Building a sentence

A simple Thai action sentence often follows the same basic order as English: subject, verb, object. Some verbs don't need an object, and information already understood can be left out. Learn where the main parts go, then add details such as time and place.

A place phrase often follows the action. ที่ is a general location marker: ที่บ้าน means at home. Its meaning won't always match one particular English preposition. More specific location words, such as ใน, inside, and บน, on top of, make the relation clearer when needed.

• เด็กdèkchildนอนnɔɔnsleepsที่tîiatบ้านbâanhome

  The child sleeps at home.

• ย่าyâaGrandmaทำงานtam-ngaanworksที่tîiatตลาดdtà-làatmarket

  Grandma works at the market.

Time expressions often come first to set the scene. They can also come at the end. พรุ่งนี้, tomorrow, can make a sentence about the future without จะ, although จะ may still be used to express an intended or expected action.

• พรุ่งนี้prûng-níitomorrowปู่bpùuGrandpaซื้อsʉ́ʉbuysหนังสือnǎng-sʉ̌ʉbook

  Tomorrow Grandpa will buy a book.

  พรุ่งนี้ supplies the future time. The verb ซื้อ doesn't change its form.

• เมื่อวานmʉ̂a-waanyesterdayแม่mɛ̂ɛMumกินginateข้าวkâaorice; mealที่tîiatบ้านbâanhome

  Yesterday Mum ate at home.

  Here the time phrase comes first and the location comes after the action.

Short markers carry meanings that English often expresses with auxiliaries or verb forms. จะ comes before the verb for an intended or future action, and ไม่ comes before it to negate it. แล้ว can follow the action to indicate a completed event or a new situation.

• ย่าyâaGrandmaไม่mâinotกินgineatsเนื้อnʉ́ameat

  Grandma doesn't eat meat.

• ปู่bpùuGrandpaกินginateข้าวkâaorice; mealแล้วlɛ́ɛoalready

  Grandpa has already eaten.