Thai · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 41

ช้างใหญ่เท่ากับบ้านAn elephant is as big as a house

cháaŋ yài thâo-kàp bâan

We talk about nature and animals, and learn how to compare things as "equal". Vocabulary: sàt, cháaŋ, krà-tàai, nók, ling, sʉ̌a, phuu-khǎo, thá-lee, mɛ̂ɛ-náam, tôn-máai, tham-má-châat, khɛ̌ɛŋ-rɛɛŋ. Key grammar: the "เท่ากับ" (equal) comparison. In ch26 you learned "กว่า" (more than) and "ที่สุด" (the most); this chapter is about being "equal": "adjective + เท่ากับ + noun" = X is as ... as Y, e.g. "ช้างใหญ่เท่ากับบ้าน" (as big as each other). You can also say "เท่ากัน" when two things are equal: "สัตว์สองตัวนี้แข็งแรงเท่ากัน" (these two animals are equally strong). Note: "เท่ากับ" (equal) is different from "กว่า" (more). English speakers used to "กว่า" often say "สูงกว่า" (taller) when they mean "สูงเท่ากัน" (as tall) → use "เท่ากับ" for equality. Tone corner: "เท่า" (thâo, falling tone) and "กับ" (kàp, low tone).

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ที่สวนสัตว์— At the zoo

  1. Somchaiเจมส์Jamesผมphǒmว่าwâaเสือsʉ̌aกับkàpสิงsǐŋโตtooแข็งkhɛ̌ɛŋแรงrɛɛŋพอphɔɔphɔɔกันkanนะครับkrápJames, I think a tiger and a lion are about equally strong.
  2. Jamesใช่châi!เสือsʉ̌aแข็งkhɛ̌ɛŋแรงrɛɛŋกว่าkwàaสิงsǐŋโตtooYes! A tiger is stronger than a lion. (slip: to say "as strong as", use เท่ากับ, not กว่า (= more than): แข็งแรงเท่ากับ)
  3. Somchaiอ๋อɔ̌ɔถ้าthâaเท่าthâoกันkanใช้chái"เท่าthâoกับkàp"ไม่mâiใช่châi"กว่าkwàa"นะครับkrápพูดphûutว่าwâa"แข็งkhɛ̌ɛŋแรงrɛɛŋเท่าthâoกับkàpสิงsǐŋโตtoo"Ah, if they're equal, use "เท่ากับ", not "กว่า". Say "แข็งแรงเท่ากับสิงโต".
  4. Jamesอ๋อɔ̌ɔเข้าใจkhâocaiแล้วlɛ́ɛwครับkráp"เสือsʉ̌aแข็งkhɛ̌ɛŋแรงrɛɛŋเท่าthâoกับkàpสิงsǐŋโตtoo"Ah, I get it. "เสือแข็งแรงเท่ากับสิงโต" (a tiger is as strong as a lion).
  5. Somchaiถูกthùukต้องtɔ̂ɔŋครับkráp!แล้วlɛ́ɛwช้างcháaŋล่ะช้างcháaŋใหญ่yàiเท่าthâoกับkàpบ้านbâanไหมmǎiCorrect! And the elephant? Is an elephant as big as a house?
  6. Jamesเกือบkʉ̀apเท่าthâoกันkanครับkráp!แต่tɛ̀ɛผมphǒmชอบchɔ̂ɔpลิงliŋที่thîiสุดsùtลิงliŋน่าnâaรักrákเท่าthâoกับkàpกระkràต่ายtàaiAlmost equal! But I like monkeys the most. Monkeys are as cute as rabbits.
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ธรรมชาติของไทย— Thailand's nature

  1. Maleeเจมส์Jamesคุณkhunชอบchɔ̂ɔpภูphuuเขาkhǎoหรือrʉ̌ʉทะtháเลleeคะkháJames, do you like mountains or the sea?
  2. Jamesผมphǒmชอบchɔ̂ɔpทั้งtháŋสองsɔ̌ɔŋเท่าthâoกันkanครับkráp!ธรรมชาติtham-má-châatของkhɔ̌ɔŋไทยthaiสวยsǔaiมากmâakI like both equally! Thailand's nature is very beautiful.
  3. Maleeจริงciŋค่ะที่thîiเชียงchiaŋใหม่màiภูphuuเขาkhǎoสูงsǔuŋเท่าthâoกับkàpเมฆmêekเลยloəəiTrue. In Chiang Mai, the mountains are as high as the clouds.
  4. Jamesว้าวwáao!แล้วlɛ́ɛwทะtháเลleeล่ะครับkrápWow! And the sea?
  5. Maleeทะtháเลleeใต้tâiสวยsǔaiมากmâakน้ำnáamใสsǎiเท่าthâoกับkàpกระkràจกcòkThe southern sea is very beautiful. The water is as clear as glass.
  6. Jamesอยากyàakไปpaiจังcaŋครับkráp!ผมphǒmอยากyàakถ่ายthàaiรูปrûupนกnókและlɛ́ต้นtônไม้máaiI really want to go! I want to take photos of birds and trees.
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สัตว์sàt

nounanimal

ช้างcháaŋ

nounelephant

กระkràต่ายtàai

nounrabbit

นกnók

nounbird

ลิงliŋ

nounmonkey

เสือsʉ̌a

nountiger

ภูphuuเขาkhǎo

nounmountain

ทะtháเลlee

nounsea

แม่mɛ̂ɛน้ำnáam

nounriver

ต้นtônไม้máai

nountree

ธรรมชาติtham-má-châat

nounnature

แข็งkhɛ̌ɛŋแรงrɛɛŋ

adjectivestrong, healthy

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Equal comparison: "เท่ากับ"

Explanation

In ch26 we learned the "more than" comparison ("สูงกว่า", taller) and "ที่สุด" (the most). This chapter learns to compare two things as "equal". Structure: "adjective + เท่ากับ + noun" = A is as ... as B, e.g. "ช้างใหญ่เท่ากับบ้าน" (the elephant and the house are equally big), "เสือแข็งแรงเท่ากับสิงโต" (a tiger is as strong as a lion). When you talk about two things together and don't need to name the second one, use "เท่ากัน": "นกสองตัวนี้เล็กเท่ากัน" (these two birds are equally small). "เท่า" means "equal / the same amount", unlike "กว่า" which means "more". Note: English speakers used to "กว่า" from ch26 often slip and say "สูงกว่า" (more tall) when they mean "สูงเท่ากัน" (equally tall). When two things are equal, use "เท่ากับ", not "กว่า".

Examples

  • ช้างใหญ่เท่ากับบ้านAn elephant is as big as a house.
  • เสือแข็งแรงเท่ากับสิงโตA tiger is as strong as a lion.
  • นกสองตัวนี้เล็กเท่ากันThese two birds are equally small.
  • ภูเขาลูกนี้สูงเท่ากับภูเขาลูกนั้นThis mountain is as tall as that mountain.
  • กระต่ายเร็วเท่ากับม้าไหมIs a rabbit as fast as a horse?
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เสียงของ "เท่ากับ"— The sounds of "เท่ากับ"

Read aloud, letting "เท่า" fall from high:

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