Daily Thai Confidence: Using ให้ยืม (hâi yēum)

Verb: ให้ยืม (hâi yēum)
Meaning: to lend

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the verb ให้ยืม (hâi yēum), which means ‘to lend’. It is used when someone allows another person to borrow something with the expectation that it will be returned.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: subject + ให้ (hâi) + person + ยืม (yēum) + object.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

chǎn hâi p^hêuan yēum ^hnǎng-sěu sàb-dāa t^hêe-láew
Literal: I let friend borrow book week last.
I lend a book to a friend last week.

The word ที่แล้ว (t^hêe-láew) means ‘last’ and is used specifically to modify the time noun that comes before it in order to form adverb of time — time noun + แล้ว (t^hêe-láew). For example: สัปดาห์ที่แล้ว (sàb-dāa t^hêe-láew = last week); เดือนที่แล้ว (dēuan t^hêe-láew = last month); ปีที่แล้ว (bpēe t^hêe-láew = last year); วันศุกร์ที่แล้ว (wān-sùk t^hêe-láew = last Friday), etc.

t^hēr hâi chǎn yēum bpàak-gāa k^hrûu-dīew
Literal: She let me borrow pen for a short moment.
She lent me a pen for a short moment.

The adverb of time ครู่เดียว (k^hrûu-dīew) means ‘for a short moment,’ ‘for a moment,’ or ‘just for a little while’. It is used to refer to a very brief period of time.

k^hǎo mâi hâi k^hrāi yēum t^hōo-rá-sàb k^hǎwng-k^hǎo
Literal: He not let anyone borrow telephone belonging to-him.
He does not lend his phone to anyone.

The word ใคร (k^hrāi) can function as interrogative pronoun meaning ‘who’ and is used to ask about a person. However, in some contexts, it can also function as an indefinite pronoun meaning ‘anyone’ or ‘anybody’.

t^hēr mâi châwb hâi k^hōn èun yēum ngēuhn
Literal: She not like let people other borrow money.
She doesn’t like lending money to other people.

The word อื่น (èun) means ‘other,’ ‘another,’ or ‘different’ and is used commonly used to talk about another thing, person, or option besides the one already known. It is placed after a noun or classifier — noun / classifier + อื่น (èun). For example: ฉันอยากลองอาหารอื่น (chǎn ^awyàak lāwng āa-hǎan èun = I want to try other food.); เราไปหาร้านอื่นกันเถอะ (rāo bpāi hǎa ráan èun gān t^hèut = Let’s go find another restaurant.); ฉันอยากซื้อหนังสือเล่มอื่นไม่ใช่เล่มนี้ (chǎn ^awyàak séu ^hnǎng-sěu lêm èun, mâi châi lêm née = I want to buy a different book, not this one.

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

1. He lent money to his younger brother.
2. I never lend my phone to anyone.
3. She lent her car to her younger sister.
4. The library lends books to students.
5. The teacher lent a dictionary to the student.

About Post Author

Urai Khomkham

Hi, I’m Urai Khomkham, a Thai language teacher and the creator of Thai Language Tuition UK. I help learners understand how Thai really works, so they can stop guessing and start feeling confident using the language in real life. Inside the community, I share clear lessons, practical explanations, and gentle guidance to support steady, meaningful progress — without pressure or overwhelm. I also share free Thai lessons and learning tips on my YouTube channel, where I break things down step by step and help you build strong foundations at your own pace. By subscribing, you’re not only supporting your own learning — you’re also helping me continue creating free resources to support you and other learners on their Thai journey.

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