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ยัง (yang): small word, big job

GrammarBeginner

ยัง can mean still, not yet, ...yet?, at least, towards and even how, depending on where it sits in the sentence. Swipe through the formula, the six meanings, the spoken short forms and a quick recap.

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Cover. The Thai word ยัง (yang). Small word, big job: "still", "not yet", "how"... and Thailand's favourite greeting.
Cover. The Thai word ยัง (yang). Small word, big job: "still", "not yet", "how"... and Thailand's favourite greeting.
The formula. Where ยัง sits tells you what it means. ยัง + verb + อยู่ = still: ยังทำงานอยู่ (yang tham-ngaan yùu), still working. ยังไม่ + verb = not yet: ยังไม่กิน (yang mâi gin), haven't eaten yet. ... + (หรือ)ยัง = ...yet?: กินข้าว(หรือ)ยัง (gin khâao (rǔe) yang), have you eaten yet? ยัง + place = to (formal): ไปยังสนามบิน (bpai yang sà-nǎam-bin), to the airport. ยังไง = how?: ทำยังไง (tham yang-ngai), how do you do it? Casual: drop หรือ. Answer with แล้ว or ยัง.
The formula. Where ยัง sits tells you what it means. ยัง + verb + อยู่ = still: ยังทำงานอยู่ (yang tham-ngaan yùu), still working. ยังไม่ + verb = not yet: ยังไม่กิน (yang mâi gin), haven't eaten yet. ... + (หรือ)ยัง = ...yet?: กินข้าว(หรือ)ยัง (gin khâao (rǔe) yang), have you eaten yet? ยัง + place = to (formal): ไปยังสนามบิน (bpai yang sà-nǎam-bin), to the airport. ยังไง = how?: ทำยังไง (tham yang-ngai), how do you do it? Casual: drop หรือ. Answer with แล้ว or ยัง.
Meaning 1: still. ยังอยู่ไหม (yang yùu mǎi), Are you still there? ยังทำงานอยู่ (yang tham-ngaan yùu), I'm still working. ยัง + verb (+ อยู่) = still doing it.
Meaning 1: still. ยังอยู่ไหม (yang yùu mǎi), Are you still there? ยังทำงานอยู่ (yang tham-ngaan yùu), I'm still working. ยัง + verb (+ อยู่) = still doing it.
Meaning 2: not yet. ยังไม่กิน (yang mâi gin), I haven't eaten yet. ยังไม่รู้เลย (yang mâi rúu loei), I don't know yet. "Not yet" sounds softer than "no". It leaves the door open.
Meaning 2: not yet. ยังไม่กิน (yang mâi gin), I haven't eaten yet. ยังไม่รู้เลย (yang mâi rúu loei), I don't know yet. "Not yet" sounds softer than "no". It leaves the door open.
Meaning 3: ...yet? กินข้าวหรือยัง (gin khâao rǔe yang), Have you eaten yet? กินข้าวยัง (gin khâao yang), Eaten yet? (casual). In casual speech, drop หรือ: กินข้าวยัง means exactly the same. And it's also a greeting, a bit like "how are you?"
Meaning 3: ...yet? กินข้าวหรือยัง (gin khâao rǔe yang), Have you eaten yet? กินข้าวยัง (gin khâao yang), Eaten yet? (casual). In casual speech, drop หรือ: กินข้าวยัง means exactly the same. And it's also a greeting, a bit like "how are you?"
Answering: already... or not yet. กินแล้ว (gin láew), Yes, I've eaten. ยังเลย (yang loei), Not yet! Repeat the verb + แล้ว, or just say ยัง. Never answer with ใช่!
Answering: already... or not yet. กินแล้ว (gin láew), Yes, I've eaten. ยังเลย (yang loei), Not yet! Repeat the verb + แล้ว, or just say ยัง. Never answer with ใช่!
Meaning 4: still, even so. ถึงจะ (even though) + ก็ยัง (still). ถึงจะแพงก็ยังซื้อ (thǔeng jà phaeng gôr yang súe), Even though it was pricey, I still bought it. แก่แล้วก็ยังสวย (gàe láew gôr yang sǔai), Older now, but still beautiful.
