เอา
aoMeanings
1VerbA1
[to] take; get; pick
to take, get, or pick up; to choose/select something
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultหนังสือnǎng-sʉ̌ʉหนังสือnǎng-sʉ̌ʉ1book (printed work)2document; letterเล่มlêmเล่มlêm1CL: books/volumes/issues2classifier: knives, swords, candles, cartsนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)
I’ll take this book.
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Yesterday he chose the blue shirt, not the red one.
Tomorrow I will take the big box, not the small one.
2VerbA1
[to] want (request/ordering)
to indicate wanting or ordering something; used when making requests or choices
Examples
ผมpǒmผมpǒm1I; me (male speaker, polite)2hair (on the head)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultน้ำหนึ่งnáam-nʉ̀ngน้ำหนึ่งnáam-nʉ̀ngfirst-rate; top-qualityแก้วgɛ̂ɛoแก้วgɛ̂ɛo1drinking glass2glass (material)3classifier: glasses of drink4crystal; precious gemครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)
I’ll have a glass of water, please.
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I’d like two scoops of chocolate ice cream.
Could I have the menu, please? I’ll take the value set.
3VerbA2
[to] use; employ
to use or employ something for a purpose (often as เอาเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or result + noun + มามาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect marker/ไปไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessively + verb)
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultขวดkùuatขวดkùuat1bottle2classifier: bottleมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)น้ำดื่มnáam-dʉ̀ʉmน้ำดื่มnáam-dʉ̀ʉmdrinking water (potable)
I use a bottle to put drinking water in.
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The teacher used a book to explain the lesson.
แม่mɛ̂ɛเอาaoใบตองbai-dtɔɔngมาmaaห่อhɔ̀ɔขนมkà-nǒmเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiหอมhɔ̌ɔmและlɛ́เก็บได้gèp-dâaiนานnaan
Mom used banana leaves to wrap the dessert so it’s fragrant and keeps longer.
4VerbA2
[to] bring/take (for use)
to bring or take something with the intention to use it; often with มามาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect marker/ไปไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessively
Examples
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiพรุ่งนี้prûng-níi1tomorrow (the day after today)2tomorrow; on the day after todayฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultหนังสือnǎng-sʉ̌ʉหนังสือnǎng-sʉ̌ʉ1book (printed work)2document; letterไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyอ่านàanอ่านàan1[to] read2[to] read aloud; pronounce3[to] interpret; make sense of4[to] read data (computing)ที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerสวนsǔuanสวนsǔuan1garden; orchard; park2classifier: gardens/orchards/plantations3[to] oppose; contradict; go against4[to] move against; counter (direction)
Tomorrow I will take a book to read at the park.
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He brought a raincoat for a friend as well.
Mom took snacks to give to the teacher at school.
อย่าลืมyàa-lʉʉmเอาaoคอมพิวเตอร์kɔm-piu-dtə̂əไปbpaiใช้cháiพรีเซนต์โปรเจกต์prii-seen-bproo-jèekตอนบ่ายdtɔɔn-bàai
Don’t forget to take the computer to use for presenting the project this afternoon.
5ParticleB1
marker: adverse consequence
A postverbal particle indicating that someone is affected by an action, often undesirably; common in warnings, as in เดี๋ยวหมากัดเอา ‘the dog might bite you’.
Examples
อย่าyàaอย่าyàadon’t; do not (negative imperative)เข้าใกล้kâo-glâiเข้าใกล้kâo-glâi1[to] approach [sb/sth]; come near2[to] come close to (a state/result)3[to] approach (a limit)หมาmǎaหมาmǎa1dog2dog (insult)ตัวนั้นdtuua-nánตัวนั้นdtuua-nánthat one [animal, item]เดี๋ยวdǐiaoเดี๋ยวdǐiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …มันmanมันman1it (thing/animal)2greasy; oily; fatty3fun; thrilling; highly entertaining4he/she (colloquial, impolite)5starchy tuber; tuberous crop6fat; grease7shiny; glossy8creamy; rich (texture/taste)กัดgàtกัดgàt1[to] bite2[to] corrode; [to] etch3[to] sting; [to] irritate (skin)4caustic; irritating (to skin)5[to] mill (machining)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or result
Don't go near that dog. It might bite you.
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Watch where you're walking, or you might trip over a rock and fall.
Don't talk loudly in the library, or someone might tell you off.
ถ้าtâaโพสต์póotกล่าวหาglàao-hǎaใครkraiโดยdooiไม่มีmâi-miiหลักฐานlàk-tǎanระวังrá-wangจะjàถูกtùukเขาkǎoฟ้องfɔ́ɔngเอาao
If you post accusations against someone without evidence, be careful—they might sue you.
6InterjectionB1
come on; all right; go ahead
An interjection expressing encouragement, urging, or readiness to proceed, often combined with particles such as สิสิsì1will; shall (Isan)2emphatic particle (statement)3urging/encouraging particle (imperative) or น่าน่าnâa1come on; please (persuasive particle)2worthy/apt to ....
Examples
ไม่ต้องmâi-dtɔ̂ngไม่ต้องmâi-dtɔ̂ng1don't have to; no need to2no need to; don't have to; don't3don't; no needคิดมากkít-mâakคิดมากkít-mâak1[to] overthink; worry too much2overly worried; prone to overthinkingเอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultสิsìสิsì1will; shall (Isan)2emphatic particle (statement)3urging/encouraging particle (imperative)เดี๋ยวค่อยdǐiao-kɔ̂iเดี๋ยวค่อยdǐiao-kɔ̂ilater; not yetว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeกันganกันgan1together; together with2each other; one another (post-verb marker)3[to] prevent; keep [sth] out; ward off; block4protective; resistant to; -proof5I; me (informal, male speech)6[to] set aside; reserve; earmark
Don’t overthink it—go ahead; we’ll sort it out later.
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Stop putting it off—come on, let’s start today.
เขาkǎoเกรงใจgreeng-jaiอยู่yùuฉันchǎnก็เลยgɔ̂-ləəiบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaเอาaoสิsìไม่เป็นไรmâi-bpen-raiหรอกrɔ̀k
He was hesitant, so I told him, “Go ahead, it’s okay.”
มีอะไรmee à-raiจะjàพูดpôotก็gâwพูดpôotมาmaaเอาaoสิsìพูดตรงๆpôot dtrong dtrongเลยloieไม่ต้องmâi dtôngอ้อมค้อมôm-kóm
If you have something to say, say it—go ahead, speak directly; no need to beat around the bush.
7VerbB2
[to] have sex (vulgar slang)
To have sexual intercourse; considered vulgar.
8Verb
auxiliary marking emphasis or result
Used with an action verb to emphasize carrying out an action or bringing about a result, often with an insistent tone.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillหิวhǐuหิวhǐu1hungry2[to] be hungry; feel hungryมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedกินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] take medicine (colloquial)4[to] consume; use up5[to] corrode; erode; eat into6[to] take (a bribe); pocketเอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultไม่หยุดmâi-yùtไม่หยุดmâi-yùt1[to] not stop; keep going2non-stop; without stoppingเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceed
He was so hungry that he just kept eating without stopping.
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แม้mɛ́ɛคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉnจะjàพยายามpá-yaa-yaamขอkɔ̌ɔชี้แจงchíi-jɛɛngเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂ยังyangพูดpûutเอาaoโดยdooiไม่mâiเปิดโอกาสให้bpə̀ət-oo-gàat-hâiใครkraiแทรกsɛ̂ɛk
Although others tried to offer an explanation, he kept talking relentlessly without letting anyone get a word in.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel เ-า hides a final -ว, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
ao
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid 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 | — | — |