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เลย (loei): one word, a lot of moods

GrammarBeginner

เลย can mean not at all, go ahead, so and really, so that's why, right here, past and as soon as, depending on what's around it. Swipe through the formula, the seven meanings, everyday replies and the reading trap.

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Cover. One word, a lot of moods. The Thai word เลย (loei). "At all", "so", "right away"... and even "go past".
Cover. One word, a lot of moods. The Thai word เลย (loei). "At all", "so", "right away"... and even "go past".
The formula. Where เลย sits tells you what it means. ไม่ + ... + เลย = not at all: ไม่เผ็ดเลย (mâi phèt loei), not spicy at all. verb + เลย = go ahead: กินเลย (gin loei), go ahead and eat. describing word + เลย = so, really: อร่อยมากเลย (à-ròi mâak loei), so delicious! reason + เลย + result = so: ฝนตกเลยไม่ไป (fǒn dtòk loei mâi bpai), it rained, so I didn't go. เลย + place = past: เลยไฟแดง (loei fai daeng), past the traffic lights. Same word, opposite moods: it all depends on what's around it.
The formula. Where เลย sits tells you what it means. ไม่ + ... + เลย = not at all: ไม่เผ็ดเลย (mâi phèt loei), not spicy at all. verb + เลย = go ahead: กินเลย (gin loei), go ahead and eat. describing word + เลย = so, really: อร่อยมากเลย (à-ròi mâak loei), so delicious! reason + เลย + result = so: ฝนตกเลยไม่ไป (fǒn dtòk loei mâi bpai), it rained, so I didn't go. เลย + place = past: เลยไฟแดง (loei fai daeng), past the traffic lights. Same word, opposite moods: it all depends on what's around it.
Meaning 1: not at all. ไม่เผ็ดเลย (mâi phèt loei), It's not spicy at all. ไม่เข้าใจเลย (mâi khâo-jai loei), I don't understand at all. ไม่ + verb or describing word + เลย. On its own, ไม่เลย = "not at all!"
Meaning 1: not at all. ไม่เผ็ดเลย (mâi phèt loei), It's not spicy at all. ไม่เข้าใจเลย (mâi khâo-jai loei), I don't understand at all. ไม่ + verb or describing word + เลย. On its own, ไม่เลย = "not at all!"
Meaning 2: go ahead, right away. ไปเลย (bpai loei), Let's go! Off you go! กินเลยนะ (gin loei ná), Go ahead and eat. You'll hear this every time someone invites you to start.
Meaning 2: go ahead, right away. ไปเลย (bpai loei), Let's go! Off you go! กินเลยนะ (gin loei ná), Go ahead and eat. You'll hear this every time someone invites you to start.
Meaning 3: so, really. อร่อยมากเลย (à-ròi mâak loei), It's so delicious! เก่งมากเลย (gèng mâak loei), You're really good! After a describing word, เลย adds excitement.
Meaning 3: so, really. อร่อยมากเลย (à-ròi mâak loei), It's so delicious! เก่งมากเลย (gèng mâak loei), You're really good! After a describing word, เลย adds excitement.
Meaning 4: so, that's why. reason + เลย (so) + result. ฝนตกเลยไม่ไป (fǒn dtòk loei mâi bpai), It rained, so I didn't go. เหนื่อยเลยนอนเร็ว (nùeai loei non reo), I was tired, so I went to bed early.
Meaning 4: so, that's why. reason + เลย (so) + result. ฝนตกเลยไม่ไป (fǒn dtòk loei mâi bpai), It rained, so I didn't go. เหนื่อยเลยนอนเร็ว (nùeai loei non reo), I was tired, so I went to bed early.
Meaning 5: right, exactly. ตรงนี้เลย (dtrong níi loei), Right here. เดี๋ยวนี้เลย (dǐao níi loei), Right now! After a place or time, เลย makes it exact.
Meaning 5: right, exactly. ตรงนี้เลย (dtrong níi loei), Right here. เดี๋ยวนี้เลย (dǐao níi loei), Right now! After a place or time, เลย makes it exact.
Meaning 6: past, beyond. เลยไปอีกนิด (loei bpai ìik nít), A little further on. เลยเวลาแล้ว (loei wee-laa láew), It's past the time. Taxi Thai: เลยไฟแดงไปนิดนึงครับ = just past the lights, please.
