B Level 2.17: Present Continuous Tense in Thai

Study Focus: Present Continuous Tense

• There are two basic ways to construct a sentence in the present continuous tense. There is also a third way, which is just a combination of both methods.

• The first way is to put the adverb กำลัง (gam-lang) directly before the verb.

  • It indicates that the action is continuing at the present moment.

  • ผมกำลังกินข้าว (phǒm gam-lang gin khâao) ➤ "I'm eating a meal."

• The second method is to put the verb อยู่ (yùu) after the verb.

  • It indicates that the subject is in the middle of performing the action.

  • If there is an object of the verb, then อยู่ (yùu) will come after the object in the sentence.

  • ผมกินข้าวอยู่ (phǒm gin khâao yùu) ➤ "I'm in the middle of eating a meal."

• The third method is just to combine the first two.

  • You can place กำลัง (gam-lang) before the verb and อยู่ (yùu) after the verb.

  • When we use both methods together, it increases the emphasis on the fact that the action is happening right now.

  • ผมกำลังกินข้าวอยู่ (phǒm gam-lang gin khâao yùu) ➤ "I'm right in the middle of eating a meal."

• The meaning is essentially the same with either of them. However, if we use them both together, it increases the emphasis on the current, ongoing nature of the action.

• The three formulas are as follows:

  • กำลัง + Verb

  • Verb (+ Object) + อยู่

  • กำลัง + Verb (+ Object) + อยู่

Vocabulary & Phrases

• เหรอ (rǒoe)

  • This means "really?"

  • It is used in sentences where you are asking for a confirmation.

  • But it is also used just as commonly for rhetorical questions or statements where the speaker is expressing surprise or disbelief.

  • It can come at the end of the sentence, or it can go after the verb.

    • เขาพูดว่าฉันสวยเหรอ (khǎo phûut wâa chǎn sǔuai rǒoe)

      ➤ "He really said that I'm beautiful?"

    • เขาพูดเหรอว่าฉันสวย (khǎo phûut rǒoe wâa chǎn sǔuai)

      ➤ "He really said that I'm beautiful?"

• แค่นี้นะ (khâae níi ná)

  • This is a very convenient phrase to use when you are talking on the telephone and want to end the conversation.

  • แค่ (khâae) means "only" or "just," and นี้ (níi) means "this."

  • We use the particle นะ (ná) in this case to soften the phrase so it doesn't sound too abrupt or demanding.

  • It basically translates as "that's all," as in "That's all I had to talk about for now."

• ทำอะไรอยู่ (tham à-rai yùu)

  • This phrase is the question "What are you doing now?"

  • The verb "to do" is ทำ (tham), and อะไร (à-rai) is the question "What?"

  • When placed after another verb or at the end of a sentence, the verb อยู่ (yùu) makes the sentence into the present continuous tense.

  • By adding it to the end of this question, we are asking what the person is in the middle of doing.

What You Shouldn't Joke about in Thailand

• The majority of Thais believe in ghosts and dislike jokes about them.

• This dread of ghosts makes ghost films one of the most popular genres of film.

• There is typically at least one ghost film playing in theaters at any one moment. Thailand is home to numerous distinct sorts of ghosts.

• For instance, the ผีอํา (phi-am) will rest on your chest while you sleep and cause discomfort.

• Then there is the ผีกระสือ (phi-grà-sue), which appears as the floating head of a lovely woman with only her internal parts dangling from the head and no body.

• A ผีตายโหง (phi dtaai hong) is the ghost of an individual who died violently.

• These ghosts possess humans and must be persuaded or coaxed out of their bodies.

• One of the most terrifying ghosts is the ผีตายทั้งกลม (phi dtaai tháawng glom), which is the ghost of a mother who died during childbirth along with her kid.