Let's look at the sentence pattern. |
Do you remember how the character said, |
"Check-in is available from 3 p.m., right?" |
เช็คอินได้ตั้งแต่บ่ายสามโมงใช่ไหมคะ (chék-in dâi dtâng-dtàae bàai sǎam moong châi mǎi khá.) |
เช็คอินได้ตั้งแต่บ่ายสามโมงใช่ไหมคะ (chék-in dâi dtâng-dtàae bàai sǎam moong châi mǎi khá.) |
This sentence follows the pattern here: |
[Verb Phrase] + ได้ + ตั้งแต่ + [TIME] + (ใช่ไหม) + ค่ะ/ครับ |
[Verb Phrase] dâi dtâng-dtàae [TIME] (châi mǎi) khá/khráp |
"[Subject] can start to [do something] from [time] (right?)" |
This pattern is used to say when something is allowed to start, for example, when you can check in or enter a place. |
The word ได้ (dâi) means "can" or "allowed to do something." |
The word ตั้งแต่ (dtâng-dtàae) means "from" or "starting from." |
ใช่ไหม (châi mái) is a polite way to confirm information, it means "right?" or "correct?" It is optional if you are just making a statement. |
To sound polite, female speakers use ค่ะ (khâ) and male speakers use ครับ (khráp) at the end. |
Let's see how the line from the dialogue uses the pattern. |
เช็คอินได้ตั้งแต่บ่ายสามโมงใช่ไหมคะ (chék-in dâi dtâng-dtàae bàai sǎam moong châi mǎi khá.) |
"Check-in is available from 3 p.m., right?" |
Let's break it down: |
The verb เช็คอิน (chék-in) means "to check in." |
ได้ (dâi) expresses permission — "can" or "allowed to." |
ตั้งแต่ (dtâng-dtàae) means "from" or "starting from." |
บ่ายสามโมง (bàai sǎam moong) means "3 p.m." |
ใช่ไหม (châi mái) means "right?" or "correct?" |
And คะ (khá) is the polite ending particle for female speakers. |
Literally, it means "I can check in starting from 3 p.m., right?" In natural English, "check-in is available from 3 p.m., right?" |
Let's look at another useful sentence pattern. |
In the dialogue, the speaker said: |
คุณสามารถเข้าใช้ชายหาดได้ถึงสองทุ่มนะคะ |
(khun saa-mâat khâo chái chaai-hàat dâi thǔeng sǎawng thûm ná khá) |
"You can use the beach until 8 p.m." |
Let's focus on the second sentence. |
This sentence follows the pattern: |
[Verb Phrase] + ได้ + ถึง + [TIME] + นะคะ/ครับ |
[Verb Phrase] dâi thǔeng [TIME] ná khá/khráp |
It means: "[Subject] can [do something] until [ time]." |
We use this pattern to talk about doing something until a certain time. |
It's important to know both patterns: |
with ตั้งแต่ (dtâng-dtàae), you know the starting time, |
and with ถึง (thǔeng), you know the ending time. |
In this example: |
คุณสามารถ (Khun saa-mâat) means “you can” |
เข้าใช้ (khâo chái) is the verb meaning "to use," |
ชายหาด (chaai-hàat) is "the beach," |
ได้ (dâi) means "can," |
ถึง (thǔeng) means "until," |
สองทุ่ม (sǎawng thûm) means "8 p.m.," |
and นะคะ (ná khá) is the polite ending particle for female speakers. |
Now you know how to talk about when something starts and ends in Thai. |
Now let's look at some speaking examples. |
เช็คอินได้ตั้งแต่บ่ายโมงค่ะ (chék-in dâai dtâng-dtàae bàai moong khâ) |
"You can check in from 1 p.m." |
Can you see how the pattern applies here? |
Let's break it down: |
เช็คอิน (chék-in), the verb meaning "check in." |
ได้ (dâi), meaning "can" or "allowed to." |
ตั้งแต่ (dtâng-dtàae), meaning "from." |
บ่ายโมง (bàai moong), meaning "1 p.m." |
And ค่ะ (khâ), the polite ending particle used by female speakers. |
This sentence clearly follows the pattern: [Verb Phrase] + ได้ + ตั้งแต่ + [TIME] + ค่ะ. |
———[As you say the sentence, point at ทำงาน when saying the verb, then at ตั้งแต่ 9 โมงเช้า for the starting time, then at ถึง 5 โมงเย็น for the ending time.] |
Here's another example |
ผมทำงานตั้งแต่ 9 โมงเช้าถึง 5 โมงเย็นครับ (phŏm tham-ngaan dtâng-dtàae gâao moong cháo thǔeng hâa moong yen khráp) |
"I work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m." |
ผมทำงานตั้งแต่ 9 โมงเช้าถึง 5 โมงเย็นครับ (phŏm tham-ngaan dtâng-dtàae gâao moong cháo thǔeng hâa moong yen khráp) |
"I work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m." |
———[As you say the sentence, point at เปิด when saying the verb, then at ถึง 4 ทุ่ม for the ending time.] |
Let's try one more, |
ร้านขายของชำเปิดถึง 4 ทุ่มครับ (ráan-khǎai-khǎawng-cham bpòoet thǔeng sìi thûm khráp) |
"The grocery store stays open until 10 p.m." |
ร้านขายของชำเปิดถึง 4 ทุ่มครับ (ráan-khǎai-khǎawng-cham bpòoet thǔeng sìi thûm khráp) |
"The grocery store stays open until 10 p.m." |
Now you know how to talk about hotel policies in Thai. |
...and now let's move on to the practice. |
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