{"id":1589,"date":"2013-03-04T01:30:06","date_gmt":"2013-03-04T01:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/?p=1589"},"modified":"2013-02-17T01:39:09","modified_gmt":"2013-02-17T01:39:09","slug":"the-word-gaw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/the-word-gaw\/","title":{"rendered":"The Word \u2018Gaw\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Thai word gaw3 \u0e01\u0e47 is one of the top ten most common words in the Thai language. However, it can be a bit difficult to understand for a beginner due to a lack of an English-language equivalent. The best literal translation I\u2019m aware of is \u2018likewise\u2019 or \u2018therefore\u2019, but it doesn\u2019t quite match correctly.\u00a0<\/span>For example:<\/span><\/p>\n

I was hungry, therefore I ate.<\/p>\n

Pom5 hew5 gaw3 gin1<\/p>\n

\u0e1c\u0e21\u0e2b\u0e34\u0e27\u0e01\u0e47\u0e01\u0e34\u0e19<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I am lonely, so I want a girlfriend.<\/p>\n

Pom5 ngaow5 gaw3 yaak2 mee1 faen1<\/p>\n

\u0e1c\u0e21\u0e40\u0e2b\u0e07\u0e32\u0e01\u0e47\u0e2d\u0e22\u0e32\u0e01\u0e21\u0e35\u0e41\u0e1f\u0e19<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The word gaw3 can also translate as \u2018ummmmmm,\u2019 or the sound people make when they are thinking about what next to say.\u00a0For example:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ummmmmm . . . I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

Gawwwwwwwwwww3 . . . mai3 ruu4<\/p>\n

\u0e01\u0e47 . . . \u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e23\u0e39\u0e49<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gaw3 can mean \u2018and then…\u2019. For example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get married and then have kids.<\/p>\n

Dtaeng2ngaan1 laew4 gaw3 mee1 luuk3<\/p>\n

\u0e41\u0e15\u0e48\u0e07\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19\u0e41\u0e25\u0e49\u0e27\u0e01\u0e47\u0e21\u0e35\u0e25\u0e39\u0e01<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gaw3 can mean \u2018that is\u2019 or just \u2018is\u2019. For example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

A boyfriend is someone you love.<\/p>\n

Faen1 gaw3 kue1 kon1 tee3 kun1 rak4<\/p>\n

\u0e41\u0e1f\u0e19\u0e01\u0e47\u0e04\u0e37\u0e2d\u0e04\u0e19\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e04\u0e38\u0e13\u0e23\u0e31\u0e01<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To never do anything wrong is to never do anything.<\/p>\n

Tum1 a1rai1 mai3 pid2 loy1 gaw3 kue1 mai3 tum1 a1rai1 loy1<\/p>\n

\u0e17\u0e33\u0e2d\u0e30\u0e44\u0e23\u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e1c\u0e34\u0e14\u0e40\u0e25\u0e22 \u0e01\u0e47\u0e04\u0e37\u0e2d\u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e17\u0e33\u0e2d\u0e30\u0e44\u0e23\u0e40\u0e25\u0e22<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gaw3 can mean \u2018whatever is ok\u2019, as in the following three examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whatever is ok.<\/p>\n

A1rai1 gaw3 dtaam2<\/p>\n

\u0e2d\u0e30\u0e44\u0e23\u0e01\u0e47\u0e15\u0e32\u0e21<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Anything is fine.<\/p>\n

A1rai1 gaw3 dai3<\/p>\n

\u0e2d\u0e30\u0e44\u0e23\u0e01\u0e47\u0e44\u0e14\u0e49<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Play as much as you\u2019d like.<\/p>\n

Len3 gee2 krang4 gaw3 dtaam2<\/p>\n

\u0e40\u0e25\u0e48\u0e19\u0e01\u0e35\u0e48\u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e49\u0e07\u0e01\u0e47\u0e15\u0e32\u0e21<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you add the word loy1 \u0e40\u0e25\u0e22 (which roughly means \u2018entirely\u2019) after gaw3, you can get a more slangy sounding \u2018totally\u2019 (as opposed to \u2018therefore\u2019). For example:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kids are cute, so I totally love them.<\/p>\n

Dek1 man1 naa3rak4 gaw3 loy1 rak4 dek1<\/p>\n

\u0e40\u0e14\u0e47\u0e01\u0e21\u0e31\u0e19\u0e19\u0e48\u0e32\u0e23\u0e31\u0e01 \u0e01\u0e47\u0e40\u0e25\u0e22\u0e23\u0e31\u0e01\u0e40\u0e14\u0e47\u0e01<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you combine gaw3 with dai3 (means \u2018can\u2019), you can get \u2018ok\u2019:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ok!<\/p>\n

Gaw3 dai3!<\/p>\n

\u0e01\u0e47\u0e44\u0e14\u0e49!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But if you include it after a phrase it translates closer to \u2018could\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I could go home.<\/p>\n

Pom5 glab2 baan3 gaw3 dai3.<\/p>\n

\u0e1c\u0e21\u0e01\u0e25\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e49\u0e32\u0e19\u0e01\u0e47\u0e44\u0e14\u0e49<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

English<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Karaoke<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Thai<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u0e01\u0e47<\/td>\nGaw3<\/td>\nLikewise, also, too; ummmmm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e41\u0e25\u0e49\u0e27\u0e01\u0e47 . . .<\/td>\nLaew4 gaw3<\/td>\nand then . . .<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
. . . \u0e01\u0e47\u0e44\u0e14\u0e49<\/td>\nGaw3 dai3<\/td>\nOk, could<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
. . . \u0e01\u0e47\u0e15\u0e32\u0e21<\/td>\nGaw3 dtaam2<\/td>\nAccordingly, no matter, whatever<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u0e01\u0e47\u0e40\u0e25\u0e22 . . .<\/td>\nGaw3 loi1<\/td>\nTherefore, totally<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
. . . \u0e01\u0e47\u0e04\u0e37\u0e2d . . .<\/td>\nGaw3 kue1<\/td>\nIs, that is<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Thai word gaw3 \u0e01\u0e47 is one of the top ten most common words in the Thai language. However, it can be a bit difficult to understand for a beginner due to a lack of an English-language equivalent…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[10208],"tags":[254659,2355,10177,170],"class_list":["post-1589","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-beginner","tag-gaw","tag-ok","tag-thai","tag-whatever"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t