb

lāh

1. first/third-person singular preterite indicative of lēon

Slovene

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *volxъ, from Proto-Germanic *walhaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /láx/
• Rhymes: -ax
• Hyphenation: lah

Noun

lȁh m anim

1. (obsolete) Italian

Declension

First masculine declension (hard o-stem, animate) , fixed accent
nom. sing.	lȁh
gen. sing.	láha
	singular	dual	plural
nominative imenovȃlnik	lȁh	láha	láhi
genitive rodȋlnik	láha	lāhov	lāhov
dative dajȃlnik	láhu, láhi	láhoma, láhama	láhom, láham
accusative tožȋlnik	láha	láha	láhe
locative mẹ̑stnik	láhu, láhi	lāhih, lāhah	lāhih, lāhah
instrumental orọ̑dnik	láhom	láhoma, láhama	lāhi
(vocative) (ogȏvorni imenovȃlnik)	lȁh	lȃha	lȃhi

First masculine declension (hard o-stem, animate) , fixed accent
nom. sing.	lȃh
gen. sing.	lȃha
	singular	dual	plural
nominative imenovȃlnik	lȃh	lȃha	lȃhi
genitive rodȋlnik	lȃha	lȃhov	lȃhov
dative dajȃlnik	lȃhu, lȃhi	lȃhoma, lȃhama	lȃhom, lȃham
accusative tožȋlnik	lȃha	lȃha	lȃhe
locative mẹ̑stnik	lȃhu, lȃhi	lȃhih, lȃhah	lȃhih, lȃhah
instrumental orọ̑dnik	lȃhom	lȃhoma, lȃhama	lȃhi
(vocative) (ogȏvorni imenovȃlnik)	lȃh	lȃha	lȃhi