ทำไก๋
tam-gǎiMeaning
1VerbB2
[to] play dumb; feign ignorance (informal)
To deliberately act as though one does not know, understand, or notice something, often to avoid acknowledging it or becoming involved.
Examples
พอpɔɔพอpɔɔ1enough; sufficient2enough; sufficiently3[to] suffice; be enough4quite; rather; fairly5as soon as; whenฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)ทวงเงินtuuang-ngənทวงเงินtuuang-ngən[to] ask for money owed; demand repaymentเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerทำไก๋tam-gǎiทำไก๋tam-gǎi[to] play dumb; feign ignorance (informal)แล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)เปลี่ยนbplìianเปลี่ยนbplìian1[to] change; become different2[to] switch; replace; exchangeเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangเรื่องrʉ̂ʉang1matter; issue; subject2story; tale3classifier for stories/films/cases4about; regarding (as a topic marker)คุยkuiคุยkui1[to] chat; talk2[to] discuss; talk over3[to] brag; boast4[to] talk to [sb] romantically; get to know a potential partner (colloq.)
When I asked him to pay me back, he played dumb and changed the subject.
3 more examplesShow less
She heard her mother calling but pretended not to notice and kept watching TV.
ทั้งที่táng-tîiรู้rúuว่าwâaใครkraiทำtamเอกสารèek-gà-sǎanหายhǎaiเขาkǎoกลับglàpทำไก๋tam-gǎiเพราะprɔ́ไม่mâiอยากyàakให้hâiเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเดือดร้อนdʉ̀ʉat-rɔ́ɔn
Although he knew who had lost the documents, he pretended not to know because he did not want his friend to get into trouble.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaถูกtùukถามถึงtǎam-tʉ̌ngความผิดพลาดkwaam-pìt-plâatที่tîiตัวเองdtuua-eengมีส่วนmii-sùuanรับผิดชอบráp-pìt-chɔ̂ɔpเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂ทำไก๋tam-gǎiราวกับraao-gàpไม่เคยmâi-kəəiรู้เรื่องrúu-rʉ̂ʉangมาก่อนmaa-gɔ̀ɔn
When asked about a mistake he was partly responsible for, he played dumb as though he had never heard about it before.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ทำไก๋ said ทัม-ไก๋?
tam-gǎi
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
tam
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
ทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; make[to] do; makePart 1
+
ทำไก๋tam-gǎiทำไก๋tam-gǎi[to] play dumb; feign ignorance (informal)[to] play dumb; feign ignorance (informal)Word