แตก, พัง, ยับ: the state of a thing is already a predicate
"The glass is broken" in Thai is kaeo taek: two words, no "is", no participles. The state word works as the verb itself, and laeo marks that it has already happened. kaeo taek laeo — the glass is broken. For example: “แก้ว ตก แต่ ยัง ไม่ แตก” — The glass fell but has not broken yet. A rule from the Thai course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
"The glass is broken" in Thai is kaeo taek: two words, no "is", no participles. The state word works as the verb itself, and laeo marks that it has already happened. kaeo taek laeo — the glass is broken.
This is how the whole map of states is built. taek — shattered; phang — out of order; hak — snapped in two; yap — crumpled; suek — worn out; sit — faded; rua — leaking. None of them conjugates: whether one cup broke or the whole set, Thai does not care.
Who is to blame, Thai adds as a separate verb: tham tok — dropped (made it fall); tham hai — lost. The state itself does not change: kaeo tham tok laeo taek — the glass was dropped and it shattered.
Table
| State | Word | Reading | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| shattered | แตก | taek | แจกัน ตก แล้ว แตก — the vase fell and shattered |
| out of order | พัง | phang | พัดลม พัง แล้ว — the fan is broken |
| snapped in two | หัก | hak | กิ่ง ไม้ หัก — the branch snapped |
| crumpled | ยับ | yap | เสื้อ ยับ ต้อง รีด — the shirt is creased, must iron |
| worn out | สึก | suek | รอง เท้า สึก มาก — the shoes are badly worn |
| faded | ซีด | sit | ผ้า ม่าน ซีด แล้ว — the curtains have faded |
| leaking | รั่ว | rua | ท่อ รั่ว ต้อง เรียก ช่าง — the pipe leaks, call a technician |
By example
- แก้ว ตก แต่ ยัง ไม่ แตกгэо ток тэ янг май тэкThe glass fell but has not broken yet
- พัดลม พัง แล้ว ต้อง ซ่อมпхатлом пханг лаэо тонг соомThe fan is broken; it must be fixed
- ผ้า ม่าน ซีด เพราะ แดดпхаа маан сиит пхро дээтThe curtains faded from the sun
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 state of a thing is already a predicate: how does it work in Thai?
"The glass is broken" in Thai is kaeo taek: two words, no "is", no participles. The state word works as the verb itself, and laeo marks that it has already happened. kaeo taek laeo — the glass is broken.
What does it look like in a Thai example sentence?
“แก้ว ตก แต่ ยัง ไม่ แตก” (гэо ток тэ янг май тэк) — The glass fell but has not broken yet. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.