Meaning 4: still, even so. ถึงจะ (even though) + ก็ยัง (still). ถึงจะแพงก็ยังซื้อ (thǔeng jà phaeng gôr yang súe), Even though it was pricey, I still bought it. แก่แล้วก็ยังสวย (gàe láew gôr yang sǔai), Older now, but still beautiful.
Meaning 5: at least, luckily. ยังดีที่ฝนไม่ตก (yang dii thîi fǒn mâi dtòk), At least it didn't rain. ยังดีนะ (yang dii ná), Could be worse! ยังดี = "still good": the silver lining.
Meaning 5: at least, luckily. ยังดีที่ฝนไม่ตก (yang dii thîi fǒn mâi dtòk), At least it didn't rain. ยังดีนะ (yang dii ná), Could be worse! ยังดี = "still good": the silver lining.
Meaning 6: towards (formal). ไปยังสนามบิน (bpai yang sà-nǎam-bin), To the airport. ส่งยังที่อยู่นี้ (sòng yang thîi-yùu níi), Send it to this address. Mostly in announcements and writing. In speech, Thais just say ไปสนามบิน.
Meaning 6: towards (formal). ไปยังสนามบิน (bpai yang sà-nǎam-bin), To the airport. ส่งยังที่อยู่นี้ (sòng yang thîi-yùu níi), Send it to this address. Mostly in announcements and writing. In speech, Thais just say ไปสนามบิน.
Sound-alikes. Spoken short forms of อย่าง. ยังไง (full form อย่างไร) means how?: เป็นยังไงบ้าง (bpen yang-ngai bâang), How are you? ยังงี้ (full form อย่างนี้) means like this: ทำยังงี้ (tham yang-ngíi), Do it like this. ยังงั้น (full form อย่างนั้น) means like that: ไม่ใช่ยังงั้น (mâi châi yang-ngán), Not like that. You read อย่าง (yàang) in books and signs, but you hear ยัง in everyday speech.
Sound-alikes. Spoken short forms of อย่าง. ยังไง (full form อย่างไร) means how?: เป็นยังไงบ้าง (bpen yang-ngai bâang), How are you? ยังงี้ (full form อย่างนี้) means like this: ทำยังงี้ (tham yang-ngíi), Do it like this. ยังงั้น (full form อย่างนั้น) means like that: ไม่ใช่ยังงั้น (mâi châi yang-ngán), Not like that. You read อย่าง (yàang) in books and signs, but you hear ยัง in everyday speech.
Expressions. ยังไม่ทัน (yang mâi than), before I could... Literally: "not yet in time". ยังไม่ทันพูดเลย (yang mâi than phûut loei), I didn't even get to speak. ยังไงก็ได้ (yang-ngai gôr dâi), any way is fine. Literally: "how + then + can". ยังไงก็ได้ครับ (yang-ngai gôr dâi khráp), Whatever works for you.
Expressions. ยังไม่ทัน (yang mâi than), before I could... Literally: "not yet in time". ยังไม่ทันพูดเลย (yang mâi than phûut loei), I didn't even get to speak. ยังไงก็ได้ (yang-ngai gôr dâi), any way is fine. Literally: "how + then + can". ยังไงก็ได้ครับ (yang-ngai gôr dâi khráp), Whatever works for you.
Quick recap. ยัง in one slide. ยัง + verb + อยู่ = still. ยังไม่ + verb = not yet. ...(หรือ)ยัง = ...yet? ยัง (reply) = not yet. ก็ยัง = still, even so. ยังดีที่... = at least... ยัง + place = to (formal). ยังไง = how? ยังงี้ and ยังงั้น = like this, like that. ยังไม่ทัน... = before I could. ยังไงก็ได้ = any way is fine.
Quick recap. ยัง in one slide. ยัง + verb + อยู่ = still. ยังไม่ + verb = not yet. ...(หรือ)ยัง = ...yet? ยัง (reply) = not yet. ก็ยัง = still, even so. ยังดีที่... = at least... ยัง + place = to (formal). ยังไง = how? ยังงี้ and ยังงั้น = like this, like that. ยังไม่ทัน... = before I could. ยังไงก็ได้ = any way is fine.
Your turn. กินข้าวหรือยัง? Have you eaten yet? Answer in the comments. แล้ว or ยัง? 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. กินข้าวหรือยัง? Have you eaten yet? Answer in the comments. แล้ว or ยัง? 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. The Thai word ยัง (yang). Small word, big job: "still", "not yet", "how"... and Thailand's favourite greeting.
