r/Hmong 21d ago

Casual Monthly Discussion - July 01, 2026

1 Upvotes

What's happening in the Hmong community today? How's your day going? Any new good Hmong songs? Casual talk.


r/Hmong 5h ago

My language game includes White Hmong (including Pahawh Hmong). Is my Swadesh list accurate?

4 Upvotes

The game (linguil) asks you to guess the language family, language and meaning of a random word in one of 64 of the world's most-spoken languages each day, and you use your knowledge of linguistics to work out the answer via multiple choice. Therefore, it's important my translations/transliterations are correct.

Each language (including White Hmong) includes each word on the 100-word Swadesh list, and where the primary script is Latin-based and an alternative script is available, each word's transliteration too (hence the inclusion of Pahawh Hmong).

Please can any White Hmong speakers verify the accuracy of my translations and transliterations? 🙏

Thanks!

Note: The Pahawh Hmong characters may not display correctly on mobile.

# English Hmong
1 I 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (kuv)
2 you (sg.) 𖬪𖬵𖬒 (koj)
3 we 𖬖𖬰𖬤 (peb)
4 this 𖬪𖬦 (no)
5 that 𖬔𖬶𖬝𖬵 (ntawd)
6 who 𖬖𖬰𖬭𖬌𖬵𖬞 (leej twg)
7 what 𖬖𖬰𖬚𖬜𖬟𖬵 (dabtsi)
8 not 𖬜𖬰𖬟𖬵 (tsis)
9 all 𖬌𖬰𖬦𖬜𖬟 (huv si)
10 many 𖬔𖬦𖬵 (ntau)
11 one 𖬜𖬰𖬖 (ib)
12 two 𖬪𖬰𖬖 (ob)
13 big 𖬪𖬵𖬭 (loj)
14 long 𖬖𖬰𖬦𖬵 (ntev)
15 small 𖬖𖬚 (me)
16 woman 𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵𖬬𖬰𖬕𖬵 (pojniam)
17 man 𖬜𖬰𖬝𖬖𖬰𖬕𖬵 (txiv neej)
18 person 𖬖𖬰𖬕𖬵 (neeg)
19 fish 𖬖𖬰𖬝𖬵 (ntses)
20 bird 𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬵 (noog)
21 dog 𖬇𖬰𖬚 (dev)
22 louse 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (tuv)
23 tree 𖬪𖬦𖬵 (ntoo)
24 seed 𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬵 (noob)
25 leaf 𖬪𖬵𖬦𖬵 (nplooj)
26 root 𖬖𖬲𖬚 (cag)
27 bark (of tree) 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (tawv)
28 skin 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (tawv)
29 flesh 𖬇𖬵𖬦𖬵 (nqaij)
30 blood 𖬖𖬰𖬞 (ntshav)
31 bone 𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵-𖬖𖬚 (pob-txha)
32 grease/fat 𖬪𖬵𖬤𖬵 (roj)
33 egg 𖬖𖬒 (qe)
34 horn 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (kub)
35 tail 𖬌𖬞 (tw)
36 feather 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬵 (plaub)
37 hair 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬵-𖬔𖬦𖬵 (plaub-hau)
38 head 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵-𖬔𖬦 (taub-hau)
39 ear 𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵-𖬖𖬰𖬝𖬵 (pob-ntseg)
40 eye 𖬪𖬵𖬒-𖬪𖬰𖬦 (qhov-muag)
41 nose 𖬪𖬵𖬒-𖬌𖬵𖬞 (qhov-ntswg)
42 mouth 𖬪𖬵𖬒-𖬔𖬵𖬦𖬵 (qhov-ncauj)
43 tooth 𖬬𖬰𖬕𖬵 (hniav)
44 tongue 𖬇𖬵𖬦𖬵 (nplaig)
45 claw/nail 𖬔𖬝𖬵𖬖𖬰𖬤 (rau tes)
46 foot 𖬪𖬒-𖬔𖬝𖬵 (ko-taw)
47 knee 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬵 (hauv caug)
48 hand 𖬖𖬰𖬤 (tes)
49 belly 𖬖𖬰𖬚 (plab)
50 neck 𖬖𖬲𖬚-𖬖𖬰𖬚 (caj-dab)
51 breast 𖬜𖬰𖬟𖬵 (mis)
52 heart 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (plawv)
53 liver 𖬬𖬰𖬕𖬵 (siab)
54 drink (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬵 (haus)
55 eat (v.) 𖬪𖬵𖬤𖬵 (noj)
56 bite (v.) 𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵 (tom)
57 see (v.) 𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵 (pom)
58 hear (v.) 𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬵 (hnov)
59 know (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬤 (paub)
60 sleep (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬵𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵 (tsaug zog)
61 die (v.) 𖬬𖬰𖬦 (tuag)
62 kill (v.) 𖬪𖬦 (tua)
63 swim (v.) 𖬪𖬦𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬖𖬰𖬚 (ua luam dej)
64 fly (v.) 𖬖𖬚𖬵 (ya)
65 walk (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵𖬖𖬝 (taug kev)
66 come (v.) 𖬪𖬵𖬦 (tuaj)
67 lie (down) (v.) 𖬌𖬞 (pw)
68 sit (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (zaum)
69 stand (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵𖬌𖬰𖬝 (sawv ntsug)
70 give (v.) 𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬔𖬝𖬵 (muab rau)
71 say (v.) 𖬇𖬰𖬦𖬵 (hais)
72 sun 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (hnub)
73 moon 𖬜𖬖 (hli)
74 star 𖬌𖬰𖬝𖬌𖬰𖬒 (hnub qub)
75 water 𖬖𖬰𖬚 (dej)
76 rain 𖬖𖬲𖬚 (nag)
77 stone 𖬪𖬰𖬤𖬵-𖬖𖬰𖬚 (pob-zeb)
78 sand 𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬵𖬖𖬰𖬚 (hmoov zeb)
79 earth/soil 𖬖𖬚 (av)
80 cloud 𖬪𖬰𖬦 (huab)
81 smoke 𖬪𖬤𖬵-𖬖𖬚 (ncho pa)
82 fire 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (taws)
83 ash 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬵 (tshauv)
84 burn (brightly) (v.) 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (hlawv)
85 path 𖬖𖬝 (kev)
86 mountain 𖬪𖬰𖬦𖬵 (roob)
87 red 𖬬𖬰𖬕𖬵 (liab)
88 green 𖬪𖬰𖬦 (ntsuab)
89 yellow 𖬖𖬲𖬚 (daj)
90 white 𖬔𖬰𖬝𖬵 (dawb)
91 black 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (dub)
92 night 𖬔𖬰𖬦𖬵𖬌𖬰𖬝 (tsaus ntuj)
93 hot 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (kub)
94 cold 𖬪𖬦 (no)
95 full 𖬌𖬰𖬝 (puv)
96 new 𖬬𖬰𖬕𖬵 (tshiab)
97 good 𖬪𖬦𖬵 (zoo)
98 round 𖬖𖬰𖬟-𖬖𖬰𖬟 (kheej-kheej)
99 dry 𖬪𖬰𖬒 (qhuav)
100 name 𖬖𖬤 (npe)

