Daily Thai Confidence — Using ยัง (yāng)

Adverb: ยัง (yāng)
Meaning: still

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the adverb ยัง (yāng), which means ‘still.’ It is used to show that a situation, action, or state continues up to the present and has not changed.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: subject +ยัง (yāng) + verb / adjective.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

ฉันยังอยู่ที่บ้าน

chǎn yāng ^awyùu t^hêe bâan
Literal: I still to be situated at home.
I am still at home.

The linking verb อยู่ (^awyùu) means ‘to be located,’ ‘is,’ ‘am,’ or ‘are.’ It is used to describe the location of someone or something — subject + อยู่ (^awyùu) + preposition of place + noun for location. For example: หนังสืออยู่บนโต๊ะ (^hnǎng-sěu ^awyùu bōn dtó = The book is on the table.); ฉันจะอยู่ที่นี่อีกสองวัน (chǎn jà ^awyùu t^hêe-nêe èek sǎwng wān = I will be here for another two days.); เขาอยู่กับแม่ของเขาตอนนี้ (k^hǎo ^awyùu gàb mâe k^hǎwng-k^hǎo dtāwn-née = He is with his mother right now.), etc.

เขายังทำงานอยู่

k^hǎo yāng t^hām-ngāan ^awyùu
Literal: He still do-work currently.
He is still working.

The verb อยู่ (^awyùu) is placed after a verb or an adjective, it shows that the action or the state is in progress or continuing at the moment of speaking — subject + verb / adjective + อยู่ (^awyùu). In this case, it is like saying ‘currenly’. For example: ฉันอ่านหนังสืออยู่ (chǎn àan-^hnǎng-sěu ^awyùu = I am reading a book.); เธอเจรจากับเขาอยู่ (t^hēr jāy-rá-jāa gàb k^hǎo ^awyùu = She is negotiating with him.); ฉันกินข้าวอยู่ (chǎn gīn-k^hâow ^awyùu = I’m eating.), etc.

เรายังเป็นเพื่อนกัน

rāo yāng bpēn p^hêuan gān
Literal: We still to be friend with each other.
We are still friends.

The word กัน (gān) means ‘with each other,’ ‘together,’ or ‘mutually’ in this sentence. It shows that the relationship or action exists between two or more people. However, the word กัน (gān) can also be translated as ‘each other’ or ‘one another’ when used as a pronoun. For example: เราคุยกันทุกวัน (rāo k^hūi gān t^húk wān = We talk to each other every day.); พวกเขารักกันมาก (p^hûak-k^hǎo rák gān mâak = They love each other very much.); เราช่วยกันทำงานนี้จนสำเร็จ (rāo chûay gān t^hām ngāan née jōn sǎm-^hrèd = We help each other until successfully finished this job.), etc.

ผมยังเรียนภาษาไทยอยู่แต่ยังพูดไม่คล่อง

p^hǒm yāng rīan p^hāa-sǎa Thāi ^awyùu dtàe yāng p^hûud mâi k^hlâwng
Literal: I still learn language Thai currently, but still speak not fluently.
I am still learning Thai, but I still don’t speak fluently.

The adverb คล่อง (k^hlâwng) means ‘fluently,’ ‘proficiently,’ ‘skilfully,’ or ‘efficiently.’ It is used to describe someone who cand o something easily, smoothly, confidently, and without hesitation. It is commonly used with languages, reading, writing, driving, using computers, or performing skills — verb + คล่อง (k^hlâwng). For example: เขาพูดภาษาไทยคล่องมาก (k^hǎo p^hûud p^hāa-sǎa Thāi k^hlâwng mâak = He speaks Thai very fluently.); เขาเขียนภาษาอังกฤษได้คล่องมาก (k^hǎo k^hǐan p^hāa-sǎa āng-grìd dâi k^hlâwng mâak = He can write English very fluently.); เขาทำงานคล่องมากเพราะมีประสบการณ์ในด้านนี้ (k^hǎo t^hām-ngāan k^hlâwng mâak p^hrót mēe bprà-sòb-gāan nāi dâan née = He works very efficiently because he has experience in this field.), etc.

When combined with ไม่ (mâi = not) to form ยังไม่ (yāng mâi), it means ‘yet’ or ‘not yet,’ indicating that something has not happened or has not been completed at the present time, but is expected to happen in the future.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: subject +ยังไม่ (yāng mâi) + verb / adjective.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

ฉันยังไม่กินข้าว

chǎn yāng mâi gīn-k^hâow
Literal: I still not eat-rice.
I haven’t eaten yet.

The verb phrase กินข้าว (gīn-k^hâow) means ‘to eat,’ ‘to have a meal,’ or ‘to eat a meal.’ Thai speakers use this verb phrase as the general expression for ‘eating a meal,’ not only eating rice.

เขายังไม่มา

k^hǎo yāng mâi māa
Literal: He still not come.
He hasn’t arrived yet.

The verb มา (māa) means ‘to come.’ It describes movement towards the speakers, a place being referred to, or a destination that is considered the focus — subject + มา (māa) + verb / place. The word มา (māa) can also come after a verb to indicates that the action started in the past and continues to the present — verb + มา (māa). In this case, it has similar meaning to ‘up to now,’ ‘for…,’ or ‘until now.’ In this case it shows that something started in the past and continues to the present — verb + มา (māa) + time period + แล้ว (láew = already). For example: ฉันอาศัยอยู่ที่นี่มาสิบปีแล้ว (chǎn āa-sǎi ^awyùu t^hêe-nêe māa sìb bpēe láew = I have been living here for ten years now.); เขาทำงานที่นี่มานานแล้ว (k^hǎo t^hām-ngāan t^hêe-nêe māa nāan láew = He has worked here for a long time.); เรารู้จักกันมาหลายปีแล้ว (rāo rúu-jàk gān māa ^hlǎai bpēe láew = We have known each other for many years now.). When not followed by a time period, มา (māa) functions like a helping verb, showing that an action has happened from the past up to the present point — verb + มา (māa). For example: ฉันไปกินข้าวกับเพื่อนมา (chǎn bpāi gīn-k^hâow gàb p^hêuan māa = I went out for a meal with a friend.); ฉันซื้อกาแฟมา (chǎn séu gāa-fāe māa = I bought coffee.); ฉันไปซื้ออาหารที่ตลาดมา (chǎn bpāi séu āa-hǎan t^hêe dtà-^hlàwd māa = I went to buy food at the market.)

เรายังไม่พร้อม

rāo yāng mâi p^hráwm
Literal: We still not ready.
We are not ready yet.

The adjective พร้อม (p^hráwm) means ‘is ready’ or ‘is prepared.’ It describes someone or something being in a suitable condition to do something.

เขายังไม่เข้าใจในสิ่งที่เขาทำ

k^hǎo yāng mâi k^hâo-jāi nāi sìng t^hêe k^hǎo t^hām
Literal: He still not understand in the thing that he do.
He doesn’t yet understand what he has done.

The verb เข้าใจ (k^hâo-jāi) means ‘to understand.’ It describes the ability to understand information, ideas, feelings, situations, or someone’s point of view.

Homework (การบ้าน — gāan-bâan)

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

1. He still works at the same company.
2. This shop is still open.
3. I still remember his name.
4. We still have time.
5. He hasn’t started working yet.

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