Adverbs

Thai adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing more information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action or quality occurs. Similar to adjectives, they generally follow the word they modify.

1. Position of Adverbs

The most common position for an adverb is after the verb or adjective it modifies.

Basic Structure:

Verb + Adverb Adjective + Adverb

Examples:

พูด + ดัง (phûut dang) พูด (phûut) = to speak ดัง (dang) = loudly Translation: Speak loudly. เดิน + ช้าๆ (doen cháa-cháa) เดิน (doen) = to walk ช้าๆ (cháa-cháa) = slowly (often repeated for emphasis or continuous action) Translation: Walk slowly. สวย + มาก (sǔuai mâak) - Here, มาก (mâak) acts as an adverb modifying the adjective. สวย (sǔuai) = beautiful มาก (mâak) = very Translation: Very beautiful.

Sometimes, adverbs of time or place can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence for emphasis, but the default modifying position is after the verb/adjective.

2. Adverbs of Manner

These describe how something is done. They typically follow the verb.

Examples:

กิน + เร็ว (gin reo) กิน (gin) = to eat เร็ว (reo) = fast Translation: Eat fast. ทำ + ดี (tham dii) ทำ (tham) = to do ดี (dii) = well / good Translation: Do well. ร้องเพลง + เพราะ (rɔ́ɔng phleeng phrɔ́) ร้องเพลง (rɔ́ɔng phleeng) = to sing เพราะ (phrɔ́) = beautifully / melodiously Translation: Sing beautifully.

3. Adverbs of Degree / Intensifiers

These describe to what extent something is true. We covered มาก (mâak) with adjectives, but it can also

มาก (mâak): Very, much (after adjective or verb) Examples: กินมาก (gin mâak) - Eat a lot. ชอบมาก (chɔ̂ɔp mâak) - Like very much.

น้อย (nɔ́ɔi): Little, few (after verb) Examples: กินน้อย (gin nɔ́ɔi) - Eat little. นอนน้อย (nɔɔn nɔ́ɔi) - Sleep little.

เกินไป (goen-bpai): Too (much/little), excessively (after verb or adjective) Examples: แพงเกินไป (phaeng goen-bpai) - Too expensive. กินเกินไป (gin goen-bpai) - Eat too much.

หน่อย (nɔ̀ɔi) / นิดหน่อย (nít nɔ̀ɔi): A little bit (often for softening commands or indicating small quantity) Examples: รอหน่อย (rɔɔ nɔ̀ɔi) - Wait a little bit. พักนิดหน่อย (phák nít nɔ̀ɔi) - Rest a little bit.

4. Adverbs of Frequency

These describe how often something happens. They generally follow the verb.

Examples:

• บ่อยๆ (bɔ̀i-bɔ̀i): Often, frequently

  • เขามาที่นี่บ่อยๆ (káo maa thîi nîi bɔ̀i-bɔ̀i) - He comes here often.

• เสมอ (sà-mɔ̌ə): Always

  • ฉันช่วยเธอเสมอ (chǎn chûuai thoe sà-mɔ̌ə) - I always help her.

• ไม่ค่อย... (mâi kɔ̂i...): Not often, rarely (placed before the verb/adjective)

  • เขาไม่ค่อยมา (káo mâi kɔ̂i maa) - He doesn't come often / He rarely comes.

5. Adverbs of Time

These describe when something happens. They can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Examples:

• วันนี้ (wan níi): Today

  • วันนี้ฉันจะไปตลาด (wan níi chǎn jà bpai dtà-làat) - Today I will go to the market.

• พรุ่งนี้ (phrûng-níi): Tomorrow

  • พรุ่งนี้เขาจะมา (phrûng-níi káo jà maa) - He will come tomorrow.

• เมื่อวานนี้ (mûa-waan-níi): Yesterday

  • เขามาเมื่อวานนี้ (káo maa mûa-waan-níi) - He came yesterday.

• ตอนนี้ (tɔɔn níi): Now

  • ฉันต้องไปตอนนี้ (chǎn dtɔ̂ng bpai tɔɔn níi) - I have to go now.

6. Adverbs of Place

These describe where something happens. They usually follow the verb.

Examples:

• ที่นี่ (thîi nîi): Here

  • เขาอยู่ที่นี่ (káo yùu thîi nîi) - He is here.

• ที่นั่น (thîi nân): There

  • ไปที่นั่น (bpai thîi nân) - Go there.

• ข้างนอก (khâang nɔ̂ɔk): Outside

  • นั่งข้างนอก (nâng khâang nɔ̂ɔk) - Sit outside.

7. Negating Adverbs: ไม่ (mâi)

Similar to adjectives, ไม่ (mâi) is placed directly before the adverb (or the verb/adjective if the adverb follows it) to negate it.

Examples:

• ไม่เร็ว (mâi reo) - Not fast.

• ไม่บ่อย (mâi bɔ̀i)- Not often.

• ไม่ค่อยเข้าใจ (mâi kɔ̂i kâo-jai) - Don't quite understand / Don't understand much.