เท่ากับ [tâogàp]: “as (adj./adv.) as”

Did you know that in informal Thai, you can omit the word “กับ” [gàp] in “เท่ากับ” [tâogàp] when you compare something to something else? It actually sounds better and more natural without it. Let’s take a look at the examples!

ไม่มีใครหล่อเท่าแฟนฉัน
[mâi mii khrai làw tâo fan chán]
Nobody is as handsome as my boyfriend.

ไม่มีอะไรสนุกเท่า(การ)เรียนภาษาไทย
[mâi mii arai sanùk tâo (gaan) rian paasǎa Thai]
Nothing is as fun as learning Thai.

บริทนี่ย์ร้องเพลงไม่เก่งเท่าวิทนีย์
[Britney ráwng pleeng mâi gèng tâo Whitney]
Britney doesn’t sing as well as Whitney does.

By the way, usually we put the negative particle “ไม่” [mâi] in front of a verb or an adjective but when there is an adverb modifying the verb, we put the negative particle in front of the adverb instead. This is one of the common mistakes Thai learners make, so make sure you don’t make it.

x x x This is W R O N G ↓
บริทนี่ย์ไม่ร้องเพลงเก่งเท่าวิทนีย์
[Britney mâi ráwng pleeng gèng tâo Whitney]

o o o This is C O R R E C T ↓
บริทนี่ย์ร้องเพลงไม่เก่งเท่าวิทนีย์
[Britney ráwng pleeng mâi gèng tâo Whitney]

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