ทัน
tanMeanings
1VerbA2
[to] be in time for
to reach or do something before the deadline or before it is too late
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâanทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâan1[to] do homework2[to] prepare oneself; [to] do researchเสร็จsètเสร็จsèt1finished; done2[to] finish; be done3done for; screwed (slang)ทันกำหนดtan-gam-nòtทันกำหนดtan-gam-nòton time; by the deadline; on scheduleส่งsòngส่งsòng1[to] send; dispatch2[to] submit; hand in; turn in3[to] drop off; deliver (someone/something)4[to] pass (to); feed (a ball)5[to] emit; transmit; send out6[to] escort; see off
I finished my homework in time for the deadline.
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We arrived at the airport just in time to check in.
He submitted the documents in time before the system closed at 11 p.m.
If traffic isn’t too bad, we should arrive in time for the start of the meeting.
2AdverbA2
in time
early enough; before missing or losing the chance
Examples
เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)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)งานngaanงานngaan1work; job; employment2task; assignment; duty3event; fair; function4work (product); creation5unit (classifier) for events6work (physics)ทันtanทันtan1[to] be in time for2in time3[to] catch up with; keep up with; keep abreast of4[to] be a match for; see throughเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsแจกjɛ̀ɛkแจกjɛ̀ɛk1[to] hand out; distribute; give away2[to] deal (cards)3[to] dish out; mete out (e.g., penalties, praise)ก่อนgɔ̀ɔnก่อนgɔ̀ɔn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; formerหมดmòtหมดmòt1all gone; none left2[to] run out; be used up3completely; entirely4in total; altogether
We got to the event early enough, so we got the freebies before they ran out.
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ฉันchǎnออกจากบ้านɔ̀ɔk-jàak-bâanแต่เช้าdtɛ̀ɛ-cháaoเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaจะได้jà-dâaiไปถึงbpai-tʉ̌ngทันtanคิวkiuหมอmɔ̌ɔ
I left home early so I would arrive early enough to catch my turn with the doctor.
He signed up early enough and therefore got the discount promotion.
เราraoต้องdtɔ̂ngส่งงานsòng-ngaanก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเที่ยงtîiangให้hâiทันtanจะได้jà-dâaiไม่mâiพลาดplâatโอกาสoo-gàatชิงchingทุนtun
We must submit the work early enough before noon so we won’t miss the chance to compete for the scholarship.
3VerbB1
[to] catch up with; keep up with; keep abreast of
to move, learn, or react fast enough not to fall behind a person, event, news, or trend
Examples
เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herอ่านàanอ่านàan1[to] read2[to] read aloud; pronounce3[to] interpret; make sense ofข่าวkàaoข่าวkàao1news; news report2news item; report3rumor; hearsayทุกเช้าtúk-cháaoทุกเช้าtúk-cháaoevery morningเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiso that; in order thatทันtanทันtan1[to] be in time for2in time3[to] catch up with; keep up with; keep abreast of4[to] be a match for; see throughเหตุการณ์hèet-gaanเหตุการณ์hèet-gaan1event; incident; occurrence2situation; state of affairs3classifier: ครั้ง / เหตุการณ์
She reads the news every morning to keep up with events.
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ผมpŏmพยายามpà-yaa-yaamเรียนriianคอร์สออนไลน์kót on-laaiให้hâiทันtanเพื่อนร่วมงานpêuuan rûuam ngaanที่têeอัปสกิลàp sà-ginไปแล้วbpai láew
I’m trying to study online courses to keep up with coworkers who have already upskilled.
เด็กdèkๆ-ต้องdtôngฝึกfèukพิมพ์pimเร็วreoเพื่อให้pêuua hâiทำการบ้านtam gaan bâanส่งsòngทันเวลาtan way-laa
Children must practice typing fast to submit their homework in time.
เธอterอัปเดตเทรนด์àp-dàyt trenแฟชั่นfae-chânตลอดdtà-lòtจึงjeungแต่งตัวdtàeng dtuuaได้dâiทันกระแสtan grà-săeเสมอsà-mĕr
She constantly updates herself on fashion trends, so she always keeps up with the craze.
4VerbB2
[to] be a match for; see through
to be quick-witted enough to understand or counter someone's words, intentions, or tricks
Examples
อย่าyàaอย่าyàadon’t; do not (negative imperative)พยายามpá-yaa-yaamพยายามpá-yaa-yaam[to] try; attemptหลอกlɔ̀ɔkหลอกlɔ̀ɔk1[to] deceive; cheat; trick2[to] scare; spook; play a trick on3fake; sham; counterfeit4[to] lure; bait; entice (under false pretenses)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ทันtanทันtan1[to] be in time for2in time3[to] catch up with; keep up with; keep abreast of4[to] be a match for; see throughเล่ห์กลlêe-gonเล่ห์กลlêe-gontrick; ruseแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níi1like this; in this way2this kind/type (modifier)3this kind (standalone)
Don’t try to fool me; I can see through tricks like this.
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เขาkǎoพูดอ้อมค้อมpûut-ɔ̂ɔm-kɔ́ɔmแต่dtɛ̀ɛครูkruuก็gɔ̂ทันtanว่าwâaเขาkǎoกำลังgam-langเลี่ยงlîiangคำถามkam-tǎam
He spoke evasively, but the teacher caught on that he was avoiding the question.
ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanทันเกมtan-geemของkɔ̌ɔngคู่แข่งkûu-kɛ̀ngจึงjʉngปรับbpràpกลยุทธ์gon-lá-yútได้dâaiก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเสียเปรียบsǐia-bprìiap
The manager saw through the competitor’s game and adjusted the strategy before falling behind.
นักข่าวnák-kàaoคนkonนั้นnánทันtanทุกtúkจังหวะjang-wàคำตอบkam-dtɔ̀ɔpที่tîiบิดเบือนbìt-bʉʉanจนjonผู้pûuให้สัมภาษณ์hâi-sǎm-pâatอึกอักʉ̀k-àk
That journalist spotted every twist in the distorted answers, leaving the interviewee flustered.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -น, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
tan
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |