ข้า
kâaMeanings
1PronounB2
I; me (archaic/poetic; rustic)
An old-fashioned first-person pronoun meaning ‘I/me,’ used in literature, historical speech, or certain regional/rustic styles.
Examples
ข้าkâaข้าkâa1I; me (archaic/poetic; rustic)2servant; subject (historical)3I; me (deferential to royalty, historical formula)ไม่อาจmâi-àatไม่อาจmâi-àat[to be] unable to; cannotลืมlʉʉmลืมlʉʉm1[to] forget2[to] leave behind (by forgetting)3forget to; omit unintentionallyคำสัญญาkam-sǎn-yaaคำสัญญาkam-sǎn-yaapromise; pledge; undertakingที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerให้ไว้hâi-wáiให้ไว้hâi-wái[to] give [sb] [sth] to keep; [to] issue (a document)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เจ้าjâaoเจ้าjâao1lord; master; owner2ruler; prince (royal title)3deity; spirit (title/noun)4prefix: familiar or affectionate term before names or nouns5you (familiar/regional; archaic/literary)6classifier for businesses, suppliers, or individual parties
I cannot forget the promise I made to you.
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No matter how far the road is, I will come to see you.
ข้าkâaครุ่นคิดkrûn-kítอยู่yùuนานnaanก่อนgɔ̀ɔnตัดสินใจdtàt-sǐn-jaiเขียนkǐianจดหมายjòt-mǎaiฉบับchà-bàpนี้níiด้วยใจจริงdûuai-jai-jing
I pondered for a long time before deciding to write this letter sincerely.
ในnaiยามyaamลมหนาวlom-nǎaoพัดpátแรงrɛɛngข้าkâaกลับglàpระลึกถึงrá-lʉ́k-tʉ̌ngวันวานwan-waanและlɛ́คำมั่นkam-mânที่tîiยังคงyang-kongค้างคาkáang-kaa
When the cold wind blows strong, I recall the bygone days and the promises still lingering.
2NounC1
servant; subject (historical)
A person in service or under fealty to a ruler or lord in historical contexts.
Examples
ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)สมัยอยุธยาsà-mǎi-à-yút-tá-yaaสมัยอยุธยาsà-mǎi-à-yút-tá-yaa1Ayutthaya period (Thai history)2Ayutthaya-era; from the Ayutthaya periodข้าkâaข้าkâa1I; me (archaic/poetic; rustic)2servant; subject (historical)3I; me (deferential to royalty, historical formula)บางคนbaang-konบางคนbaang-konsome people; some personsต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeงานหลวงngaan-lǔuangงานหลวงngaan-lǔuanggovernment work; public serviceแลกกับlɛ̂ɛk-gàpแลกกับlɛ̂ɛk-gàp[to] exchange [sth] for [sth]; [to] trade [sth] for [sth]การคุ้มครองgaan-kúm-krɔɔngการคุ้มครองgaan-kúm-krɔɔngprotection; safeguarding
In the Ayutthaya era, some vassals had to do royal labor in exchange for protection.
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เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaบ้านเมืองbâan-mʉʉangศึกsʉ̀kสงครามsǒng-kraamข้าkâaผู้ภักดีpûu-pák-diiต่อdtɔ̀ɔเจ้าผู้ครองนครjâao-pûu-krɔɔng-ná-kɔɔnก็gɔ̂รวมตัวกันruuam-dtuua-ganรับคำráp-kamสั่งsàng
When the land was at war, the vassals loyal to the ruler gathered to receive orders.
ข้าkâaซึ่งsʉ̂ngขึ้นตรงkʉ̂n-dtrongต่อdtɔ̀ɔเจ้าเมืองjâao-mʉʉangจำต้องjam-dtɔ̂ngถวายtà-wǎaiแรงrɛɛngและlɛ́ทรัพย์sápตามที่dtaam-tîiระบุrá-bùในnaiสัญญาสวามิภักดิ์sǎn-yaa-sà-wǎa-mí-pák
The retainer under the city lord must render labor and resources as stipulated in the oath of fealty.
ครั้นkránเจ้าฟ้าjâao-fáaทรงsongประกาศbprà-gàatศึกsʉ̀kข้าkâaทั้งหลายtáng-lǎaiก็gɔ̂พร้อมprɔ́ɔmจะjàติดตามdtìt-dtaamเสด็จsà-dètเพื่อพิทักษ์pʉ̂ʉa-pí-tákแผ่นดินpɛ̀n-dinตามdtaamจารีตjaa-rîit
Once the prince declared war, the vassals were ready to follow in order to defend the realm as tradition dictates.
3PronounC1
I; me (deferential to royalty, historical formula)
In older court language, used self-referentially by commoners addressing royalty or high nobility.
Examples
ข้าkâaข้าkâa1I; me (archaic/poetic; rustic)2servant; subject (historical)3I; me (deferential to royalty, historical formula)ขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forทูลtuunทูลtuun[to] address/report to a monarchเชิญchəənเชิญchəən1[to] invite2please; go ahead (polite imperative)3please …; kindly … (formal)ใต้ฝ่าละอองธุลีพระบาทdtâai-fàa-lá-ɔɔng-tú-lii-prá-bàatใต้ฝ่าละอองธุลีพระบาทdtâai-fàa-lá-ɔɔng-tú-lii-prá-bàatYour Majesty (royal address)เสด็จsà-dètเสด็จsà-dèt1[to] go/come/travel (royal)2prince; princess (royal title)ทอดพระเนตรงานtɔ̂ɔt-prá-nêet-ngaanทอดพระเนตรงานtɔ̂ɔt-prá-nêet-ngaan[to] view an event or work (royal)บุญbunบุญbun1merit; good karma2meritorious deed3good fortune; blessingของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsบ้านเมืองbâan-mʉʉangบ้านเมืองbâan-mʉʉangcountry; nation; the state; society
I humbly invite Your Majesty to graciously visit the merit-making ceremony of the realm.
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หากhàakทรงมีsong-miiพระกรุณาprá-gà-rú-naaโปรดbpròotให้hâiข้าkâaได้dâaiกราบบังคมทูลgràap-bang-kom-tuunชี้แจงchíi-jɛɛngเหตุการณ์hèet-gaanตามdtaamจริงjing
If it pleases Your Majesty, please allow me to present the facts of the situation.
ข้าkâaขอkɔ̌ɔน้อมเกล้าน้อมกระหม่อมnɔ́ɔm-glâao-nɔ́ɔm-grà-mɔ̀mถวายtà-wǎaiรายงานผลraai-ngaan-pǒnศึกsʉ̀kตามdtaamพระราชบัญชาprá-râat-chá-ban-chaaที่tîiทรงมีsong-mii
I humbly present the battle report in obedience to Your Majesty’s command.
ด้วยเกล้าด้วยกระหม่อมdûuai-glâao-dûuai-grà-mɔ̀mข้าkâaขออภัยkɔ̌ɔ-à-paiที่tîiทำให้tam-hâiทรงเป็นsong-bpenกังวลgang-wonและlɛ́จักjàkเร่งrêngแก้ไขgɛ̂ɛ-kǎiโดยdooiฉับพลันchàp-plan
With utmost humility, I beg Your Majesty’s pardon for causing concern and will hasten to rectify it at once.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Falling tone
kâa
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
High class + Mai tho → Falling
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |