Can Someone Explain These Verb Words To Me?

[ianwuk]

Recently my girlfriend taught me three words for verbs.

Gam lang - Going to

Gam - Present continuous?

Gam ja - Going to

Can someone explain these to me please?

Are these correct?

I am going to eat

Pom gam lang kin khao khab

I am running

Pom gam wing khab

It is going to rain

Fon gam ja tok khab

Can someone give me an example of how to use gam, gam lang and gam ja correctly and explain each one to me?

Thanks.

ianwuk

[Tod Daniels]

This web-link to "thai-language dot com" should answer your question(s) better than I ever could. It's also a useful site to boot !

http://www.thai-language.com/id/134003

FWIW; I don't thing กำ (gam^m) on it's own is a stand alone verb. I've only heard it used when it means "a handful of something". But I could be wrong.

[rgs2001uk]

There are times when the Thai language is a bit vague about times and tenses.

The tense can be understood by the questioner and the person being asked, however to the casual listener who didnt hear the original question the reply may well give no indication of tense.

Example, I hear a Thai ask another, kit wa fon ja tok? do you think it will rain?

answer, mai tok, notice no future tense, future tense not required because both speakers understand its a future event from the original question. However if I only heard the reply i would have no sense of tense.

I always understood gam lang to be right now.

As in gam lang tam arai? what are you doing just now? in normal speach shortened to tam arai? to mean just now, tense would have been indicated by the questioner by asking for example, meua wan nee tam arai? what did you do yesterday? or prueng nee tamari? what will you do tomorrow? As oppossed to the more correct, prueng nee ja tam arai? what will you do tomorrow?

You asked,

I am going to eat, were you answering a question or making a statement?

Pom ja bai gin khao, I will go to eat in the future.

Pom gam lang bai gin khao, I am on my way to eat.

Pom gam lang gin khao, I am eating at the present moment.

I am running

Pom gam lang wing, at this moment I am running.

It is going to rain

Fon ja tok, its going to rain in the future.

Gam lang fon ja tok, right now its just about to rain.

Gam lang fon tok, right now its raining.

As with all the answers it depends on the questions being asked, and whether you are speaking formally or informally.

[ianwuk]

There are times when the Thai language is a bit vague about times and tenses.

The tense can be understood by the questioner and the person being asked, however to the casual listener who didnt hear the original question the reply may well give no indication of tense.

Example, I hear a Thai ask another, kit wa fon ja tok? do you think it will rain?

answer, mai tok, notice no future tense, future tense not required because both speakers understand its a future event from the original question. However if I only heard the reply i would have no sense of tense.

I always understood gam lang to be right now.

As in gam lang tam arai? what are you doing just now? in normal speach shortened to tam arai? to mean just now, tense would have been indicated by the questioner by asking for example, meua wan nee tam arai? what did you do yesterday? or prueng nee tamari? what will you do tomorrow? As oppossed to the more correct, prueng nee ja tam arai? what will you do tomorrow?

You asked,

I am going to eat, were you answering a question or making a statement?

Pom ja bai gin khao, I will go to eat in the future.

Pom gam lang bai gin khao, I am on my way to eat.

Pom gam lang gin khao, I am eating at the present moment.

I am running

Pom gam lang wing, at this moment I am running.

It is going to rain

Fon ja tok, its going to rain in the future.

Gam lang fon ja tok, right now its just about to rain.

Gam lang fon tok, right now its raining.

As with all the answers it depends on the questions being asked, and whether you are speaking formally or informally.

Thanks for this.

Let me see if I understand this.

Gam lang = doing

e.g.

I am eating (a statement).

Pom gam lang kin khao khab.

I am running.

Pom gam wing.

It is going to rain (a statement).

Fon ja tok.

[Peppy]

If I may just make a few corrections (to what are otherwise good, informative posts):

It is going to rain

Fon ja tok, its going to rain in the future.

Gam lang fon ja tok, right now its just about to rain. // Fon gam lang ja tok

Gam lang fon tok, right now its raining. // Fon gam lang tok

I am running.

Pom gam wing. // pom gam lang wing

In the phrase "fon tok", "fon" is the subject and "tok" is the verb, so "gam lang" and "gam lang ja" go before "tok".

As for "gam" indicating the continuous tense, there's no such thing; it's got to be "gam lang". (Note that the "gam" is pronounced to sound more like "gum", as in chewing gum.)

An alternative to using "gam lang" for the continuous tense is to use "yoo" (อยู่) after the verb, so you could say, "pom wing yoo" for "I'm running". And you can use both "gam lang" and "yoo" together, so you could say, "pom gam lang wing yoo" if you really want to emphasize that that's what you're doing at the present moment.

[ianwuk]

If I may just make a few corrections (to what are otherwise good, informative posts):

It is going to rain

Fon ja tok, its going to rain in the future.

Gam lang fon ja tok, right now its just about to rain. // Fon gam lang ja tok

Gam lang fon tok, right now its raining. // Fon gam lang tok

I am running.

Pom gam wing. // pom gam lang wing

In the phrase "fon tok", "fon" is the subject and "tok" is the verb, so "gam lang" and "gam lang ja" go before "tok".

As for "gam" indicating the continuous tense, there's no such thing; it's got to be "gam lang". (Note that the "gam" is pronounced to sound more like "gum", as in chewing gum.)

An alternative to using "gam lang" for the continuous tense is to use "yoo" (อยู่) after the verb, so you could say, "pom wing yoo" for "I'm running". And you can use both "gam lang" and "yoo" together, so you could say, "pom gam lang wing yoo" if you really want to emphasize that that's what you're doing at the present moment.

Thanks for this.

Let me see again:

Pom gam lang kin khao khab - I am eating

Pom gam lang reang khab - I am studying

Pom gam lang wing - I am running

Pom gam lang derm - I am walking

Fon gam lang tok - It is raining

Fon gam lang ja tok - It is going to rain

Fon tok - It is raining (now).

Are those correct?

So when would I use gam ja?

Thanks.

ianwuk

Edited August 11, 2010 by ianwuk

[rgs2001uk]

If I may just make a few corrections (to what are otherwise good, informative posts):

It is going to rain

Fon ja tok, its going to rain in the future.

Gam lang fon ja tok, right now its just about to rain. // Fon gam lang ja tok

Gam lang fon tok, right now its raining. // Fon gam lang tok

I am running.

Pom gam wing. // pom gam lang wing

In the phrase "fon tok", "fon" is the subject and "tok" is the verb, so "gam lang" and "gam lang ja" go before "tok".

As for "gam" indicating the continuous tense, there's no such thing; it's got to be "gam lang". (Note that the "gam" is pronounced to sound more like "gum", as in chewing gum.)

An alternative to using "gam lang" for the continuous tense is to use "yoo" (อยู่) after the verb, so you could say, "pom wing yoo" for "I'm running". And you can use both "gam lang" and "yoo" together, so you could say, "pom gam lang wing yoo" if you really want to emphasize that that's what you're doing at the present moment.

Thanks for this.

Let me see again:

Pom gam lang kin khao khab - I am eating

Pom gam lang reang khab - I am studying

Pom gam lang wing - I am running

Pom gam lang derm - I am walking

Fon gam lang tok - It is raining

Fon gam lang ja tok - It is going to rain

Fon tok - It is raining (now).

Are those correct?

So when would I use gam ja?

Thanks.

ianwuk

Okey dokey, lets try again,

apologies for mistakes above, forgetting subject, verb, noun.

You said

"Pom gam lang kin khao khab - I am eating Pom gam lang kin khao khab I am eating at the present moment or right now

Pom gam lang reang khab - I am studying Pom gam lang rian khab I am studying just now, at this moment in time

Pom gam lang wing - I am running Pom gam lang wing I am running at this moment in time

Pom gam lang derm - I am walking" Pom gam lang dern I am walking at this moment in time

Pom gin khao - I am eating

Pom rian - I am studying

Pom wing - I am running

Pom dern - I am walking

For the above, see previous answer on question or statement.

Fon gam lang tok - It is raining Fon gam lang tok it is raining at this moment

Fon gam lang ja tok - It is going to rain Fon gam lang ja tok It is going to rain

Fon tok - It is raining (now). Fon tok literally rain falls, but yes basically its raining just now

Cant help with gam or gam ja, for the simple reason the only spelling of gam (กำ) in my dictionary, verb, means to grasp or clench and the noun means, fist, bundle or bunch.

Just re-read Peppy's reply and can confirm the use of yoo (อยู่).

Sometimes the conversation will go as follows,

G/f phones you and asks yoo nai? where are you?

You reply, phom yoo (tee) baan, I am at home Use of tee, most farangs are taught to ask, hong naam yoo tee nai? wheres the toilet? Most Thais omit the tee and the question becomes, hong naam yoo nai? answer hong naam yoo nan, toilet is there as opposed to hong naam yoo tee nan.

G/f asks tam arai yoo? what are you doing?

You reply ,phom fang dontri yoo I am listening to music

Hopefully no errors this time.

[Peppy]

So when would I use gam ja?

There is no "gam ja"--it's "gam lang ja".

[ianwuk]

So when would I use gam ja?

There is no "gam ja"--it's "gam lang ja".

So it is just gam lang and gam lang ja?

Silly question but what is the difference between the two?

[tgeezer]

So when would I use gam ja?

There is no "gam ja"--it's "gam lang ja".

So it is just gam lang and gam lang ja?

Silly question but what is the difference between the two?

Just a note for you; one word transliterated should be written as one, 'gamlang' gamlang means 'power' 'energy' sort of thing so you can see how placed before a verb it shows 'action now' 'gamlang ja' is 'action' and 'will' (future)a bit of a contradiction but I have always taken it to mean I am 'actioning the future action'. 'I am going to' .

Clear as mud isn't it?

[Groongthep]

When using gamlang (กำลัง) followed by a verb there is also an implied meaning of actually being in the process of doing it "right now". When explaining that you have been doing something continuously and are still doing it, the verb is usually followed by yoo (อยู่) to imply an "ongoingness" (if that's a word).

For example:

You are sitting at your desk actively typing your great epic novel and a friend walks in and asks you what you are doing. The appropriate response would be: Pom gamlang khian nangsue (ผมกำลังเขียนหนังสือ) "I am writing a book". Using gamlang here expresses that you are physically doing it right now this very moment.

On the other hand if the same friend had seen you on the street and asked you what you have doing for work lately you would have more aptly have responded "Pom khian nang sue yoo" (ผมเขียนหนังสืออยู่) which implies you have been working on the book for some time and are still doing it but not necessarily at that exact moment.

At least I believe the above to be correct. Perhaps some of the more fluent old hands on this thread will weigh in with their thoughts.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Groongthep

[Groongthep]

So when would I use gam ja?

There is no "gam ja"--it's "gam lang ja".

So it is just gam lang and gam lang ja?

Silly question but what is the difference between the two?

Just a note for you; one word transliterated should be written as one, 'gamlang' gamlang means 'power' 'energy' sort of thing so you can see how placed before a verb it shows 'action now' 'gamlang ja' is 'action' and 'will' (future)a bit of a contradiction but I have always taken it to mean I am 'actioning the future action'. 'I am going to' .

Clear as mud isn't it?

I have always understood 'gamlang ja' to mean something like "I was just about to..." or when used with "going" to mean "I'm on my way to..."

Hence "Pom gamlang ja bpai sanam bin" would mean 'I'm on my way to the airport' or 'I was just about to go to the airport'.

[Peppy]

You are sitting at your desk actively typing your great epic novel and a friend walks in and asks you what you are doing. The appropriate response would be: Pom gamlang khian nangsue (ผมกำลังเขียนหนังสือ) "I am writing a book". Using gamlang here expresses that you are physically doing it right now this very moment.

On the other hand if the same friend had seen you on the street and asked you what you have doing for work lately you would have more aptly have responded "Pom khian nang sue yoo" (ผมเขียนหนังสืออยู่) which implies you have been working on the book for some time and are still doing it but not necessarily at that exact moment.

I'm not sure it's quite as cut and dried as that... I think "verb yoo" and "gamlang verb" are generally interchangeable, even in your examples, though "gam lang" seems rather more formal to me. In fact, in those examples, I think it would be fine to just say what you're doing without "gam lang" or "yoo"--I'd only use them if you felt you needed to emphasize the continuity of the action, you don't have to use them with everywhere that we'd use the present continuous tense in English.

Incidently, the phrase "khian nang-seu/เขียนหนังสือ" (lit. write book) doesn't necessarily mean writing an actual book (though it could)--it's often used to refer to any kind of formal, sit-down-at-your-desk writing activity. Some other phrases with "nang-seu/หนังสือ" that don't necessarily require a book's presence are "sawn nang-seu/สอนหนังสือ" (lit. teach book), which simply means to teach (as in a formal place of learning), and its counterpart, "rian nang-seu/เรียนหนังสือ" (lit. study book), which simply refers to the activity of formal learning or study.

I have always understood 'gamlang ja' to mean something like "I was just about to..." or when used with "going" to mean "I'm on my way to..."

Hence "Pom gamlang ja bpai sanam bin" would mean 'I'm on my way to the airport' or 'I was just about to go to the airport'.

I think you're correct here. Another way of putting it would be "on the verge of starting", so "I was just about to" or "I'm about to" are fine translations. In many situations, I think "I'm getting ready to" or "I'm going to" work well as well.

