ว่าย

wâai

Meaning

1VerbA1

[to] swim

to move through water by using the arms, legs, or body

Examples

ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ว่ายน้ำwâai-náamว่ายน้ำwâai-náam[to] swimที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerสระsàสระsà1pond; pool2vowel (Thai)3[to] wash hair; shampooทุกเช้าtúk-cháaoทุกเช้าtúk-cháaoevery morning
I swim at the pool every morning.
3 more examples
เขาkǎoว่ายwâaiได้dâaiเร็วreoมากmâak
He can swim very fast.
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเราraoว่ายwâaiข้ามkâamคลองklɔɔngด้วยกันdûuai-gan
Yesterday we swam across the canal together.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiฉันchǎnว่ายwâaiท่ากบtâa-gòpสิบsìpรอบrɔ̂ɔpเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaฝึกfʉ̀kความอึดkwaam-ʉ̀t
Tomorrow I will swim the breaststroke for ten laps to build endurance.

Tones

See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.

How the tone is decided

  1. Consonant classLow class
  2. Tone markMai ek
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.

Low class consonants

คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ

Result

Falling tone

wâai

Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.

Low class + Mai ek → Falling

Tone chart

Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.

Mid classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——