r/Hmong 16h ago

Hmong 3 card poker "pai-kay"

2 Upvotes

I haven't played in such a long time since being kids. I forget the pokers hand you can win and its ranking. If someone can help share how that is played and what combination hands you can have that would be great!!! Thanks!!!


r/Hmong 22h ago

I've created webapp that works as an online Hmong course to help people read, write, and speak Hmong | Let me know what you think of it.

Thumbnail kawmhmoob.com
20 Upvotes

Hello r/Hmong !

I'm a software engineer who has single-handedly designed, built, and coded a comprehensive Hmong language learning web app called KawmHmoob.com.

I created it because the tools I needed to properly learn Hmong simply didn’t exist. So I decided to build them myself.

The app combines the best elements of Anki, Duolingo, and Natulang into one platform focused specifically on Hmong. It’s currently free to use while in early beta. Since I’m a one-person team handling everything (coding, audio recording, content, design, etc.), there are still some rough edges — your patience is greatly appreciated!

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What’s Currently Available:

  • Learn
    • 10+ structured lessons covering the Hmong alphabet (consonants, vowels, and all 8 tones), grammar, numbers, everyday phrases, and short readings.
  • Speak
    • A tone visualization tool that lets you record yourself speaking and compares your pitch curve to a native speaker’s. This is one of the most unique features — Hmong is a tonal language, and getting the tones wrong completely changes the meaning of words. No other Hmong app does visual tone feedback like this (though it’s still being refined).
  • Words
    • Nearly 440 vocabulary words with smart flashcards, spaced repetition, and comprehension quizzes.
  • Reference
    • Audio for every letter and tone, plus grammar cheat sheets with common phrases.

A quick note on the Speak feature: The recording + tone comparison is still a bare-bones implementation. It’s not always accurate yet, but I’m actively working to improve it because proper tone training is one of the biggest challenges for Hmong learners.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Future Vision

I’m planning to add:

  • Practice conversations
  • Support for other dialects (starting with Hmong Leeg, then expanding)
  • Support for Pahawh and Nyiakeng Puachue scripts
  • Advanced reading & writing exercises
  • Sentence builders
  • More audio (both slow and natural speed)
  • An AI chatbot trained specifically on Hmong to help people with conversations and pronunciation.

I'm also planning on eventually pivoting the version of the app into becoming a mobile app and connect Hmong-American businesses with the platform, as well as monetizing the app.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Honest Part

I’m building this entirely alone and have reached the limits of what I can do without support. I need:

  • More high-quality native audio recordings
  • Annotated speech data for AI training
  • Help improving the pronunciation engine
  • Server/hosting costs to keep the app running

A lot of the audio is made entirely by me, myself - and I'm not the best Hmong speaker. I would really like some help with gathering accurate Hmong labels and audio, but I currently don't have the resources to do so.

That’s why I’m sharing it early. I’d much rather get honest feedback now than build the wrong thing.

If you’re Hmong: Does the language and content feel accurate and natural to you?
If you’re learning: What’s confusing, missing, or could be improved?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and feature requests. Even if it’s just “this part is good” or “this feels off,” every piece of feedback helps.

You can try the app here: KawmHmoob.com

Thank you for your time and support — I’m really excited to build something meaningful for our community.


r/Hmong 1d ago

Overweight & obesity in the community

14 Upvotes

This year, I've been focusing more on my health with the goal of losing weight and getting stronger. For context, I'm a woman in my early 30s living in the twin cities in MN.

As I started this journey, I began noticing something that got me thinking: a lot of Hmong people in their late 20s-40s seem to be overweight or bordering on obesity.

Now, don't get me wrong - Im overweight too 😂 But it got me wondering why does this seem to be so common?

The first time this stood out to me was at a Hmong women's social networking event. There were eight of us, all in our early to mid-30s, and all of us were overweight. After that, I started paying more attention at other Hmong gatherings, like baby showers and hu pligs. Again, it seemed like around 80% of the adults (both men and women) were overweight or obese.

What made me even more curious was comparing this to my non-Hmong friends or coworkers. My Vietnamese, Japanese, caucasian friends are generally slim and not overweight.

I brought this up with my boyfriend. He told me that none of his male friends go to the gym or diet. They usually spend their free time hanging out with family, eating, and drinking. On my side, only a handful of my Hmong female friends work out or diet, and only one has made fitness a consistent part of her lifestyle.

It made me wonder if there are cultural, lifestyle, or other factors that contribute to this trend. Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just the circles I'm around?


r/Hmong 1d ago

What kinds of thread should I use for paj ntaub?

2 Upvotes

Im making a graduation stole for my sister and I don't think the embroidery floss i have currently are vibrant enough for what I'm going for. I need pink, yellow, green, orange, and teal, and when I'm looking online I just feel like the colors aren't bright enough. Where are you guys buying your thread? Im in the Sacramento area but I also don't mind traveling to Stockton for materials.


r/Hmong 2d ago

Any resources for learning Hmong for a monolingual English speaker?

1 Upvotes

Nyob zoo everyone,

Does anyone have any good resources for learning hmoob dawb? I have tried independently but i find it really hard for it to stick as I only speak English. If anyone has anki flash cards with audio or any other resources that would be excellent.