To summarize for the OP:

gam lang verb = is/am/are verb-ing

gam lang ja verb = about to verb

But both can be, and often are, left out when the speaker feels the "tense" of the action is clear to the listener!

[Peppy]

G/f phones you and asks yoo nai?    where are you?   

You reply, phom yoo (tee) baan,         I am at home       Use of tee, most farangs are taught to ask, hong naam yoo tee nai? wheres the toilet?  Most Thais omit the tee and the question becomes, hong naam yoo nai? answer  hong naam yoo nan, toilet is there as opposed to hong naam yoo tee nan.

This is a different sort of "yoo" than the continuous "yoo", though. The "yoo" in "yoo tee nai/yoo nai" is equivalent to the verb "be" (as in be in a place) in English.

khun yoo tee nai = Where are you? ----> pom yoo tee baan = I'm at home.

While many Thais do omit the "tee" (ที่) when talking about the location of things, it does sound rather abrupt to ask "noun yoo nai"--I'd recommend that any beginning students of Thai use the full form "noun yoo tee nai" to ask where things are, at least until you get a handle on when and where it's acceptable to drop the "tee".

G/f asks tam arai yoo?                      what are you doing?

You reply ,phom fang dontri yoo     I am listening to music

This is a good example of using "yoo" to express present-moment continuity of an action. (A rather different use from "is/am/are" yoo above.)

[ianwuk]

G/f phones you and asks yoo nai? where are you?

You reply, phom yoo (tee) baan, I am at home Use of tee, most farangs are taught to ask, hong naam yoo tee nai? wheres the toilet? Most Thais omit the tee and the question becomes, hong naam yoo nai? answer hong naam yoo nan, toilet is there as opposed to hong naam yoo tee nan.

This is a different sort of "yoo" than the continuous "yoo", though. The "yoo" in "yoo tee nai/yoo nai" is equivalent to the verb "be" (as in be in a place) in English.

khun yoo tee nai = Where are you? ----> pom yoo tee baan = I'm at home.

While many Thais do omit the "tee" (ที่) when talking about the location of things, it does sound rather abrupt to ask "noun yoo nai"--I'd recommend that any beginning students of Thai use the full form "noun yoo tee nai" to ask where things are, at least until you get a handle on when and where it's acceptable to drop the "tee".

G/f asks tam arai yoo? what are you doing?

You reply ,phom fang dontri yoo I am listening to music

This is a good example of using "yoo" to express present-moment continuity of an action. (A rather different use from "is/am/are" yoo above.)

Thanks for this:

gam lang verb = is/am/are verb-ing

gam lang ja verb = about to verb

Let me try again:

I am eating - Pom gamlang kin khao

It is raining - Fon gamlang tok

It is about to rain - Fon gamlang ja tok khab.

I am about to go running - Pom gamlang ja wing khab.

Many thanks for all this.

ianwuk

Edited August 12, 2010 by ianwuk

[kokesaat]

"Hence "Pom gamlang ja bpai sanam bin" would mean 'I'm on my way to the airport' or 'I was just about to go to the airport'."

In my Polaroid way of learning languages, I see a person in a car/taxi/bus heading to the airport (in the first case), and a person about to leave his home/hotel but not yet on the way.

I would think กำลังไป is more appropriate for the first case, and กำลังจะไป more appropriate for the second.

[ianwuk]

"Hence "Pom gamlang ja bpai sanam bin" would mean 'I'm on my way to the airport' or 'I was just about to go to the airport'."

In my Polaroid way of learning languages, I see a person in a car/taxi/bus heading to the airport (in the first case), and a person about to leave his home/hotel but not yet on the way.

I would think กำลังไป is more appropriate for the first case, and กำลังจะไป more appropriate for the second.

Can someone just check if the sentences I typed in my last reply are correct

Just so I know if I understand it or not.

Thanks.

ianwuk

[Crash999]

]

Thanks for this:

gam lang verb = is/am/are verb-ing

gam lang ja verb = about to verb

Let me try again:

I am eating - Pom gamlang kin khao

It is raining - Fon gamlang tok

It is about to rain - Fon gamlang ja tok khab.

I am about to go running - Pom gamlang ja wing khab.

Many thanks for all this.

ianwuk

Your understanding is correct. Would just add that it sounds a bit formal. If someone asks what are you doing and you want to tell them you're eating then 'kin khao yuu' is enough. And 'fon tok' or 'fon ja tok' is enough for it's raining or will rain.

