Might in Thai

“Might” in Thai is อาจàat; you'll also hear อาจจะàat-jà (spoken).

อาจ àat

may, might (written) adverb

àat low

Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.

อาจจะ àat-jà

might, maybe adverb spoken

àat low
jà low

Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.

Before the verb: อาจจะไม่ว่างàat-jà mâi wâang I might not be free. On its own it's a soft, non-committal 'maybe'.

อาจจะàat-jà is taught in Unit 23 · Lesson 2: Advice and the bill of the free course.

Practise it free

How to use it

อาจàat is "may, might" in writing: weather forecasts, medicine labels and the news. In speech Thais add จะjà and say อาจจะàat-jà: อาจจะไปàat-jà bpai, I might go. "Might not" is อาจไม่àat mâi or อาจจะไม่àat-jà mâi.

For "may" in the sense of being allowed, Thai uses ได้dâi instead: เข้าได้ไหมkâo dâi mǎi, may I come in?

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:

aad
art
art ja

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)

Learn this word in Unit 23, free

Unit 23 · If I were you · Advice and the bill. Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.

Practise it free (2 min) See Unit 23

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