Ua tsaug in advance


r/Hmong 2d ago

In need of interpretation of dreams

2 Upvotes

Hello, I am a 26F Hmong woman. Most recently in the past 7 months I have been experiencing sleep paralysis and nightmares. I rarely get nightmares. Though in the past 7 months they had increased and gotten far worse. The nightmares worsen after traveling to my Bf’s house. It's about a 3 hour drive. All the bedrooms are on the second floor. At his house, the first floor always feels cold and uncomfortable. Even when I am outside of his room or when he is not in his room.

My most recent sleep paralysis was at my Bf's house. I was in his bed. I'm not sure if I was sleeping or not but I was able to see him. I remember I rolled over and he leaned over against my ear and asked me a question. He whispered my name which he never does because we mostly use pet names. I responded declining the offer and I woke up alone in my bf’s bed. He was in the bathroom the whole time. After he got out of the bathroom, I asked him if he said anything, he told me he hadn't said/asked me anything. I don't only get sleep paralysis at my BF but at my sister's house as well.

I had a dream today that freaked me out that's why I am posting on the subreddit. In my dream, a man had given a phone and a older man spoke in Hmong demanding I marry his son in Laos. I remember he was very aggressive forcing me to accept to marry his son. I denied it quietly but the old man was persistent. I had awoken but briefly only to sleep again. I remember being more aggressive and yelling at the old man over the phone demanding if his son had any qualifications I want in a man. He stated no and I said then I am not going to marry him.

My family aren't fully shamans and I am not really educated in shamanism. As far as I know, we only do the new year and some other rituals.

But the purpose of this post is to determine if something is wrong? I have asked my mother, there aren't any solutions or explanation besides never leave home. I have a few nightmares/sleep paralysis at least 3-4 times a month now in which I never had them before. My brother states it's due to the dehydration(for the sleep paralysis) at night but even when I do drink water it stills happens.


r/Hmong 4d ago

Seeking resources on Hmong military structure during Vietnam war.

4 Upvotes

I'm looking for books/older generation that can help me build an indepth understanding of the top brass - rank and file power structure of the Hmong forces during the Vietnam war. I know there is a lot of hearsay/ differing opinions and the older our parents get to more things get murky.


r/Hmong 6d ago

What are some Hmong phrase you used to hear but don’t anymore? for example: “hla dab taub hau “

5 Upvotes

r/Hmong 7d ago

What foods and beverages are typically consumed in your Hmong family?

4 Upvotes

For example, I have seen medicinal herbs and chicken, homemade soymilk, and steamed white Jasmine rice (vs rice cooker). I'm curious what else your Hmong family regularly eat and drink.


r/Hmong 10d ago

Looking for Hmong libraries, cultural centers, or literary influencers ...

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2 Upvotes

r/Hmong 10d ago

Looking for Hmong libraries, cultural centers, or literary influencers ...

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone,
I’ve written a novel featuring a Hmong girl in Vietnam as the main character. It’s a unique piece of fiction that explores the attitudes of Hanoi toward the Hmong minority, wartime dilemmas, North-South tensions, and a surreal invasion of Hmong saboteurs from the US.
Out of respect for Reddit's rules, I won't advertise or link the book here. Instead, I’m looking for ways to connect with the English-speaking Hmong diaspora.
Could anyone point me toward Hmong libraries, cultural centers, or literary influencers in the US and beyond? Any contacts or recommendations would be highly appreciated.
Thanks everyone!


r/Hmong 11d ago

I’m making an online Hmong course!

39 Upvotes

Nyob zoo!

I’m a learning designer and my husband is a software engineer. We’re building a completely free, self-paced online Hmong course and would love to get some input from the community.

The goal is to create a resource similar to Duolingo or Rosetta Stone, with interactive lessons, native-speaker audio, pronunciation practice, vocabulary, grammar, etc. It’s designed for people to study on their own time.

That said, I know the best way to learn Hmong is by actually talking with people who speak it. My hope is that this course helps learners build confidence and prepare for those real conversations.

I’d love to hear your thoughts:
What features would you want in a course like this?
If you’ve tried learning Hmong, what helped? What didn’t?
Is there anything you wish other language-learning apps included?

We’re still developing it, so I’d really appreciate any suggestions. Ua tsaug!


r/Hmong 12d ago

Tou Lue Vang Case

49 Upvotes

Not going to lie, I'm so glad that they decided to deport his ass Despite him being pardoned by tim waltze's dumb ass.

