Chapter 3 - Language Points & Explanations

Question 1

I cant do yoga (don’t know how)

Answer 1

เล่นโยคะไม่เป็น

While both of them mean “can” or “able, เป็นspecifically means you know how to do something or have the skill to do something, and wai means you literary have the physical energy or mental energy to do something. For example พมกินเผ็ด เป็น] “I can eat spicy food(because eating spicy food requires training)”. [พมกินไม่ wai] I cant eat a lot (I’m not physically able to eat that much). As for the “possibility”, you should probably use the word ได้.

ได้ is also the umbrella word amongst the three. So when in doubt you can just stick to the word ได้.

Question 2

I can’t do yoga (have no strength)

Answer 2

เล่นโยคะไม่ไหว

While both of them mean “can” or “able, เป็นspecifically means you know how to do something or have the skill to do something, and wai means you literary have the physical energy or mental energy to do something. For example พมกินเผ็ด เป็น] “I can eat spicy food(because eating spicy food requires training)”. [พมกินไม่ wai] I cant eat a lot (I’m not physically able to eat that much). As for the “possibility”, you should probably use the word ได้.

ได้ is also the umbrella word amongst the three. So when in doubt you can just stick to the word ได้.

Question 3

I want as much as you can do

Answer 3

เอาเท่าที่ทำได้

Use เท่าที่ when you want to describe the limit of your ability to do something or the extent of the effect of something. It is normally used with ได้ or waai but an be used with numbers as well.

Question 4

Practice often and soon enough it will get easier

Answer 4

ฝึกบ่อยๆ เดี๋ยวก๊ง่ายขึ้น