Thai · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 26

หน้าตาและการเปรียบเทียบLooks and comparison

nâa-taa lɛ́ kaan-priap-thîap

Vocabulary for describing people: สูง, เตี้ย, อ้วน, ผอม, ผม, ตา, สวย, หล่อ, ใจดี, กว่า. Key grammar: compare with adjective + "กว่า" — "สูงกว่า" (taller), "สวยกว่า" (prettier). "กว่า" always comes AFTER the adjective. English speakers, used to "more tall", tend to put "กว่า" first — "กว่าสูง" ✗ → "สูงกว่า" ✓. For the superlative, add "ที่สุด" — "สูงที่สุด" (the tallest). Tone corner: สูง (rising) vs เตี้ย (falling).

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กว่าสูง? สูงกว่า?— กว่าสูง? or สูงกว่า?

  1. Somchaiเจมส์Jamesน้องชายnɔ́ɔŋchaaiคุณkhunสูงsǔuŋไหมmǎiครับkrápJames, is your younger brother tall?
  2. Jamesเขาkhǎoเตี้ยtîaครับkrápผมphǒmกว่าkwàaสูงsǔuŋHe is short; I am taller. (slip: "กว่า" goes after the adjective → "ผมสูงกว่า")
  3. Somchai"กว่าkwàa"อยู่yùuหลังlǎŋคำคุณศัพท์kham-khunsàpครับkráp:"ผมphǒmสูงsǔuŋกว่าkwàa""กว่า" comes after the adjective: "ผมสูงกว่า".
  4. Jamesอ๋อɔ̌ɔผมphǒmสูงsǔuŋกว่าkwàaน้องชายnɔ́ɔŋchaaiครับkrápOh, I am taller than my younger brother.
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ใครสูงกว่ากัน— Who is taller?

  1. Maleeเจมส์Jamesเพื่อนphʉ̂anคุณkhunสองsɔ̌ɔŋคนkhonใครkhraiสูงsǔuŋกว่าkwàaกันkanคะkháJames, your two friends, who is taller?
  2. Jamesทอมtomสูงsǔuŋกว่าkwàaมาร์คmáakครับkrápแต่tàɛɛมาร์คmáakใจcai-diiดีกว่าkwàaTom is taller than Mark, but Mark is kinder.
  3. Maleeมาร์คmáakใจcai-diiดีกว่าkwàaทอมtomเหรอrǒeคะkháMark is kinder than Tom?
  4. Jamesใช่châiครับkrápมาร์คmáakใจcaiดีdiiที่thîiสุดsùtในnaiกลุ่มklùmYes, Mark is the kindest in the group.
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สูงsǔuŋ

adjectivetall, high

เตี้ยtîa

adjectiveshort (in height)

อ้วนûan

adjectivefat

ผอมphɔ̌ɔm

adjectivethin, slim

ผมphǒm

nounhair

ตาtaa

nouneye

สวยsǔai

adjectivebeautiful, pretty

หล่อlɔ̀ɔ

adjectivehandsome

ใจcaiดีdii

adjectivekind, kind-hearted

กว่าkwàa

particlethan (comparative marker)

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Comparison: "สูงกว่า" ("กว่า" after the adjective)

Explanation

Comparing two things in Thai is very simple: A + adjective + "กว่า" + B. "สมชายสูงกว่าเจมส์" (Somchai is taller than James), "บ้านนี้สวยกว่าบ้านนั้น" (this house is prettier than that house). "กว่า" always comes AFTER the adjective, not before. English speakers, thinking "more tall", often say "กว่าสูง" ✗ — wrong order. The correct form is "สูงกว่า" ✓. For the superlative (the most), add "ที่สุด" after the adjective: "สูงที่สุด" (the tallest), "ใจดีที่สุด" (the kindest). Ask a comparison with "ใคร...กว่ากัน": "ใครสูงกว่ากัน" (who is taller?).

Examples

  • สมชายสูงกว่าเจมส์Somchai is taller than James.
  • น้องเตี้ยกว่าพี่The younger sibling is shorter than the older.
  • คนนี้ผอมกว่าคนนั้นThis person is thinner than that person.
  • ใครใจดีที่สุดWho is the kindest?
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วรรณยุกต์: สูง (จัตวา) กับ เตี้ย (โท)— Tones: สูง (rising) vs เตี้ย (falling)

Read the words and sentence aloud, keeping the tones:

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