Small wordsไว้ (wai) in Thai: keep, leave and in advance
ไว้wái after a verb keeps something in place or for later: เก็บไว้gèp wái, keep it; จองไว้jawng wái, book ahead.
(keep) in place; in advance (after a verb) particle
- wái high
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
After a verb, ไว้wái says the result stays: ฝากไว้fàak wái leave it (with someone), จองไว้jawng wái book in advance. High tone.
Taught in Unit 12 · Lesson 1: Krit's room of the free course.
Practise it freeHow to use it
ไว้wái after a verb keeps the result in place, for later: เก็บไว้gèp wái, keep it; จองไว้jawng wái, book ahead; จดไว้jòt wái, write it down. At the start of a sentence it puts something off: ไว้คราวหน้านะwái kraao-nâa ná, maybe next time, a polite way to say no. ไว้ใจwái-jai, "keep your heart with someone", is to trust. Mind the tone: high ไว้wái is not the falling ไหว้wâai, the wai greeting.
Don't mix it up
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ไหว้wâai
to wai (greet with palms together)
Falling tone, said long: the wai greeting.
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:
- wai wai
- wai jai
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Learn this word in Unit 12, free
Unit 12 · A room in Nimman · Krit's room. Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.
Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones