แล้ว, กำลัง, จะ: the verb does not change — time stands beside it
The Thai verb never changes. Neighboring words before or after it show the time and kind of action, and they never change either. For example: “งาน เสร็จ แล้ว พัก ได้” — The work is ready — one can rest. A rule from the Thai course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The Thai verb never changes. Neighboring words before or after it show the time and kind of action, and they never change either.
laeo — already done: ngaan set laeo — the work is ready. kamlang — being done right now: kamlang som yuu — just repairing it. cha — still to come: phrung nii cha roem — will start tomorrow. yang mai — not yet: yang mai set — not ready yet.
The order is fixed. cha, kamlang and yang mai go before the verb; laeo goes at the very end. A word-for-word translation only hinders here: set laeo is not "ready already" but simply "ready". Put laeo — and the event becomes a fact.
Table
| Meaning | Word | Reading | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| already done | แล้ว | laeo | งาน เสร็จ แล้ว — the work is already ready |
| being done now | กำลัง | kamlang | กำลัง ซ่อม อยู่ — repairing right now |
| will | จะ | cha | พรุ่ง นี้ จะ เริ่ม ใหม่ — will start anew tomorrow |
| not yet | ยัง ไม่ | yang mai | ยัง ไม่ เสร็จ — not ready yet |
| just now | เพิ่ง | phoeng | เพิ่ง เลิก ทำ — just stopped doing |
| anew | ใหม่ | mai | ทำ ใหม่ — do it anew |
By example
- งาน เสร็จ แล้ว พัก ได้нган сэт лаэо пхак даайThe work is ready — one can rest
- กำลัง อ่าน อยู่ รอ สัก ครู่камланг ан ю ро сок кхрууI am just reading; wait a minute
- พรุ่ง นี้ จะ เริ่ม ทำ ใหม่пхрунг ний ча рём тхам майTomorrow I will start doing it anew
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
the verb does not change — time stands beside it: how does it work in Thai?
The Thai verb never changes. Neighboring words before or after it show the time and kind of action, and they never change either.
What does it look like in a Thai example sentence?
“งาน เสร็จ แล้ว พัก ได้” (нган сэт лаэо пхак даай) — The work is ready — one can rest. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.