แก่ๆ

gàe gàe

Meanings

1AdjectiveA2

old; elderly; rather old

used of people, animals, or things that are old or rather old; the reduplication can make the description approximate rather than necessarily intensifying it.

Examples

หมาบ้านmăa bâanหมาบ้านmăa bâanpet dog; domestic dogฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)แก่ๆgàe gàeแก่ๆgàe gàe1old; elderly; rather old2quite mature (of crops/fruit); ready to harvestแล้วláeoแล้วláeo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)
My dog is pretty old now.
3 more examples
เมื่อวานmêuua waanฉันchănเห็นhĕnคุณลุงkun lungแก่ๆgàe gàeคนหนึ่งkon nèungนั่งnângอยู่yòoคนเดียวkon diiaoที่têeสวนสาธารณะsŭuan săa-taa-rá-ná
Yesterday I saw a rather old man sitting alone at the park.
รถrótคันkanนั้นnánดูdooแก่ๆgàe gàeนะnáแต่dtàeเครื่องkrêuuangยังyangดีdeeอยู่yòoเลยloie
That car looks pretty old, but its engine is still in great condition.
ที่บ้านtêe bâanคุณยายkun yaaiมีmeeแมวmaeoแก่ๆgàe gàeตัวหนึ่งdtuua nèungซึ่งsêungไม่ค่อยmâi kôiขยับkà-yàpไปไหนbpai năiชอบchôpนอนnonนิ่งๆnîng-nîngทั้งวันtáng wan
At grandma's house, there's a rather old cat that doesn't move much and likes to lie still all day.
2AdjectiveB1

quite mature (of crops/fruit); ready to harvest

used for fruit or crops meaning on the mature side; may imply ready to harvest (especially for crops), but not necessarily fully ripe for eating

Examples

แม่mâeแม่mâe1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseบอกให้bòk hâiบอกให้bòk hâi[to] tell [sb] to [do sth]เลือกซื้อlêuuak séuเลือกซื้อlêuuak séu1[to] choose and buy [sth]2[to] shop for [sth]มะม่วงmá-mûuangมะม่วงmá-mûuang1mango (fruit)2mango treeลูกlôokลูกlôok1child; son; daughter2offspring (of animals); young3ball; spherical object4fruit5classifier: fruits, balls, and certain other objectsแก่ๆgàe gàeแก่ๆgàe gàe1old; elderly; rather old2quite mature (of crops/fruit); ready to harvestมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeข้าวเหนียวมะม่วงkâao nĭiao má-mûuangข้าวเหนียวมะม่วงkâao nĭiao má-mûuangmango sticky rice (Thai dessert)
Mom told me to choose mature mangoes to make mango sticky rice.
3 more examples
ถ้าtâaจะjàคั้นkánกะทิgà-tíให้hâiมันๆman manต้องdtôngใช้cháiมะพร้าวmá-práaoแก่ๆgàe gàeเท่านั้นtâo nán
If you want to press rich coconut milk, you must only use mature coconuts.
ทุเรียนtú-riianลูกlûukนี้níiยังyangไม่mâiแก่จัดgɛ̀ɛ-jàtต้องdtɔ̂ngรอrɔɔอีกìikสักsàkสองสามsɔ̌ɔng-sǎamวันwanถึงจะtʉ̌ng-jàตัดdtàtได้dâai
This durian is not yet fully mature; we have to wait a few more days before it can be cut.
การสังเกตgaan săng-gàytว่าwâaแตงโมdtaeng mohแก่ๆgàe gàeพร้อมprómเก็บเกี่ยวgèp gìiaoหรือยังrĕu yangต้องdtôngอาศัยaa-săiทั้งtángการดีดgaan dèetฟังfangเสียงsĭiangและláeการดูgaan dooสีsĕeที่têeขั้วkûua
Determining if a watermelon is mature and ready to be harvested requires both flicking it to hear the sound and observing the color of the stem.

Tones

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

Why is แก่ๆ said แก่-แก่?

gàe gàe

Thai spelling does not always show how a word sounds. This is how it is said.

The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.

2 syllables · pick one to see its rule

How the tone is decided

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

Mid class consonants

กจฎฏดตบปอ

Result

Low tone

gàe

Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.

Mid class + Mai ek → Low

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

1old; elderly; rather old

2quite mature (of crops/fruit); ready to harvest