How to say UP and DOWN
in the Thai Language
The verb ขึ้น /kûn/means ‘to ascend’ and ลง /long/ mean ‘to descend’ are used with pairs of contrasting verbs to indicate an increase or decrease in the state. They are similar to English the word ‘up’ in ‘heat up’, ‘speed up’, etc. and the word ‘down’ in ‘cool down’, ‘slow down’, etc.
For example;
อ้วนขึ้น /ûan kûn/ = to get fatter ผอมลง /pɔ̌ɔm long/ = to slim down
เร็วขึ้น /reo kûn/ = to speed up ช้าลง /cháa long/ = to slow down
ดีขึ้น /dii kûn/ = to improve แย่ลง /yɛ̂ɛ long/ = to worsen
มากขึ้น /mâak kûn/ = to increase น้อยลง /nɔ́ɔi long/ = to decrease
ร้อนขึ้น /rͻ́ͻn-kʉ̂n/ = to get hotter เย็นลง /yen-long/ = to cool down
สูงขึ้น /sǔung-kʉ̂n/ = to get higher ต่ำลง /dtàm-long/ = to get lower
โตขึ้น /dtoo- kʉ̂n/ = to grow up, get bigger แก่ลง /gԑ̀ԑ-long/ = to get older
ยาวขึ้น /yaao-kʉ̂n/ = longer (than before) สั้นลง / sâng-long/ = shorter (than before)
ใหญ่ขึ้น /yài-kʉ̂n/ = bigger (than before) เล็กลง /lék-long / = smaller (than before)
หนาขึ้น /nǎa-kʉ̂n/ = to get thicker (object) บางลง /baang-long/ = to get thiner (object)
Other common directional verbs are ขึ้น /kûn/ mean ‘to rise’ and ลง /long/ mean ‘to descend’.
For example;
เขาปีนขึ้นต้นไม้ /káo bpiin kûn dtôn-mái/
= He climbed up the tree.
ฉัน/ผมวิ่งลงบันได /chán,pǒm wîng long ban-dai/
= I ran down the stairs.
เขาลุกขึ้นจากเตียง /káo lúk-kʉ̂n jàak dtiang/
= He/She gets up from the bed.
เราลงจากรถแท็กซี่ /rao long jàak rót tԑ́ԑk-sîi/
= We get down from the Taxi.
ฉัน/ผมเทกาแฟลงในถ้วย /chán, pǒm tee gaa-fԑԑ long nai tûai/
= I pour some coffee into a cup.
I hope this helps you learn Thai!
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By Prae
Thai Language Teacher
