B Level 2.5: Thai Prepositions

Study Focus: Prepositions

• Prepositions in Thai usually require the presence of the verb อยู่ (yùu), meaning "to be located" or "to be present." This is then followed by the preposition word and the object of the preposition.

• Prepositions we commonly use are ใน (nai) "in,", บน (bon) "on," and ใต้ (dtâi) "under."

  • แมวอยู่ใต้โต๊ะ (maaeo yùu dtâai dtó) ➤ "The cat is under the table."

• To say something is between two other objects, we just need to use the word for "between," ระหว่าง (rá-wàang) and place the word กับ (gàp) between the two objects of the preposition.

  • บ้านของผมอยู่ระหว่างโรงเรียนกับร้านอาหาร

  • (bâan khǎawng phǒm yùu rá-wàang roong-riian gàp ráan-aa-hǎan)

    ➤ "My house is located between the school and a restaurant."

• Two more common prepositions are "near to," ใกล้กับ (glâi gàp), and "far from," ไกลจาก (glai jàak). Be careful since the words for "near" and "far" sound identical except for the difference in tone.

  • บ้านเขาอยู่ใกล้กับตลาด (bâan khǎo yùu glâi gàp dtà-làat)

  ➤ "His house is near the market."

  • ที่ทำงานอยู่ไกลจากบ้านของฉัน (thîi-tham-ngaan yùu glai jàak bâan khǎawng chǎn)

  ➤ "The office is far from my house."

Vocabulary & Phrases

• <<ขี่มอเตอร์ไซค์ (khìi maaw-dtooe-sai)<<

  • มอเตอร์ไซค์ (maaw-dtooe-sai) is the Thai pronunciation of "motorcycle."
  • The word for "ride" is ขี่ (khìi).
  • We use the same verb for "ride a bicycle," ขี่จักรยาน (khìi jàk-grà-yaan) and "ride a horse," ขี่ม้า (khìi máa).
  • However, we need a different verb to say "drive," ขับ (khàp), as in "drive a car," ขับรถ (khàp rót).

• <<ก็ได้ (gâaw dâai)<<

  • This is a very common phrase that means something like "that's okay" or "it's all right."
  • ก็ได้ (gâaw dâai) also commonly follows question words to form phrases such as:
  • อะไรก็ได้ (à-rai gâaw dâai) ➤ "Anything is okay"
  • ที่ไหนก็ได้ (thîi-nǎi gâaw dâai) ➤ "Anywhere is okay"

• <<ใช้เวลา (chái wee-laa)<<

  • This phrase literally reads "use time."
  • We use it when talking about how much time something takes up.
  • In a sentence, we directly follow it by stating the amount of time.
  • Remember that in Thai it's always the verb "to use," ใช้ (chái), in this formula; we never say "take time" like you do in English.

Watch Where You Put Your Feet in Thailand!

• Shoes are never worn in houses and temple buildings because they are dirty.
• Shoes get dusty and muddy from walking around outside.
• Feet are also looked at as lowly and dirty. You should never sit with your feet up on a table, sit with your feet pointing at someone or pointing forward toward a Buddha image in a temple, step over a person or animal, use your foot to point something out, or pick something up with your toes.