ให้: give, do for and let
Use the position of ให้ to recognise giving, doing something for someone and permission.
ให้ is common and has several related uses. It can mean give, introduce the person who benefits from an action, or introduce someone allowed or asked to act. Look at what comes before and after it. As an ordinary verb meaning give, it can be followed by the thing given and then the recipient.
ให้เงิน means give money; ให้ของขวัญ means give a gift. In this pattern the thing comes before the person.
After another action, ให้ can introduce the person the action is done for. ซื้อกาแฟให้ผม means buy coffee for me. Unlike English buy me coffee, this Thai pattern puts the coffee before the recipient.
If the thing is understood, it can be omitted: ซื้อให้ผมหน่อย means buy it for me, please.
When ให้ comes before a person followed by another verb, it can mean let, allow, have or get someone to do something. ให้เขาไป means let them go. พ่อให้ผมทำงาน can describe Dad letting me work or having me work; context determines the intended meaning. Negation comes before ให้: พ่อไม่ให้ผมไป means Dad won't let me go. อยากให้ expresses wanting someone to act, as in ผมอยากให้คุณมา, I want you to come.
With no first person stated, ให้เขาไปก่อน can mean let them go first. Look for the action after the second person.
Learn ทำให้ as a useful combination meaning cause or make something happen. เพลงนี้ทำให้ผมมีความสุข means this song makes me happy. The cause comes before ทำให้; the affected person and the resulting situation follow it.
Mum gave me some money.
Buy me a coffee, please.
The Thai order is buy + coffee + for + me.
Dad won't let me go.
Let them go first.
This song makes me happy.
Common mistake
English for has several Thai equivalents. สำหรับ often identifies an intended recipient or use, as in หนังสือสำหรับเด็ก, books for children. When asking someone to do an action for you, learn the ให้ pattern: ซื้อกาแฟให้ผม, buy coffee for me. Don't replace every English for mechanically with สำหรับ.
Practise
Kai says
Thai verbs don't change their endings for past and future. Context and words such as จะ, a future marker, tell you when something happens.