Daily Thai Confidence — Using จ่าย (jàai)

Verb: จ่าย (jàai)
Meaning: to pay

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the verb จ่าย (jàai), which means ‘to pay.’ It focuses on the person making the payment. It describes the action of giving money to another person, business, or organisation in exchange for goods, services, or to settle a bill, debt, or fee.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: subject +จ่าย (jàai).

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

ฉันจ่ายเงินแล้ว

chǎn jàai ngēuhn láew
Literal: I pay money already.
I have already paid.

The noun phrase จ่ายเงิน (jàai ngēuhn) means ‘to pay’ or ‘to make a payment.’ It is the most general way to talk about paying money, without specifying what the payment is for. For example: เขายังไม่ได้จ่ายเงิน (k^hǎo yāng mâi dâi jàai ngēuhn = He hasn’t paid yet.); เขาจ่ายเงินด้วยบัตรเครดิต (k^hǎo jàai ngēuhn dûay bàd credit = He paid with a credit card.); ผมจ่ายเงินได้ที่ไหน (p^hǒm jàai ngēuhn dâi t^hêe-^hnǎi? = Where can I make the payment? / Where can I pay?)

กรุณาจ่ายเงินที่เคาน์เตอร์

gà-rú-nāa jàai ngēuhn t^hêe counter
Literal: Please pay money at counter.
Please pay at the counter.

The word กรุณา (gà-rú-nāa) means ‘please.’ It is a polite expression used to make requests, instructions, or announcements. It is formal and is commonly found in signs, notices, public announcement, customer service, and formal writing — กรุณา (gà-rú-nāa) + verb / verb phrase. For example: กรุณาแสดงบัตรประชาชน (gà-rú-nāa sà-dāeng bàd bprà-chāa-chōn = Please show your ID card.); กรุณาตรวจสอบข้อมูลก่อนส่ง (gà-rú-nāa dtrùad-sàwb k^hâw-mūun gàwn sòng = Please check the information before submitting it.); กรุณาถอดรองเท้าก่อนเข้าบ้าน (gà-rú-nāa t^hàwd rāwng-t^háo gàwn k^hâo báan = Please take off your shoes before entering the house.), etc.

เขาจ่ายห้าสิบปอนด์

k^hǎo jàai hâa-sìb bpāwn
Literal: He pay fifty pound.
He paid fifty pounds.

The noun ปอนด์ (bpāwn) means ‘pound.’ It is most commonly used to refer to the British currency, the pound sterling (£) — number + ปอนด์ (bpāwn). For example: ฉันจ่ายไปแล้วห้าสิบปอนด์ (chǎn jàai bpāi láew hâa-sìb bpāwn = I have already paid fifty pounds.); ค่าเรียนราคา 30 ปอนด์ต่อชั่วโมง (k^hâa rīan rāa-k^hāa sǎam-sìb bpāwn dtàw chûa-mōng = The tuition fee is £30 per hour.); ผมโอนเงินไปให้เธอ 100 ปอนด์ (p^hǒm ōon ngēuhn bpāi hâi t^hēr ^hnèung-rói bpāwn = I transferred £100 to her.)

ฉันต้องจ่ายค่าไฟวันนี้

chǎn dtâwng jàai k^hâa fāi wān-née
Literal: I have to pay cost of electricity day-this.
I have to pay the electricity bill today.

The noun ค่า (k^hâa) means ‘cost of….,’ or ‘fee of…’ It is often used before a noun or a verb to describe what the cost is for — ค่า (k^hâa) + noun / verb. For example: ค่าอาหาร (k^hâa āa-hǎan = cost of food / food bill); ค่าเรียน (k^hâa rīan = tuition fee); ค่าเช่า (k^hâa châo = the cost of rent / rent fee); ค่าไฟ (k^hâa fāi = cost of electricity / electricity bill); ค่าน้ำ (k^hâa nám = water bill); ค่าจ้าง (k^hâa jáang = the cost of hiring / wages / earnings), etc.

Homework (การบ้าน — gāan-bâan)

Practise putting your newly learned Thai word into a sentence by translating the following sentences below.

1. He paid for everyone’s food.
2. I pay the rent every month.
3. I have already paid for the ticket.
4. He has to pay tax every year.
5. The company pays salary to employees every month.

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