English

ก็: the short word takes the second place

In assessments and stories you constantly hear the short word ko — "too", "indeed", "and then". It has one iron rule: it is never the first word of the phrase; it stands right behind the first word. For example: “เขา ก็ พูด ตรง เหมือน พ่อ” — He also speaks directly, like his father. A rule from the Thai course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

In assessments and stories you constantly hear the short word ko — "too", "indeed", "and then". It has one iron rule: it is never the first word of the phrase; it stands right behind the first word.

phom ko yaak pai — I want to go too. phrung nii ko dai — tomorrow will do too. Whatever you put first — the time, the person, the condition — ko sticks right behind it.

In a condition it joins the halves: thaa fon tok ko yuu ban — if it rains, then we stay home. In an answer it says "fine, let it be": ko dai.

And in a story: laeo ko koet khuen ik — and then it happened again. Listening to a Thai story, catch ko — it always shows what the new thought is attaching itself to.

Table

ก็: the short word takes the second place
Where ก็ standsExampleReadingIn English
after the subjectผม ก็ อยาก ไปphom ko yaak paiI want to go too
after a time wordพรุ่ง นี้ ก็ ได้phrung nii ko daitomorrow will do too
in a conditionถ้า ฝน ตก ก็ อยู่ บ้านthaa fon tok ko yuu banif it rains — we stay home
in agreementก็ ได้ko daifine, let it be
with a concessionแต่ ก็ น่า ดูtae ko naa dubut still worth watching
in a storyแล้ว ก็ เกิด ขึ้น อีกlaeo ko koet khuen ikand then it happened again
after a negationไม่ ก็ ไม่ เป็น ไรmai ko mai pen raiif not — no problem
in comparisonเขา ก็ ทำ ได้khao ko tham daihe can do it too

By example

  • เขา ก็ พูด ตรง เหมือน พ่อ
    кхао ко пхуыт тронг мыан пхё
    He also speaks directly, like his father
  • ถ้า ไม่ มี รถ เมล์ ก็ เดิน ไป
    тхаа май ми рот мэ ко дён пай
    If there is no bus — we walk
  • เรื่อง ยาว แต่ ก็ น่า ดู
    рыанг йао тэ ко на дуу
    The story is long, but it is worth watching

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 short word takes the second place: how does it work in Thai?

In assessments and stories you constantly hear the short word ko — "too", "indeed", "and then". It has one iron rule: it is never the first word of the phrase; it stands right behind the first word.

What does it look like in a Thai example sentence?

“เขา ก็ พูด ตรง เหมือน พ่อ” (кхао ко пхуыт тронг мыан пхё) — He also speaks directly, like his father. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

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