เวลา
wee-laaMeanings
1NounA1
time
the ongoing continuum in which events occur, measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.
Examples
เวลาway-laaเวลาway-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesเดินdernเดินdern1[to] walk; go on foot2[to] proceed; go; move along3[to] run; operate (machine/system)4[to] run; operate; keep runningไปเรื่อยbpai rêuuaiไปเรื่อยbpai rêuuai1aimlessly; without purpose2continuously; on and onๆ-ไม่เคยmâi koieไม่เคยmâi koienever; have neverหยุดyùtหยุดyùt[to] stop; halt
Time keeps moving and never stops.
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We use clocks to measure time in minutes and hours.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaโตขึ้นdtoo-kʉ̂nฉันchǎnรู้สึกว่าrúu-sʉ̀k-wâaเวลาwee-laaเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเดินdəənเร็วขึ้นreo-kʉ̂n
As I grow older, I feel like time seems to move faster.
นักวิทยาศาสตร์nák-wít-tá-yaa-sàatศึกษาsʉ̀k-sǎaว่าwâaเวลาwee-laaเกี่ยวข้องกับgìiao-kɔ̂ɔng-gàpการเคลื่อนที่gaan-klʉ̂ʉan-tîiและlɛ́แรงโน้มถ่วงrɛɛng-nóom-tùuangอย่างไรyàang-rai
Scientists study how time relates to motion and gravity.
2NounA2
time; period; occasion
a specific point or stretch of time suitable or allocated for something; an occasion
Examples
ตอนบ่ายdtɔɔn-bàaiตอนบ่ายdtɔɔn-bàai1afternoon2in the afternoonเป็นเวลาbpen-wee-laaเป็นเวลาbpen-wee-laa1for (a duration)2regularly; on a scheduleพักpákพักpák1[to] rest; take a break2[to] stay; lodge3interval; stretch; spellของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsนักเรียนnák-riianนักเรียนnák-riianschool student; pupil
Afternoon is the students’ break time.
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คืนนี้kʉʉn-níiเป็นเวลาbpen-wee-laaของkɔ̌ɔngครอบครัวkrɔ̂ɔp-kruuaเราraoจะjàกินข้าวgin-kâaoและlɛ́คุยกันkui-gan
Tonight is family time; we will eat and talk together.
เช้าๆcháo cháoเป็นเวลาbpen way-laaที่têeเหมาะmòrสำหรับsăm-ràpออกกำลังกายòk gam-lang gaaiเพราะpráwอากาศaa-gàatดีdee
Mornings are a suitable time for exercising because the weather is nice.
ผู้จัดงานpûu-jàt-ngaanกำหนดเวลาgam-nòt-wee-laaให้hâiถามtǎamคำถามkam-tǎamไว้wáiหลังlǎngบรรยายban-yaaiสิบห้าsìp-hâaนาทีnaa-tii
The organizer set the time for questions to be fifteen minutes after the lecture.
3ConjunctionA2
when; at the time (that)
used to introduce the time something happens (often as เวลาเวลาwee-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; doses…(แล้วแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses))…)
Examples
เวลาwee-laaเวลาwee-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerเราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerยิ้มทักทายyím-ták-taaiยิ้มทักทายyím-ták-taai[to] smile in greeting
When he comes, we smile and greet him.
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When it’s quiet while I study, I remember better.
When you’re tired, take a rest before continuing.
เวลาwee-laaเราraoตกลงกันdtòk-long-ganชัดเจนchát-jeenแล้วlɛ́ɛoงานngaanก็gɔ̂เดินdəənได้dâaiเร็วขึ้นreo-kʉ̂n
When we have reached a clear agreement, the work progresses faster.
4ClassifierC1
classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; doses
A counting unit for occasions at scheduled times, especially meals or medicine-taking, as in กินยาวันละสามเวลา ‘take medicine three times a day’.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastเชียงใหม่chiiang-màiเชียงใหม่chiiang-mài1Chiang Mai (city in northern Thailand)2Chiang Mai Provinceมาแล้วmaa-lɛ́ɛoมาแล้วmaa-lɛ́ɛo[sb/sth] has arrived; is here; here it comes!สองsɔ̌ɔngสองsɔ̌ɔng1two; 22secondเวลาwee-laaเวลาwee-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesคือkʉʉคือkʉʉ1to be (definition/identification)2namely; that is; i.e.หน้าหนาวnâa-nǎaoหน้าหนาวnâa-nǎao1winter; the cold season2in winter; during the cold seasonกับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)หน้าฝนnâa-fǒnหน้าฝนnâa-fǒn1rainy season; monsoon season2during the rainy season
He has been to Chiang Mai two times, namely in the cold season and the rainy season.
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เรื่องrʉ̂ʉangนี้níiเคยkəəiเตือนdtʉʉanเขาkǎoหลายlǎaiเวลาwee-laaแล้วlɛ́ɛoแต่dtɛ̀ɛเขาkǎoยังyangทำซ้ำtam-sámเหมือนเดิมmʉ̌ʉan-dəəm
I have warned him about this several times already, but he still repeats the same behavior.
ฉันchǎnเจอjəəเขาkǎoอยู่yùuหน้าnâaออฟฟิศɔ́ɔp-fítอยู่yùuบ่อยbɔ̀iเวลาwee-laaจนjonเริ่มrə̂əmสงสัยsǒng-sǎiว่าwâaเขาkǎoรอrɔɔใครkraiอยู่yùu
I run into him in front of the office many times, to the point I’m starting to wonder whom he’s waiting for.
คุณป้าkun-bpâaข้างบ้านkâang-bâanชอบchɔ̂ɔpเล่าlâoว่าwâaสมัยก่อนsà-mǎi-gɔ̀ɔnมักmákมีmiiงูnguuเลื้อยlʉ́ʉaiเข้าบ้านkâo-bâanอยู่yùuหลายlǎaiเวลาwee-laaเลยləəiต้องdtɔ̂ngคอยระวังkɔɔi-rá-wangหลังคาlǎng-kaaเสมอsà-mə̌ə
The auntie next door likes to say that in the past snakes would slither into houses many times, so people had to keep watching the roof.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
wee
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
เวweeเวwee1to fear; be afraid (poetic/lit.)2to wrap; swathe (poetic/lit.)to fear; be afraid (poetic/lit.)Part 1
+
ลาlaaลาlaa1donkey2[to] say goodbye; take one’s leave3leave (from work/school)4[to] take leave; request leavedonkeyPart 2
เวลาwee-laaเวลาwee-laatimetimeWord