วาน
waanMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] ask (someone to do something); request a favor
to politely ask someone to do something for you; to request a favor
Examples
ขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forวานwaanวานwaan1[to] ask (someone to do something); request a favor2yesterday (chiefly in compounds)พี่pîiพี่pîi1older sibling2older person (informal address)3I; you (for the older person)ช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1[to] help; assist [sb/sth]2please (request marker)3[to] save; rescue [sb]ยกyókยกyók1[to] lift; raise2[to] give; dedicate; donate3[to] promote; elevate (rank/status)4[to] cite; invoke (as an example/reason)5classifier: round6[to] waive; remit; dismissของขึ้นkɔ̌ɔng-kʉ̂nของขึ้นkɔ̌ɔng-kʉ̂n1[to] fly into a rage; [to] lose one's temper2[to] get turned on (slang)บันไดban-daiบันไดban-dai1stairs; staircase2ladder3stairway (figurative path upward)หน่อยnɔ̀iหน่อยnɔ̀i1a little; a bit2polite softener (request)ได้ไหมdâai-mǎiได้ไหมdâai-mǎi1is it possible/allowed?; OK?2could you ... ? (request softener)คะkáคะká1polite particle (female; question softener)2polite address or response particle (female speech)
May I ask you to help carry the things up the stairs?
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เมื่อเช้าmʉ̂ʉa-cháoฉันchǎnวานน้องwaan-nɔ́ɔngไปbpaiส่งเอกสารsòng-èek-gà-sǎanให้hâiที่tîiสำนักงานsǎm-nák-ngaan
This morning I asked my younger sibling to deliver the documents to the office.
ถ้าtâaไม่mâiรบกวนróp-guuanเกินไปgəən-bpaiผมpǒmขอkɔ̌ɔวานwaanคุณkunช่วยchûuaiดูแลduu-lɛɛแมวmɛɛoให้hâiสักsàkสองsɔ̌ɔngวันwanได้ไหมdâai-mǎiครับkráp
If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask you to look after my cat for a couple of days?
ผมpǒmอยากyàakวานwaanเพื่อนร่วมงานpʉ̂ʉan-rûuam-ngaanช่วยchûuaiตรวจทานdtrùuat-taanรายงานraai-ngaanฉบับchà-bàpสุดท้ายsùt-táaiให้hâiรอบคอบrɔ̂ɔp-kɔ̂ɔpก่อนgɔ̀ɔnส่งsòngผู้บริหารpûu-bɔɔ-rí-hǎan
I’d like to ask a colleague to carefully proofread the final report before submitting it to the executives.
2AdverbB1
yesterday (chiefly in compounds)
The day before today; chiefly used in forms such as เมื่อวานเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb) and วานนี้วานนี้waan-níiyesterday.
Examples
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyตลาดdtà-làatตลาดdtà-làat1market; marketplace2market (economic demand/sector)3popular; mainstream (colloq.)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; base
Yesterday I went to the market with my mom.
3 more examplesShow less
Yesterday it rained all day, so the traffic was terrible.
I met him yesterday at the library, but we didn’t talk.
งานngaanที่tîiเราraoควรkuuanส่งsòngวานนี้waan-níiยังyangไม่mâiเสร็จsètทำให้tam-hâiต้องdtɔ̂ngขอเลื่อนkɔ̌ɔ-lʉ̂ʉanกำหนดส่งgam-nòt-sòng
The assignment we were supposed to submit yesterday isn’t finished, so we had to request an extension.
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
waan
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 | — | — |