P i c k u p T h a i

One word that might still sound unfamiliar even to advanced learners is the word “กะ” [gà], which is an informal counterpart of the verb “ตั้งใจ” [tâng jai]. Thai learners are often taught to use “ตั้งใจ” [tâng jai] for “To plan/to intend to do something”, but in an informal spoken language, most of the time, we use “กะ” [gà].…

In colloquial Thai language, we use the expression “อย่าง .. หรือ .. อะไรแบบนี้” [yàang .. rěu .. arai bàep níi] when we want to list examples of things that belong to the same unofficial category.

“อย่าง” [yàang] in this context means “like” as a preposition or “for example” and “อะไรแบบนี้” [arai bàep níi] translates to “something like that.”…

“ไหนๆก็ [năi năi gâw] A, B” means since it is A, it would be better to do B. You can sometimes translate it as “might as well”. For example, “ไหนๆเขาก็ขอโทษแล้ว ก็ให้อภัยเขาเถอะ” [năi năi káo gâw kăw tôde léaw, gâw hâi apai káo tèr] “Since he has already apologized, you might as well forgive him”.…

The sense of the expression “ไม่ถึงกับ” [mâi teǔng gàp] or “ไม่ถึงขนาด” [mâi teǔng kanàat] is similar to “not to the point where..” but in some cases, it could be best translated as “not exactly”, implying that something is not quite some way but close to being so. For examples: “เขาหน้าตาดีนะ แต่ไม่ถึงกับสวย” [káo nâataa dii ná tàe mâi teǔng gàp suăi] “She’s pretty good-looking but not exactly beautiful”.…

“ไม่เอา” is usually used when you want to refuse an offer or to say that you do not want something. However, if you add the particle “น่า”, of which the tone generally changes from falling [nâa] to low [nàa] when spoken, at the end of the phrase, it means something along the lines of “Come on!…

The expression “ก็ว่าไปอย่าง” [kôr wâa pai yàng] is used to express that the consequence would be different, usually better or more understanding, if the situation was different from how it is in reality. The literal meaning is “then I would say differently”. For examples, แกไปชอบเขาทำไม ถ้านิสัยดีก็ว่าไปอย่าง แต่นี่… [gae pai chôrb káo tummai.…

อย่าว่าแต่ . . เลย [yàa wâa tàe . . loei] means “not just” or “not only”. Usually, it is used in a sentence consisting of two clauses where the other clause often begins with “ขนาด” [kanàat] or “แค่” [kâe]. The sentence, thus, generally expresses the idea of “Not only…, even… ” For example, อย่าว่าแต่คุณเลย ขนาดผมก็ยังอยากไป [yàa wâa tàe khun loei, kanàat phŏm kâw yang yàak pai] Not only you, even I want to go.…

“เอาอีกแล้ว” [ao ìik léaw] could translate as “There he goes again!” (you can replace “he” with any other pronouns but “I” and “we”). This expression is generally exclaimed when somebody just repeated the same action that he had done before and it is not a good thing or he had better not do it for some reason.…

“เลยตามเลย” [loei taam loei] is used as an idiom meaning to “leave it like that.” or to “let it keep going.” It is generally used when someone makes a mistake or does something that makes some situation become difficult to fix so he has to just leave or accept the situation as it is without trying to change it.…

“ไหน” [năi] comes from “ที่ไหน” [tîi năi], which means “where”. However, in colloquial language, it is used in many more contexts than just asking about location. For example: “ไหน บอกมาซิ” [năi bàwk maa sí] Tell me! tell me! “ไหน ขอดูหน่อยซิ” [năi kŏr duu nòi sí] Let me see! let me see!…

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.…

This expression could be translated as “still”, “even so”, “yet” or “nevertheless”. It is often used to complain, reproach or criticize someone who does something that is clear that he is not supposed to do or just the opposite of what he should do or vice versa. For example “อ้วนแล้วยังจะกินเยอะอีก” [Uân léaw yang jà gin yér ìik] “You’re already fat but even so, you eat so much”.…

แล้ว [léaw] means “and then”, e.g. ตรงไปแล้วเลี้ยวซ้าย [trong pai léaw líaw saái] Go ahead and then, turn left. ค่อย [kôi] is used in front of a verb to imply that you will do that action in the future – not now e.g. เดี๋ยวค่อยกิน [dǐaw kôi gin] I’ll eat that later. ว่า [wâa] is often used after verbs that you would normally use the word “that” after, like คิด [kíd] think (that..),…

“ตาม” [taam] as a preposition means “according to”, “as” or “along” e.g. “ตามคำสั่ง” [taam kam sàng] according to the order, “ตามตกลง” [taam tòk long] as agreed, “ตามถนน” [taam ta nǒn] along the street. And “นั้น” [nán] is a demonstrative adjective meaning “that”. For example, “อันนั้น” [an nán] that one or “คนนั้น” [kon nán] that person.…