Study Focus: Prepositions for Locations

• There are several prepositions that we can construct using the word ข้าง (khâang), which by itself means "side."

  • ใน (nai) means "in," so ข้างใน (khâang-nai) means "inside."

  • นอก (nâawk) means “out”, so ข้างนอก (khâang-nâawk) means "outside."

  • We can use ข้าง (khâang) also to say "right side," ข้างขวา (khâang-khwǎa), and "left side," ข้างซ้าย (khâang-sáai).

• We also use ข้าง (khâang) in several common prepositions that don't contain the word "side" in their English versions.

  • ข้างหน้า (khâang-nâa) ➤ "in front"

  • ข้างหลัง (khâang-lǎng) ➤ "behind"

  • ข้างบน (khâang-bon) ➤ "above" or "upstairs"

  • ข้างล่าง (khâang-lâang) ➤ "below" or "downstairs."

• Examples:

  • ผมรอคุณอยู่ข้างหน้าโรงหนัง (phǒm raaw khun yùu khâang-nâa roong-nǎng) ➤ "I'm waiting for you in front of the cinema."

  • ครอบครัวที่พักอยู่ข้างบนมีลูกห้าคน (khrâawp-khruua thîi phák yùu khâang-bon mii lûuk hâa khon) ➤ "The family that lives upstairs has five children."

  • ข้างในที่ทำงานเย็นกว่าข้างนอก (khâang-nai thîi tham-ngaan yen gwàa khâang-nâawk) ➤ "It's cooler inside the office than it is outside."

Vocabulary & Phrases

• ...เกี่ยวกับ... (...gìiao gàp...)

  • This phrase means "about" or "regarding." It follows a noun and then is followed by another word or phrase that specifies a subject matter.

  • ผมจะดูหนังเกี่ยวกับเมืองไทย (phǒm jà duu nǎng gìiao-gàp muueang-thai)

    ➤ "I'm going to watch a movie about Thailand."

• โต๊ะตัวนั้น (dtó dtuua nán)

  • The classifier for tables and chairs is ตัว (dtuua), so when using "that" as an adjective, we need to include this word to make the phrase โต๊ะตัวนั้น (dtó dtuua nán) "that table".

• ต้อง... (dtâwng*...*)

  • This is an auxiliary verb that immediately precedes another verb. It has the meaning of "must" or "need to."

  • คุณต้องทำการบ้าน (khun dtâwng tham gaan-bâan) ➤ "You must do your homework."

• ออกไป (àawk bpai)

  • This phrase means "to go out" or "to leave."

  • We can use it as a verb in a sentence, such as เขาต้องออกไปจากโรงเรียน (khǎo dtâwng àawk bpai jàak roong-riian), which means "He must leave the school."

  • It can also function by itself, spoken with a harsh voice, to tell someone to "Go away!"

How to Save a Seat in Thailand

• Finding an empty seat in the library can be difficult at times.

• Students reserve seats by leaving personal items on the desk or table.

• This also happens in restaurants and coffee shops frequented by students.

• Thai people avoid placing their bags on the floor in public areas.

• They prefer to make room for their bags on a table or an empty seat.

• This is because the floor is considered dirty in public areas where people wear shoes.