Meaning 6: past, beyond. เลยไปอีกนิด (loei bpai ìik nít), A little further on. เลยเวลาแล้ว (loei wee-laa láew), It's past the time. Taxi Thai: เลยไฟแดงไปนิดนึงครับ = just past the lights, please.
Meaning 7: as soon as... พอ (once) + ก็ (then) + เลย (right away). พอถึงบ้านก็นอนเลย (phor thǔeng bâan gôr non loei), As soon as I got home, I went straight to sleep. พอเห็นก็ซื้อเลย (phor hěn gôr súe loei), The moment I saw it, I bought it.
Meaning 7: as soon as... พอ (once) + ก็ (then) + เลย (right away). พอถึงบ้านก็นอนเลย (phor thǔeng bâan gôr non loei), As soon as I got home, I went straight to sleep. พอเห็นก็ซื้อเลย (phor hěn gôr súe loei), The moment I saw it, I bought it.
Everyday replies. Sure thing! Go for it! ได้เลย (dâi loei), sure thing! Literally: "can + right away". ได้เลยครับ (dâi loei khráp), Sure thing! เอาเลย (ao loei), go for it! Literally: "take + right away". อยากลองก็เอาเลย (yàak lorng gôr ao loei), If you want to try, go for it!
Everyday replies. Sure thing! Go for it! ได้เลย (dâi loei), sure thing! Literally: "can + right away". ได้เลยครับ (dâi loei khráp), Sure thing! เอาเลย (ao loei), go for it! Literally: "take + right away". อยากลองก็เอาเลย (yàak lorng gôr ao loei), If you want to try, go for it!
Very Thai: go with the flow. เลยตามเลย (loei dtaam loei), might as well go with it. Literally: "past, follow past". เลยตามเลยละกัน (loei dtaam loei lá gan), Let's just go with it. ไม่...เลยสักนิด (mâi ... loei sàk nít), not in the slightest. Literally: "not ... at all, even a bit". ไม่เหนื่อยเลยสักนิด (mâi nùeai loei sàk nít), Not tired in the slightest.
Very Thai: go with the flow. เลยตามเลย (loei dtaam loei), might as well go with it. Literally: "past, follow past". เลยตามเลยละกัน (loei dtaam loei lá gan), Let's just go with it. ไม่...เลยสักนิด (mâi ... loei sàk nít), not in the slightest. Literally: "not ... at all, even a bit". ไม่เหนื่อยเลยสักนิด (mâi nùeai loei sàk nít), Not tired in the slightest.
Reading trap. The vowel wraps around. Written: เ + ล + ย, the vowel เ–ย wraps around ล. Said: l + oei, giving loei, consonant first, always. Here ย isn't a consonant at all: it's part of the vowel. Same vowel in เนย (butter) and เคย (ever).
Reading trap. The vowel wraps around. Written: เ + ล + ย, the vowel เ–ย wraps around ล. Said: l + oei, giving loei, consonant first, always. Here ย isn't a consonant at all: it's part of the vowel. Same vowel in เนย (butter) and เคย (ever).
Quick recap. เลย in one slide. ไม่...เลย = not at all. verb + เลย = go ahead. ...มากเลย = so, really. reason + เลย = so, that's why. ตรงนี้เลย = right here. เลย + place = past, beyond. พอ...ก็...เลย = as soon as. ได้เลย = sure thing! เอาเลย = go for it! เลยตามเลย = go with it. ไม่...เลยสักนิด = not in the slightest. ไม่เลย = not at all (reply).
Quick recap. เลย in one slide. ไม่...เลย = not at all. verb + เลย = go ahead. ...มากเลย = so, really. reason + เลย = so, that's why. ตรงนี้เลย = right here. เลย + place = past, beyond. พอ...ก็...เลย = as soon as. ได้เลย = sure thing! เอาเลย = go for it! เลยตามเลย = go with it. ไม่...เลยสักนิด = not in the slightest. ไม่เลย = not at all (reply).
Your turn. Which เลย did you not know? Tell me in the comments. Save this. Want to learn Thai? Comment or DM me if you're interested in lessons. Reading Thai from lesson one, from someone who grew up here. Comment or DM.
Your turn. Which เลย did you not know? Tell me in the comments. Save this. Want to learn Thai? Comment or DM me if you're interested in lessons. Reading Thai from lesson one, from someone who grew up here. Comment or DM.

