Daily Thai Confidence — Using ไม่…เท่าไหร่ (mâi…thâo-hrài)

Grammatic Pattern: ไม่…เท่าไหร่ (mâi…t^hâo-^hrài)
Meaning: not very… / not much / not really / not that…  

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the common Thai pattern ไม่…เท่าไหร่ (mâi…t^hâo-^hrài), which can be translated to ‘not very…,’ ‘not much,’ ‘not really,’ or ‘not that…’ It is used to express that something is less than expected or not to a great degree.

It made up of two words:

• ไม่ (mâi) = not
• เท่าไหร่ (t^hâo-^hrài) = how much

Together, ไม่…เท่าไหร่ (mâi…t^hâo-^hrài) forms the idea of ‘it is not to a great extent’ or ‘not so much.’

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: ไม่ (mâi) + adjective / verb + เท่าไหร่ (t^hâo-^hrài).

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

อาหารจานนี้ไม่เผ็ดเท่าไหร่

āa-hǎan jāan née mâi p^hèd t^hâo-^hrài
Literal: Food plate this not spicy so much.
This food isn’t very spicy.

In this sentence, the speaker is saying the degree of spiciness is lower than expected and not very high.

บ้านหลังนี้ไม่แพงเท่าไหร่

bâan ^hlǎng née mâi p^hāeng t^hâo-^hrài
Literal: House building this not expensive so much.
This house isn’t very expensive.

In this sentence, the speaker is saying that the price of the house is not particularly high or not as expensive as someone might expect.

เธอไม่สนใจเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนั้นเท่าไหร่

t^hēr mâi sǒn-jāi gìew-gàb rêuang nán t^hâo-^hrài
Literal: She not interested about matter that so much.
She doesn’t care much about that matter.

In this sentence, the speaker is not saying that she has absolutely no interest, but rather that her level of interest is quite low.

บ้านหลังนี้อยู่ไม่ไกลเท่าไหร่จากโรงเรียน

bâan ^hlǎng née ^awyùu mâi glāi t^hâo-^hrài jàak rōng-rīan
Literal: House building this situated not far so much from school.
This house isn’t very far from the school.

In this sentence, the speaker is saying that the distance between the house and the school is not particularly far or not as far as someone might expect.

Homework (การบ้าน — gāan-bâan)

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

1. The weather is not very hot today.
2. This shop is not very far from my house.
3. I don’t like him very much.
4. I don’t like spicy food very much.
5. The price is not so expensive.

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