Daily Thai Confidence: Using ยกเว้น (yók-wén)

Preposition: ยกเว้น (yók-wén)
Meaning: except / excluding / with the exception of

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the preposition of exception ยกเว้น (yók-wén), which means ‘except,’ ‘excluding,’ or ‘with the exception of’. It is used to exclude someone or something from a rule, group, or statement. It is placed before the person, thing, or circumstance that is excluded.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: ยกเว้น (yók-wén) + noun / pronoun / phrase.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

ráan bpèud t^húk wān yók-wén wān āa-t^híd
Literal: Shop open every day except Sunday.
The shop is open every day except Sunday.

In this sentence, the preposition ยกเว้น (yók-wén) is used to indicate an exception to a general rule. Here, the general rule is “the shop is open every day,” and ยกเว้นวันอาทิตย์ (yók-wén wān āa-t^híd) specifies that Sunday is excluded from this rule.

chǎn gīn dâi t^húk-^awyàang yók-wén āa-hǎan-t^há-lāy
Literal: I eat can everything except food-sea.
I eat everything except seafood.

In this sentence, the preposition ยกเว้น (yók-wén) is used to indicate something that is excluded from a general statement. Here, the speaker is saying that they can eat all kinds of food (ทุกอย่าง (t^húk-^awyàang)  = everything) but seafood is excluded.

t^húk-k^hōn dtâwng t^hām-ngāan yók-wén k^hōn t^hêe jèb-bpùay
Literal: Every-person must do-work except people who sick.
Everyone must work except those who are sick.

In this sentence, the preposition ยกเว้น (yók-wén) is used to indicate an exception to a general rule. The general rule here is ทุกคนต้องทำงาน (t^húk-k^hōn dtâwng t^hām-ngāan = everyone must work), and ยกเว้นคนที่เจ็บป่วย (yók-wén k^hōn t^hêe jèb-bpùay) specifies that people who are sick are excluded from this rule.

t^húk-k^hōn sǎa-mâad k^hâo chōn ngāan dâi yók-wén dèk āa-yút dtàm gwàa hâa k^hwùab
Literal: Every-person able to enter-admire event can except children age low more than five years old.
Everyone can attend the event except children under 5 years old.

In this sentence, the preposition ยกเว้น (yók-wén) is used to indicate an exception to a general rule or permission. The general statement is ทุกคนสามารถเข้าชมงานได้ (t^húk-k^hōn sǎa-mâad k^hâo chōn ngāan dâi = everyone is allowed to attend the event), and ยกเว้นเด็กอายุต่ำกว่า 5 ขวบ (yók-wén dèk āa-yút dtàm gwàa hâa k^hwùab) specifies that children under 5 years old are excluded from this rule.

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

1. This store is open every day except public holidays.
2. All students must attend class except those who are sick.
3. Everyone can enter the park except pets.
4. I drink all kinds of tea except green tea.
5. All employees must attend the training except those on leave.

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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