เว้า

wáo

Meanings

1VerbB1

[to] speak; say (Isan)

to speak or say; an Isan dialect verb equivalent to standard Thai พูดพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk about

Examples

บ่bòบ่bò1not; no (Isan/Northern particle)2yes–no question particle (Isan/Northern)ต้องdtôngต้องdtông1must; have to2must; bound toเกร็งgrengเกร็งgreng1[to] tense up; tighten (muscles)2tense; stiff; uptightเดี๋ยวdĭiaoเดี๋ยวdĭiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …เว้าwáoเว้าwáo1[to] speak; say (Isan)2concave; indented (shape)ช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateๆ-กะgàกะgà1work shift2[to] estimate; guess3(dialectal) then; also; indeedพอporพอpor1enough; sufficient2enough; sufficiently3[to] suffice; be enough4quite; rather; fairly5as soon as; whenเข้าใจkâo jaiเข้าใจkâo jai1[to] understand; grasp2[to] assume; take sth to be true3[to be] understanding (of [sb])
No need to be tense; if you speak slowly, I can understand.
3 more examples
อ้ายâaiเว้าwáoภาษาอีสานpaa-sǎa-ii-sǎanกับgàpแม่mɛ̂ɛเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiแม่mɛ̂ɛสบายใจsà-baai-jai
I speak Isan with my mother to make her feel comfortable.
เขาkăoเว้าwáoตรงdtrongๆ-บ่bòมีmeeอ้อมค้อมôm-kómคนkonเลยloieฮักhákและláeไว้ใจwái jai
He speaks directly without beating around the bush, so people like and trust him.
พอpɔɔเว้าwáoถึงtʉ̌ngเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangบ้านเกิดbâan-gə̀ətน้ำเสียงnáam-sǐiangกะgàเปลี่ยนเป็นbplìian-bpenอบอุ่นòp-ùnขึ้นkʉ̂nทันทีtan-tii
As soon as he spoke about his hometown, his tone immediately became warmer.
2AdjectiveB2

concave; indented (shape)

curved inward; concave or indented in shape (also used for a recessed or notched edge, e.g., ขอบเว้า ‘inward-curving rim’)

Examples

ขอบkɔ̀ɔpขอบkɔ̀ɔp1edge; rim; border2margin (of a page or surface)3brim (hat or container)4lip (of a container or opening)5borderline; periphery (figurative)ถ้วยtûuaiถ้วยtûuai1cup; small bowl2classifier: cups; small bowls; trophy cups3trophy (cup)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เว้าwáoเว้าwáo1[to] speak; say (Isan)2concave; indented (shape)เข้าkâoเข้าkâo1[to] enter; go in2[to] put in; insert3[to] understand4[to] join; enter (an organization, school, etc.)5[to] fit; suit; match6rice (archaic; dialectal)7[to] enter; reach (a period or stage)ด้านในdâan-naiด้านในdâan-nai1inside; on the inside2inside; interior3inner; interiorเล็กน้อยlék-nɔ́ɔiเล็กน้อยlék-nɔ́ɔi1a little; slightly2minor; slight; trivial3a small amount
The rim of this cup curves inward slightly.
3 more examples
กระจกgrà-jòkบานbaanนี้níiมีmiiมุมmumเว้าwáoเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiจับjàpถอดtɔ̀ɔtได้dâaiสะดวกsà-dùuak
This pane of glass has an indented corner to make it easy to remove.
ช่างchângออกแบบòk bàepทำtamที่จับtêe jàpเป็นbpenรูปrôopเว้าwáoเพื่อให้pêuua hâiเข้ากับkâo gàpสรีระsà-ree-ráของkŏngมือmeuu
The designer made the handle concave to fit the hand’s ergonomics.
โคมไฟkoom-faiทรงsongเว้าwáoช่วยchûuaiบังคับbang-kápทิศทางtít-taangของkɔ̌ɔngแสงsɛ̌ɛngให้hâiรวมruuamเป็นbpenลำlam
A concave lamp shape helps direct the light into a focused beam.

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 tho
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.

Low class consonants

คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ

Result

High tone

wáo

Starts high and keeps climbing.

Low class + Mai tho → High

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——

Related Words

1[to] speak; say (Isan)

2concave; indented (shape)