ช้า
cháaMeanings
1AdjectiveA1
slow
not fast; moving or happening with little speed
Examples
รถrótรถrót1vehicle (general)2car; automobileคันkanคันkan1itchy2[to] itch; feel itchy3classifier for vehicles4lever; handle5shaft; rod; pole6classifier for fishing rods; poles; handlesนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaเมื่อmʉ̂ʉa1when; at the time that2at; in; on (with time expressions)ขึ้นเขาkʉ̂n-kǎoขึ้นเขาkʉ̂n-kǎo[to] climb a mountain
This car is very slow when going uphill.
3 more examplesShow less
The internet at my house is slow.
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanฝนตกfǒn-dtòkรถติดrót-dtìtทำให้tam-hâiการเดินทางgaan-dəən-taangช้าcháaมากmâakเพราะprɔ́รถrótเคลื่อนตัวklʉ̂ʉan-dtuuaได้dâaiช้าcháa
Yesterday it rained and there was traffic, making the trip very slow.
If the computer is slow, we won’t finish the work in time.
2AdverbA1
slowly
in a slow way; not quickly
Examples
กรุณาgà-rú-naaกรุณาgà-rú-naa1please (polite/formal request)2kindness; benevolence3kind; benevolentพูดpôotพูดpôot1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateๆ-ฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะได้jà dâaiจะได้jà dâai1so that; in order that; that way2will be able to; get to; come to3then; so (result in instructions/explanations)เข้าใจkâo jaiเข้าใจkâo jai1[to] understand; grasp2[to] assume; take sth to be true3[to be] understanding (of [sb])
Please speak slowly so I can understand.
3 more examplesShow less
He walks slowly because he is looking at the map.
The clock runs slowly, so it needs to be adjusted.
During the rain, cars move slowly because the road is slippery.
3AdjectiveA2
late; delayed
happening after the expected time; not on time; delayed
Examples
รถเมล์rót-meeรถเมล์rót-meebus; city busมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateวันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ไปถึงbpai-tʉ̌ngไปถึงbpai-tʉ̌ng1[to] arrive at; get to; reach (a place)2[to] reach; extend to (level/amount/scope)3[to] reach; be delivered to (sb/sth)โรงเรียนroong-riianโรงเรียนroong-riian1school (institution)2school (building)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)ทันเวลาtan-wee-laaทันเวลาtan-wee-laain time
The bus arrived late, so I didn’t get to school on time today.
3 more examplesShow less
The package arrived two days late from the scheduled date.
The rain caused the flight to be delayed, so passengers had to wait a long time.
การประชุมgaan-bprà-chumเริ่มrə̂əmช้าcháaเพราะprɔ́เอกสารสำคัญèek-gà-sǎan-sǎm-kanถูกtùukส่งมาsòng-maaล่าช้าlâa-cháaกว่าที่gwàa-tîiวางแผนwaang-pɛ̌ɛnไว้wái
The meeting started late because the important documents were delivered later than planned.
4VerbA2
[to] be slow; be late
to act, move, or arrive more slowly than expected; to be late
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingรถติดrót-dtìtรถติดrót-dtìt1traffic jam; congestion2[to] have heavy traffic; be congestedมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
Today I arrived late because the traffic was very heavy.
3 more examplesShow less
Yesterday he arrived at school late and almost missed the exam.
Don’t be late tomorrow; we have an appointment at nine sharp.
ขอโทษkɔ̌ɔ-tôotที่tîiตอบช้าdtɔ̀ɔp-cháaนะnáพอดีpɔɔ-diiติดประชุมdtìt-bprà-chumยาวyaaoกว่าที่gwàa-tîiคาดไว้kâat-wái
Sorry for replying late; I was stuck in a meeting longer than expected.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
High tone
cháa
Starts high and keeps climbing.
Low class + Mai tho → High
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 | — | — |