[Gai]

]

Thanks for this:

gam lang verb = is/am/are verb-ing

gam lang ja verb = about to verb

Let me try again:

I am eating - Pom gamlang kin khao

It is raining - Fon gamlang tok

It is about to rain - Fon gamlang ja tok khab.

I am about to go running - Pom gamlang ja wing khab.

Many thanks for all this.

ianwuk

Your understanding is correct. Would just add that it sounds a bit formal. If someone asks what are you doing and you want to tell them you're eating then 'kin khao yuu' is enough. And 'fon tok' or 'fon ja tok' is enough for it's raining or will rain.

I think the same.

"fon tok" is enough and "kin khao yuu" is excellent!

If you like something and just say สวย=beautiful its enough for the start. Make sure to speak slowly and ask sombody to teach you the right tone of สวย=beautiful!

Wrong tone different meaning.

Or if you hungry, you just have to say หิวข้าว=hiw khaw thai language makes fun and is easy. Even if you just say หิว=hiw everbody will understand.

gam lang ja+ verb........for example กำลังจะออกจากบ้าน=just leaving the house I myself use when I forgot a date and my friend calls to remind me of our date.

In fact I forgot it but I'm telling him I didn't and will be there soon :-)

When you hungry

[Crash999]

gam lang ja+ verb........for example กำลังจะออกจากบ้าน=just leaving the house I myself use when I forgot a date and my friend calls to remind me of our date.

At least you say that you're leaving the house and not 'thung leow'!!!!!

[ianwuk]

If I want to say 'I am working' is Pom gamlang tam gnarn correct?

Thanks for all the help.

ianwuk

[Crash999]

Yes, though 'tam ngaan yuu' would be less formal.

[Suradit]

"pom gam lang wing yoo" if you really want to emphasize that that's what you're doing at the present moment.

I've often wondered about that. On my Rosetta Stone cd they use "gam lang wing yoo" and whenever I've asked a Thai to explain that I've never received a coherent (to me anyway) answer.

I think there are other examples of Rosetta Stone using ways of expressing things that may be formally correct but are at odds with common usage ... and confusing to the beginner.

[Hardie]

That's a pretty thorough explanation I'd say, i might only add that 'gam lang' as a noun is probably most often used with awk, i.e. awk gamlang (gai) = to exercise. Other words are usually better for 'power, energy'.

[ianwuk]

That's a pretty thorough explanation I'd say, i might only add that 'gam lang' as a noun is probably most often used with awk, i.e. awk gamlang (gai) = to exercise. Other words are usually better for 'power, energy'.

Thanks for this.

ianwuk

[Tod Daniels]

The way I think of กำลัง (gam^M lang^M) almost exactly like adding an “-ing” to end of a verb. It means you are currently do-ing it. It makes NO delineation between when you started or when you may stop; only that you are currently do-ing that 'activity'.

The word อยู่ (yuu^L) added after a verb which has กำลัง before it, is (from thai-language dot com); “a particle indicating the progressive tense or perfect tense”. To me this means, you started what ever verb you're doing at some time in the unspecified past, you are currently still doing what ever verb you mention, and you MAY continue to do it until some unspecified time in the future.

You will rarely hear a thai speaking 'street-speak-thai', or colloquially spoken thai who uses both กำลัง and อยู่ in the same sentence. It is my experience in eavesdropping on thais that they seem to "อยู่" a LOT more than they ever "กำลัง" .

Examples;

กินข้าวอยู่ (I'm) eating.

ดูที.วี.อยู่ (I'm) watching t/v.

เล่นอินเทอร์เน็ตอยู่ (I'm) playing on the internet. (Yes thais เล่น "play" on the computer or internet).

Don't forget that you can almost always leave the subject out (especially if you're talking about yourself) rather than using ผม or ฉัน (and YES, guys who are not gay, commonly use ฉัน among their close friends and family).

The way it seems to work is; UNLESS you differentiate at the beginning of a conversation or sentence you are referring to someone else, (or you're asking a question phrase) the thais will just think you're speaking about yourself. That's why sometimes it's frustrating to walk in on an existing conversation because the people talking already hashed out who they're talking about, and you don't have a clue.

On my Rosetta Stone cd they use "gam lang wing yoo"

Rossetta Stone doesn’t teach anything remotely resembling ‘street-speak’ or colloquially spoken thai; but polite, ‘proper’, medium level thai using pretty correct structure. Something that gets much more relaxed in a ‘street-speak’ environment.

Still FWIW: I'd still urge the O/P to at least peruse the thai-language dot com link I provided early on in this thread. I think most if not all the subsequent questions coulda been answered.

But again, not an uninteresting topic.