ไปๆ มาๆ
bpai bpai maa maaMeanings
1AdverbB1
back and forth; coming and going
moving back and forth between places; coming and going repeatedly
Examples
เขาkăoเขาkăo1he; she; him; her2they; them (context-dependent)3horn4mountain; hillเดินไปdern bpaiเดินไปdern bpai[to] walk to [somewhere]ๆ-มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerๆ-หน้าห้องnâa hôngหน้าห้องnâa hông1front of the room; area outside a room2secretary; personal assistantสอบsòpสอบsòp1[to] take an exam; sit a test2exam; test (colloq.)3[to] test; examine (ability)4tapered; narrowing toward one endเพราะpráwเพราะpráw1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingรู้สึกตื่นเต้นrúu-sèuk dtèuun-dtênรู้สึกตื่นเต้นrúu-sèuk dtèuun-dtên[to] feel excited; feel nervousมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
He walked back and forth in front of the exam room because he felt very nervous.
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ช่วงนี้chûuang néeฉันchănต้องdtôngขับรถkàp rótไปbpaiๆ-มาmaaๆ-ระหว่างrá-wàangบ้านbâanกับgàpโรงพยาบาลrohng-pá-yaa-baanทุกวันtúk wanเพื่อpêuuaดูแลdoo laeแม่mâe
Lately, I have to drive back and forth between home and the hospital every day to take care of my mom.
เรือข้ามฟากreuua kâam fâakแล่นlâenไปbpaiๆ-มาmaaๆ-ระหว่างrá-wàangสองsŏngฝั่งfàngแม่น้ำmâe námตลอดทั้งวันdtà-lòt táng wan
The ferry sails back and forth between the two sides of the river all day.
การทำงานgaan tam ngaanที่têeต้องdtôngเดินทางdern taangไปbpaiๆ-มาmaaๆ-ระหว่างrá-wàangไทยtaiกับgàpต่างประเทศdtàang bprà-têhtทำให้tam hâiเขาkăoแทบtâepไม่มีmâi meeเวลาส่วนตัวway-laa sùuan dtuuaให้กับhâi gàpครอบครัวkrôp kruua
Working a job that requires traveling back and forth between Thailand and abroad leaves him with hardly any personal time for his family.
2AdverbB2
eventually; in the end
eventually, in the end, or as it turns out (usually after a period of time, indecision, or a series of events)
Examples
ตอนแรกdton râekตอนแรกdton râek1at first; initially; originally2the first part; the beginningฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)ซื้อséuซื้อséu1[to] buy; purchase2[to] bribe; buy offอะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2what; what kind of (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)เลยloieเลยloie1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedแต่dtàeแต่dtàe1but; however (contrast)2only; just (restriction)3from; since (starting point)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyๆ-มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerๆ-ก็ได้gôr dâaiก็ได้gôr dâai1[phr] okay; fine; that works2[phr] ... is fine too; you can ... (if you want)เสื้อsêuuaเสื้อsêuuashirt; top; jacketใหม่màiใหม่mài1new; not old2again; anew3new; inexperienced (novice)4hibiscus (Northern Thai)มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerตั้งdtângตั้งdtâng1[to] place upright; stand; erect2as much as; as many as3[to] set up; establish; found4[to] appoint; nominate5[to] set; fix (value, rule, goal)6stack; pile; bundle7[to] aim; focus (eyes, mind)8[to] allocate; earmark (funds)9classifier: stacks; pilesสองsŏngสองsŏng1two; 22secondตัวdtuuaตัวdtuua1body; self; person (colloq.)2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3character; figure
At first, I wasn't going to buy anything, but eventually, I ended up with two new shirts.
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พวกเขาpûuak kăoเถียงกันtĭiang ganเรื่องrêuuangที่เที่ยวtêe tîiaoอยู่yòoนานnaanไปbpaiๆ-มาmaaๆ-ก็gâwตกลงกันdtòk long ganว่าwâaจะjàนอนnonอยู่yòoบ้านbâanเฉยๆchŏei chŏei
They argued for a long time about where to travel; in the end, they agreed to just stay home.
โปรเจกต์bproh-jèkนี้néeเริ่มต้นrêrm dtônจากjàakไอเดียai-diiaเล็กๆlék lékของkŏngนักศึกษาnák sèuk-săaแต่dtàeไปbpaiๆ-มาmaaๆ-กลับกลายเป็นglàp glaai bpenธุรกิจสตาร์ทอัพtú-rá-gìt sà-dtáat-ápที่têeทำกำไรtam gam-raiมหาศาลmá-hăa-săan
This project started from a small idea by students, but as it turned out, it became a massively profitable startup business.
ตอนแรกdton râekผมpŏmคิดว่าkít wâaเขาkăoเป็นbpenคนkonหยิ่งyìngและláeเข้าถึงยากkâo tĕung yâakแต่dtàeไปbpaiๆ-มาmaaๆ-เขาkăoกลับกลายเป็นglàp glaai bpenเพื่อนสนิทpêuuan sà-nìtที่สุดtêe sùtของkŏngผมpŏm
At first, I thought he was arrogant and hard to approach, but eventually, he became my closest friend.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ไปๆ มาๆ said ไป-ไป-มา-มา?
bpai bpai maa maa
Thai spelling does not always show how a word sounds. This is how it is said.
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
4 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ไ hides a final -ย, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
bpai
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 | — | — |