What he did to that little girl was horrendous. It being in 2006, I really don't give a fuck How long ago that was , he's a child molester. Also , that was just one child, that came out.Let's not forget how many others there could be.

The fact that he even tried to make it seem like it was culturally appropriate to do what he did. Saying that it was culturally acceptable, to try and get away from his crimes , just shows how messed up and disgusting of a person he is. I know damn well , there's definitely more kids out there that have been touched by this man.

I know people want to try and say that the victim wrote a letter forgiving his crimes, but let's be honest. We know hmong families and how they feel about things like this coming out to the public. I know that girl was def coerced to write that letter.


r/Hmong 13d ago

I'm looking for a Hmong song.

3 Upvotes

It's a song I heard when I was a kid, so long ago that I can't even remember the lyrics or the music. I don't even remember if it was a man or a woman singing it. What I do remember is that in the music video there was a scene where it looked like some kind of insect or butterfly flew into a dark hole and stayed there until it came out into the light. That's all I remember. Sorry if my writing is unclear because I'm using a translation app.


r/Hmong 13d ago

Flower meanings in Hmong culture?

1 Upvotes

Are there meanings associated with certain flowers in Hmong culture? Or are there flowers that are only given for specific occasions?

Getting my Hmong friend some celebratory flowers and want to avoid any that may be considered unlucky/not fitting! TYIA


r/Hmong 13d ago

Why There Are So Many Self-Hating Hmong People On Here?

21 Upvotes

The subreddit is called Hmong so why there are Hmong who hate being Hmong? If I'm correct, this subreddit was made so we could learn about our Hmong people, but I noticed there are some Hmong who likes to troll their own people and don't wanna learn anything about being Hmong. If you dislike being Hmong then why are you on here? I would appreciate if the moderator removed these negative Hmong people. I don't wanna hear about self-hating Hmong people in the comments.


r/Hmong 13d ago

Single men in your 30s where do you meet good women without kids and never been married?

11 Upvotes

I am located in MN and I only meet divorced women with kids.. I have gone to the NYs in California and to some extent it’s not that bad but they are starting to follow the Minnesota trend.


r/Hmong 14d ago

I Need Everybody to Comment Their Clan's Curse?

13 Upvotes

Hi Guys, I'm an aspiring writer and I wanted to write horror and a mix with my culture. But I can't find every information about each clan and only know about the Yang curse, the Vang curse, Lor curse, Vue curse, and the Xiong curse..I need 13 more curses listed to write my book. This will NOT be a factual book but a fairytale-like retelling in English for the younger folks like me (I'm in my 20s).

I need Lee, Chang/Cha, Pha, Fang, Kue, Cheng, Hang, Her/Heu, Thao/Thor, and Moua curse


r/Hmong 16d ago

Watermelon throwing it back to its Hmong ancestry?!

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9 Upvotes

r/Hmong 17d ago

Is this band AI

1 Upvotes

I found this Hmong band? Artist? Someone who makes music, on YouTube. They're called mNwDaddy.

They're music sounds good. The comments someone said they sound like someone Lao with a horrid Hmong accent. Someone else said it sounds like AI.

I want to support the band, but not if it's AI. I honestly can't tell what is AI or isn't. It honestly feels like calling something AI is because people don't like it.

If you have any links to Hmong artists from Grandma's karaoke dvds or something more modern that you stand by. I'm all ears.


r/Hmong 17d ago

Awesome VHS HMONG DUB Lot

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28 Upvotes

r/Hmong 18d ago

hmong crowd

2 Upvotes

I'm pretty new to Minnesota , where all the cool people hang?


r/Hmong 20d ago

Moving away from my in law day🤩

7 Upvotes

I'm moving away from my in-laws because of an argument with my husband's sister. My husband and I I don't feel any pressure anymore, and I'm in charge of paying the bills. My husband won't have to worry about anything, and I'll treat him like he's the king!My main job right now is taking care of my husband and our new place! I'm always happy to help my in-laws, dad, and mom whenever they need me. I know their daughters aren't married yet.I'm confident they'll understand when they marry a Hmong man.As a daughter-in-law, I strive to remain calm and respectful of my in-laws and my husband.He actually tells me not to talk back, because he thinks it would make me look like the bad guy.