  2. The formula. Where ยัง sits tells you what it means. ยัง + verb + อยู่ = still: ยังทำงานอยู่ (yang tham-ngaan yùu), still working. ยังไม่ + verb = not yet: ยังไม่กิน (yang mâi gin), haven't eaten yet. ... + (หรือ)ยัง = ...yet?: กินข้าว(หรือ)ยัง (gin khâao (rǔe) yang), have you eaten yet? ยัง + place = to (formal): ไปยังสนามบิน (bpai yang sà-nǎam-bin), to the airport. ยังไง = how?: ทำยังไง (tham yang-ngai), how do you do it? Casual: drop หรือ. Answer with แล้ว or ยัง.
  3. Meaning 1: still. ยังอยู่ไหม (yang yùu mǎi), Are you still there? ยังทำงานอยู่ (yang tham-ngaan yùu), I'm still working. ยัง + verb (+ อยู่) = still doing it.
  4. Meaning 2: not yet. ยังไม่กิน (yang mâi gin), I haven't eaten yet. ยังไม่รู้เลย (yang mâi rúu loei), I don't know yet. "Not yet" sounds softer than "no". It leaves the door open.
  5. Meaning 3: ...yet? กินข้าวหรือยัง (gin khâao rǔe yang), Have you eaten yet? กินข้าวยัง (gin khâao yang), Eaten yet? (casual). In casual speech, drop หรือ: กินข้าวยัง means exactly the same. And it's also a greeting, a bit like "how are you?"
  6. Answering: already... or not yet. กินแล้ว (gin láew), Yes, I've eaten. ยังเลย (yang loei), Not yet! Repeat the verb + แล้ว, or just say ยัง. Never answer with ใช่!
  7. Meaning 4: still, even so. ถึงจะ (even though) + ก็ยัง (still). ถึงจะแพงก็ยังซื้อ (thǔeng jà phaeng gôr yang súe), Even though it was pricey, I still bought it. แก่แล้วก็ยังสวย (gàe láew gôr yang sǔai), Older now, but still beautiful.
  8. Meaning 5: at least, luckily. ยังดีที่ฝนไม่ตก (yang dii thîi fǒn mâi dtòk), At least it didn't rain. ยังดีนะ (yang dii ná), Could be worse! ยังดี = "still good": the silver lining.
  9. Meaning 6: towards (formal). ไปยังสนามบิน (bpai yang sà-nǎam-bin), To the airport. ส่งยังที่อยู่นี้ (sòng yang thîi-yùu níi), Send it to this address. Mostly in announcements and writing. In speech, Thais just say ไปสนามบิน.
  10. Sound-alikes. Spoken short forms of อย่าง. ยังไง (full form อย่างไร) means how?: เป็นยังไงบ้าง (bpen yang-ngai bâang), How are you? ยังงี้ (full form อย่างนี้) means like this: ทำยังงี้ (tham yang-ngíi), Do it like this. ยังงั้น (full form อย่างนั้น) means like that: ไม่ใช่ยังงั้น (mâi châi yang-ngán), Not like that. You read อย่าง (yàang) in books and signs, but you hear ยัง in everyday speech.
  11. Expressions. ยังไม่ทัน (yang mâi than), before I could... Literally: "not yet in time". ยังไม่ทันพูดเลย (yang mâi than phûut loei), I didn't even get to speak. ยังไงก็ได้ (yang-ngai gôr dâi), any way is fine. Literally: "how + then + can". ยังไงก็ได้ครับ (yang-ngai gôr dâi khráp), Whatever works for you.
  12. Quick recap. ยัง in one slide. ยัง + verb + อยู่ = still. ยังไม่ + verb = not yet. ...(หรือ)ยัง = ...yet? ยัง (reply) = not yet. ก็ยัง = still, even so. ยังดีที่... = at least... ยัง + place = to (formal). ยังไง = how? ยังงี้ and ยังงั้น = like this, like that. ยังไม่ทัน... = before I could. ยังไงก็ได้ = any way is fine.
  13. Your turn. กินข้าวหรือยัง? Have you eaten yet? Answer in the comments. แล้ว or ยัง? 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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