The expression “มัวแต่..(อยู่)” is used in a situation where you do something with a lot of attention for a long time, without caring about other things that you are supposed to do, or in most cases, you are so absorbed in doing something that you forget to do something else that is more important or necessary to get done. For example, อย่ามัวแต่เล่น ดูน้องด้วย [yàa mua tàe lên, duu nóng dûai] “Don’t just play, look after your younger brother too”. ขอโทษที่ลืมโทรไปหา พอดีมัวแต่ดูทีวีอยู่เลยลืมเลยว่าต้องโทรไป [kŏr tôde tîi leum to pai hăa por dii mua tàe duu teewee yùu leoi leum leoi wâa tông to pai] “Sorry I forgot to give you a call. I was absorbed in watching TV and forgot I had to call you”. มัวแต่เล่นเฟสบุ๊คอยู่นั่นแหล่ะ อ่านหนังสือได้แล้ว [mua tàe lên Facebook yùu nân làe àan nŭng sěu dâi léaw] “Why are you only using Facebook? You’d better study now”. เออ จริงด้วย ทำไมเราคิดไม่ถึงนะ มัวแต่คิดอยู่ว่าจะทำยังไงดี [er jing dûai, tummai rao kíd mâi teŭng ná mua tàe kíd yùu wâa jà tam yangngai dee] “Oh yeah, that’s true, why didn’t that cross my mind? I was thinking forever what to do”.

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