ได้แต่
dâai-dtɛ̀ɛMeaning
1AdverbB1
can only; do nothing but; merely
used before a verb to show that someone is only able or permitted to do that action and nothing else, often implying limitation or helplessness.
Examples
รถติดrót-dtìtรถติดrót-dtìt1traffic jam; congestion2[to] have heavy traffic; be congestedมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedได้แต่dâai-dtɛ̀ɛได้แต่dâai-dtɛ̀ɛcan only; do nothing but; merelyรอrɔɔรอrɔɔ1[to] wait2[to] wait for; awaitอยู่ในyùu-naiอยู่ในyùu-nai[to] be in [somewhere]รถrótรถrót1vehicle (general)2car; automobile
The traffic was so bad, so I could only wait in the car.
3 more examplesShow less
เมื่อmêuuaเห็นhĕnเขาkăoเสียใจsĭia jaiเราraoก็gâwได้แต่dâai dtàeปลอบใจbplòp jaiอยู่yòoห่างๆhàang hàangเพราะpráwเขาkăoอยากyàakอยู่yòoคนเดียวkon diiao
Seeing him sad, we could only console him from a distance because he wanted to be alone.
เขาkǎoไม่mâiยอมyɔɔmฟังfangคำอธิบายkam-à-tí-baaiของเราkɔ̌ɔng-raoเลยləəiเราraoก็gɔ̂ได้แต่dâai-dtɛ̀ɛปล่อยให้bplɔ̀i-hâiเขาkǎoเข้าใจผิดkâo-jai-pìtต่อไปdtɔ̀ɔ-bpai
He absolutely refused to listen to our explanation, so we could only let him continue to misunderstand.
ในnaiสถานการณ์sà-tǎa-ná-gaanที่tîiทำอะไรtam-à-raiไม่ได้mâi-dâaiแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiพวกเราpûuak-raoก็gɔ̂ได้แต่dâai-dtɛ̀ɛหวังว่าwǎng-wâaทุกอย่างtúk-yàangจะjàดีขึ้นdii-kʉ̂nในเร็ววันnai-reo-wan
In a situation like this where we can't do anything, we can only hope that everything will get better soon.
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 classMid class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Falling tone
dâai
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Mid class + Mai tho → Falling
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
ได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerokay; sure; agreedPart 1
+
แต่dtɛ̀ɛแต่dtɛ̀ɛ1but; however (contrast)2only; just (restriction)3from; since (starting point)but; however (contrast)Part 2
ได้แต่dâai-dtɛ̀ɛได้แต่dâai-dtɛ̀ɛcan only; do nothing but; merelycan only; do nothing but; merelyWord