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  1. Cover. One word, a lot of moods. The Thai word เลย (loei). "At all", "so", "right away"... and even "go past".
  2. The formula. Where เลย sits tells you what it means. ไม่ + ... + เลย = not at all: ไม่เผ็ดเลย (mâi phèt loei), not spicy at all. verb + เลย = go ahead: กินเลย (gin loei), go ahead and eat. describing word + เลย = so, really: อร่อยมากเลย (à-ròi mâak loei), so delicious! reason + เลย + result = so: ฝนตกเลยไม่ไป (fǒn dtòk loei mâi bpai), it rained, so I didn't go. เลย + place = past: เลยไฟแดง (loei fai daeng), past the traffic lights. Same word, opposite moods: it all depends on what's around it.
  3. Meaning 1: not at all. ไม่เผ็ดเลย (mâi phèt loei), It's not spicy at all. ไม่เข้าใจเลย (mâi khâo-jai loei), I don't understand at all. ไม่ + verb or describing word + เลย. On its own, ไม่เลย = "not at all!"
  4. Meaning 2: go ahead, right away. ไปเลย (bpai loei), Let's go! Off you go! กินเลยนะ (gin loei ná), Go ahead and eat. You'll hear this every time someone invites you to start.
  5. Meaning 3: so, really. อร่อยมากเลย (à-ròi mâak loei), It's so delicious! เก่งมากเลย (gèng mâak loei), You're really good! After a describing word, เลย adds excitement.
  6. Meaning 4: so, that's why. reason + เลย (so) + result. ฝนตกเลยไม่ไป (fǒn dtòk loei mâi bpai), It rained, so I didn't go. เหนื่อยเลยนอนเร็ว (nùeai loei non reo), I was tired, so I went to bed early.
  7. Meaning 5: right, exactly. ตรงนี้เลย (dtrong níi loei), Right here. เดี๋ยวนี้เลย (dǐao níi loei), Right now! After a place or time, เลย makes it exact.
  8. Meaning 6: past, beyond. เลยไปอีกนิด (loei bpai ìik nít), A little further on. เลยเวลาแล้ว (loei wee-laa láew), It's past the time. Taxi Thai: เลยไฟแดงไปนิดนึงครับ = just past the lights, please.
  9. Meaning 7: as soon as... พอ (once) + ก็ (then) + เลย (right away). พอถึงบ้านก็นอนเลย (phor thǔeng bâan gôr non loei), As soon as I got home, I went straight to sleep. พอเห็นก็ซื้อเลย (phor hěn gôr súe loei), The moment I saw it, I bought it.
  10. Everyday replies. Sure thing! Go for it! ได้เลย (dâi loei), sure thing! Literally: "can + right away". ได้เลยครับ (dâi loei khráp), Sure thing! เอาเลย (ao loei), go for it! Literally: "take + right away". อยากลองก็เอาเลย (yàak lorng gôr ao loei), If you want to try, go for it!
  11. Very Thai: go with the flow. เลยตามเลย (loei dtaam loei), might as well go with it. Literally: "past, follow past". เลยตามเลยละกัน (loei dtaam loei lá gan), Let's just go with it. ไม่...เลยสักนิด (mâi ... loei sàk nít), not in the slightest. Literally: "not ... at all, even a bit". ไม่เหนื่อยเลยสักนิด (mâi nùeai loei sàk nít), Not tired in the slightest.
  12. Reading trap. The vowel wraps around. Written: เ + ล + ย, the vowel เ–ย wraps around ล. Said: l + oei, giving loei, consonant first, always. Here ย isn't a consonant at all: it's part of the vowel. Same vowel in เนย (butter) and เคย (ever).
  13. Quick recap. เลย in one slide. ไม่...เลย = not at all. verb + เลย = go ahead. ...มากเลย = so, really. reason + เลย = so, that's why. ตรงนี้เลย = right here. เลย + place = past, beyond. พอ...ก็...เลย = as soon as. ได้เลย = sure thing! เอาเลย = go for it! เลยตามเลย = go with it. ไม่...เลยสักนิด = not in the slightest. ไม่เลย = not at all (reply).
  14. Your turn. Which เลย did you not know? Tell me in the comments. Save this. Want to learn Thai? Comment or DM me if you're interested in lessons. Reading Thai from lesson one, from someone who grew up here. Comment or DM.

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