Affect in Thai

“Affect” in Thai is ส่งผลsòng-pǒn; you'll also hear กระทบgrà-tóp (formal).

ส่งผล sòng-pǒn

to affect, to have an effect (on), to result (in) verb formal

sòng low
pǒn rising

Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”

กระทบ grà-tóp

to affect, to hit; to knock against verb formal

grà low
tóp high

Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.

How to use it

ส่งผลsòng-pǒn, "to send a result", is "to affect" in the news and in reports: ส่งผลต่อsòng-pǒn dtàw, to have an effect on, and ส่งผลให้sòng-pǒn hâi, to result in. กระทบgrà-tóp is to hit or affect, and its noun ผลกระทบpǒn-grà-tóp, impact, is in almost every news story about floods, prices or new laws.

In conversation Thais say ทำให้tam-hâi, to make, to cause: ฝนทำให้รถติดfǒn tam-hâi rót dtìt, the rain is causing traffic jams.

Other spellings you'll see

There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters. We mark the tone of every syllable; online you'll also find:

song phon
kratop
kra thop

More formal words in Thai

All formal words

การ gaan Kaan (prefix)
-ing, -tion: turns a verb into a noun (the act of …)
ความ kwaam Kwaam (prefix)
-ness (turns a verb or adjective into a noun)
ผู้ pûu Phu (prefix)
person (who …): makes words for people, like -er
นัก nák Nak (prefix)
-er, -ist: someone who does it (as a job or a passion)
ซึ่ง sûeng Who, which (formal)
which, who (adds information; formal, written)
เมื่อ mûea When (formal)
when, once (formal)

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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones