เล่น

lên

Meanings

1VerbA1

[to] play; have fun

To take part in an activity for enjoyment or amusement.

Examples

เด็กๆdèk dèkเด็กๆdèk dèk1children; kids2childish; immature3easy; trivial (colloquial)ออกไปòk bpaiออกไปòk bpai1[to] go out; leave; exit2Get out!3[to] lead out to; extend toเล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] play (audio or video)7[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)ที่têeที่têe1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerสนามsà-năamสนามsà-năam1field; court; pitch; ground2yard; open ground3area; sphere (of activity)4field (physics)หลังบ้านlăng bâanหลังบ้านlăng bâan1back of the house; backyard2domestic affairs; family side (figurative)3wife (figurative)4back office; behind-the-scenes operations
The kids go out to play in the backyard.
3 more examples
ตอนเย็นdton yenฉันchănชอบchôpเล่นlênกับgàpหมาmăaหน้าบ้านnâa bâan
In the evening I like to play with the dog in front of the house.
เมื่อวานmêuua waanเราraoนัดnátกันไปgan bpaiสวนสาธารณะsŭuan săa-taa-rá-náเพื่อpêuuaไปbpaiเล่นlênและláeพักผ่อนpák pòn
Yesterday we arranged to go to the park to play and relax.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-néeหลังเลิกงานlăng lêrk ngaanเราraoตั้งใจdtâng jaiจะjàไปbpaiชายหาดchaai hàatเพื่อpêuuaไปbpaiเล่นlênและláeถ่ายรูปtàai rôopกันgan
Tomorrow after work, we plan to go to the beach to play and take photos together.
2VerbA2

[to] play (game/sport/instrument)

To participate in a game or sport, or perform on a musical instrument.

Examples

เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเล่นฟุตบอลlên-fút-bɔɔnเล่นฟุตบอลlên-fút-bɔɔn[to] play football; [to] play soccerทุกtúkทุกtúk1every; each2every (interval/frequency)เย็นyenเย็นyen1cool; chilly2evening (late afternoon to dusk)3cool (personality); calm4[to] be cool; become cool
He plays football every evening.
3 more examples
เมื่อวานmêuua waanเราraoเล่นlênบาสเกตบอลbâas-gèt-bonที่têeสนามsà-năamโรงเรียนrong rian
Yesterday we played basketball at the school court.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-néeฉันchănจะjàเล่นlênไวโอลินwai-o-linในnaiงานngaanโรงเรียนrong rian
Tomorrow I will play the violin at the school event.
หลังเลิกงานlăng lêrk ngaanเธอterมักจะmák jàไปbpaiเล่นlênเทนนิสten-nítกับgàpเพื่อนpêuuanเพื่อpêuuaออกกำลังกายòk gam-lang gaai
After work, she usually plays tennis with friends to exercise.
3VerbB1

[to] act; perform (role)

To perform in a play, movie, show, or take on a role.

Examples

ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)ให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3to; for [sb] (recipient)4[to] have [sb] do; cause to5for (benefit of)6so that; in order to7until; to the point that (result)ฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] play (audio or video)7[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)บทbòtบทbòt1chapter; section2lesson (unit of study)3role; part (acting)4script/text; lyrics5classifier for stanzas, chapters, and lessons6clause; provision (law/regulation)7role; duty; functionนักข่าวnák kàaoนักข่าวnák kàaojournalist; reporterในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)การแสดงgaan sà-daengการแสดงgaan sà-daeng1performance; show2expression; display; demonstration (explaining/showing)ประกอบbprà-gòpประกอบbprà-gòp1[to] assemble; put together2[to] consist of; be composed of3[to] perform (duties/rituals)4[to] accompany; go together withบทเรียนbòt riianบทเรียนbòt riian1lesson (curriculum unit)2lesson (what one learns)
The teacher had me play the role of a reporter in the class skit.
3 more examples
นักแสดงหญิงnák sà-daeng yĭngคนนี้kon néeเล่นlênเป็นbpenตัวร้ายdtuua ráaiได้dâiอย่างyàangลึกléukและláeมีมิติmee mí-dtìจนjonคนดูkon dooทั้งtángรักrákทั้งtángเกลียดglìiat
This actress plays the villain with depth and nuance, making the audience both love and hate her.
ปีหน้าbpee nâaฉันchănจะjàเล่นlênละครเวทีlá-kon way-teeของkŏngโรงเรียนrong rian
Next year I will perform in the school play.
เขาkăoเคยkoeiเล่นlênเป็นbpenพระเอกprá àykในnaiภาพยนตร์pâap-pá-yonอิสระìt-sà-ràเรื่องrêuuangหนึ่งnèung
He once played the lead in an independent film.
4AdverbB1

casually; for fun (manner marker)

Marks an action as done casually, not seriously, or just for fun (adverbial/serial-verb use).

Examples

เมื่อวานmêuua waanเมื่อวานmêuua waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb)ผมpŏmผมpŏm1I; me (male speaker, polite)2hair (on the head)ลองทำlong tamลองทำlong tam[to] try to do [sth]ขนมkà-nŏmขนมkà-nŏmsnack; sweet; dessertเล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] play (audio or video)7[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)ๆ-ไม่ได้mâi dâaiไม่ได้mâi dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)จริงจังjing-jangจริงจังjing-jang1serious; earnest2seriously; earnestlyอะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2what; what kind of (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)
Yesterday I tried making some dessert just for fun, nothing serious.
3 more examples
เธอterสมัครsà-màkแข่งขันkàeng kǎnเล่นlênๆ-ดูdooเฉยchŏeiๆ-ไม่ได้mâi dâaiหวังwăngรางวัลraang-wan
She signed up for the competition casually, just to see, without hoping for a prize.
ผมpŏmอ่านหนังสือàan năng-sĕuหัวข้อhŭua kôนี้néeเล่นlênๆ-ระหว่างrá-wàangรอrorรถไฟrót faiเพื่อpêuuaฆ่าเวลาkâa way-laa
I read this topic casually while waiting for the train, just to kill time.
เราraoคุยkuiเรื่องrêuuangแผนธุรกิจpăen tú-rá-gìtกันganเล่นlênๆ-พอporขำkămๆ-ยังไม่ได้yang mâi dâaiตัดสินใจทำdtàt-sĭn-jai tamจริงjing
We discussed the business plan casually for laughs; we haven’t decided to actually do it.
5VerbB1

[to] tease; kid; mess with

To joke with or make fun of someone lightly; to not be serious.

Examples

อย่าyàaอย่าyàadon’t; do not (negative imperative)โกรธgròhtโกรธgròht1angry; mad2[to] be angry (at/with/about)นะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particleฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)แค่kâeแค่kâe1only; just2up to; as far as; only as much asแกล้งglâengแกล้งglâeng1[to] tease; pick on; bully; prank2[to] pretend; feign; act as if; fake3[to] do on purpose; deliberatelyเล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] play (audio or video)7[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)ๆ-
Don’t be mad; I was just joking around.
3 more examples
เมื่อกี้mêuua géeเขาkăoพูดpôotแซวsaeoเธอterเล่นlênๆ-ไม่ได้mâi dâaiตั้งใจdtâng jaiให้hâiเสียหน้าsĭia nâa
He just teased you jokingly; he didn’t mean to embarrass you.
เราraoคุยkuiล้อlóกันganเล่นlênๆ-ในกลุ่มnai glùmสนิทsà-nìtไม่มีmâi meeใครkraiคิดkítจริงจังjing-jang
We were joking around with close friends; no one took it seriously.
เขาkăoชอบchôpยิงyingมุกmúkเล่นlênๆ-แก้gâeบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàatตึงdteungๆ-ให้hâiผ่อนคลายpòn klaai
He likes cracking jokes to lighten the tense atmosphere.
6VerbB1

[to] play (audio or video)

To produce recorded sound or show recorded video using a device or program.

7VerbB2

[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)

Used with certain nouns for engaging in an activity or using something, especially recreationally, as in using a computer or trading stocks.

Examples

เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เผลอplə̌əเผลอplə̌ə1careless; inadvertent; off-guard2[to] do unintentionally; be off-guard and [to] let slip3by accident; inadvertently; without noticingเล่นมือถือlên-mʉʉ-tʉ̌ʉเล่นมือถือlên-mʉʉ-tʉ̌ʉ[to] use a mobile phoneทั้งคืนtáng-kʉʉnทั้งคืนtáng-kʉʉn1all night; the whole night2the entire nightจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofลืมlʉʉmลืมlʉʉm1[to] forget2[to] leave behind (by forgetting)3forget to; omit unintentionallyทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâanทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâan1[to] do homework2[to] prepare oneself; [to] do research
Yesterday I ended up on my phone all night and forgot to do my homework.
3 more examples
พ่อpôrเตือนdteuuanว่าwâaอย่าyàaเล่นlênเงินเก็บngern gèpไปbpaiกับgàpของฟุ่มเฟือยkŏng fûm-feuai
Dad warned me not to use my savings on luxury items.
เขาkăoชอบchôpเล่นlênกล้องฟิล์มglông filmเวลาway-laaไปเที่ยวbpai tîiaoต่างจากdtàang jàakเพื่อนpêuuanที่têeเล่นมือถือlên meu tĕuถ่ายtàaiอย่างเดียวyàang diao
He likes to use a film camera when traveling, unlike friends who only use their phones to take photos.
บริษัทbò-rí-sàtนี้néeเล่นlênข้อมูลลูกค้าkôr-moon lôok-káaอย่างระมัดระวังyàang rá-mát-rá-wangโดยdoiขอkŏrความยินยอมkwaam yin-yomก่อนเสมอgòn sà-mĕr
This company handles customer data carefully, always asking for consent first.

Related Words

2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)

3[to] act; perform (role)

4casually; for fun (manner marker)

5[to] tease; kid; mess with

7[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)