Although I feel my Thai is reasonable, I'm always trying to improve it.

If I wanted to say, for example, "Ten years ago", what would be the best way to sound natural in Thai?

1 สิบปืที่แล้ว 2 สิบปืก่อน 3 เมื่อก่อนสิบปื

I feel that 1 would be more like "Ten years already", but maybe that's just my ferang interpretation..

Or some other option perhaps?

Thanks

1a สิบปืแล้ว

1a สิบปืแล้ว

Thanks

The word for "year" is ปี - not ปื.

And most natural is "none of the above", so

(4) เมื่อสิบปีก่อน

Edited December 7, 201510 yr by AyG

สิบปีที่แล้ว or

สิบปีที่ผ่านมา

The word for "year" is ปี - not ปื.

And most natural is "none of the above", so

(4) เมื่อสิบปีก่อน

Oh dear, so there doesn't really seem to be a straightforward consensus on this one.

Sorry about the mispelling of "year". I do know the correct spelling, it was a genuine typo. Plus the fact for me, I need to copy & paste the text into word and enlarge the font to see it clearly, being an old and crumbly git.

If you use สิบปีที่แล้ว you will be correct and understood every time.

If you hold down CRTL and press + the font will enlarge and you can avoid using Word. To return to the previous size use CRTL and -.

If you use สิบปีที่แล้ว you will be correct and understood every time.

If you hold down CRTL and press + the font will enlarge and you can avoid using Word. To return to the previous size use CRTL and -.

Oh yes, ctrl+, good point. I missed the obvious there. I've proved myself again to be old & crumbly!

According to Smyth:

"Ago" is normally expressed using (mʉ̂a) + NUMBER + UNIT OF TIME + either kɔ̀ɔn or thîi lɛ́ɛw or maa lɛ́ɛw or maa níi, which can be used interchangeably.

According to Smyth:

maa lɛ́ɛw or maa níi, which can be used interchangeably.

I believe 'Maa' is only used for the very recent past.

"by sue kong maa" = I've just been shopping

Edited December 7, 201510 yr by MaeJoMTB

Deleted.

Edited December 7, 201510 yr by tgeezer

According to Smyth:

maa lɛ́ɛw or maa níi, which can be used interchangeably.

I believe 'Maa' is only used for the very recent past.

"by sue kong maa" = I've just been shopping

Mae Jo

I believe you have confused two constructions and so provided misleading information. I will elaborate.

สิบปีมาแล้ว (sip pee maa laeo) unequivocally means "ten years ago". It is an adverbial time phrase referencing a specific point in the past.

ไปซื้อของมา (pai seu khorng maa) means "I have just been shopping". As you correctly state the addition of มา (maa) after the clause places it in the recent past with relevance to now. This can be closely related to one of the functions of the present perfect tense in English.

Other than containing the word มา (maa), there is no link between the two constructions.

Of the options provided in the OP, options 1 and 2 are both correct for the intended meaning. The word order in 3 is awkward.

สิบปีที่ผ่านมา - this is more like 'during/for the past 10 years' - it indicates a continuous duration rather than a specific point in time.

For more formal language - writing, speeches, news reading etc., adding a เมื่อ in front is good, but I typically don't hear this in everyday conversations.

Edited December 22, 201510 yr by weary