Thai Word เลย (luey)

เลย (click for dictionary and pronunciation) is a word that you will hear Thais using all the time once you start listening for it. You will begin using it just as frequently yourself once you discover the fun that can be had with its many functions.


Literal เลย 

...is a verb meaning to pass, exceed, or cross.

                              Thai                         Word-by-word                   Meaning         

                                                                                                                                    

                           เลยสมัย                           pass-era                        old-fashioned

                           luey-samai 

                                                                                                                                   

                           เลยมหาสมุทร                    pass-ocean                     transoceanic

                           luey-mahasamut                                                                                 

While knowing this will add to your general understanding, in fact this usage of เลย is not so common in everyday speech. So let's move on to the more important uses.


Intensifier เลย

...is put at the end of the sentence to emphasize your point. In a negative sentence it means "not at all."

                         Thai                            Word-by-word                          Meaning

                    ไม่เข้าใจเลย                    not-enter-mind-luey                I don't understand at all
                    mai-kao-jai-luey
                       
                    ไม่มีเลย                               not-have-luey                     We don't have any
                    mai-mee-luey

                    ยังไม่แห้งเลย                     still-not-dry-luey                   It's totally not dry yet 
                    yung-mai-heang-luey

เลย can also intensify a positive sentence. Often you will hear it paired with มากๆ (maak-maak - very), จริงๆ (jing-jing - really), or จัง (jung - very).


                         Thai                             Word-by-word                         Meaning   

               เหมือนคนไทยเลย               same-person-Thai-luey             Just like a Thai person

               meuan-kon-tai-luey

               อร่อยมากๆเลย                      delicious-very-luey                  So delicious!

               aroi-maak-maak-luey

               สวยจังเลย                             beautiful-very-luey                  So beautiful!

               suway-jung-luey*

      *Thais like to really draw out luey in jung-luey... yao jung luuuueeey

When เลย comes after ได้ (dai - can), it's like saying "no problem, absolutely". For example a market vendor may shout out ชิมได้เลยนะจ๊ะ (chim-dai-luey-na-ja) as you walk by, meaning "take a sample, don't be shy!" Or let's say you make a request at a restaurant and the waitress says ได้เลยค่ะ (dai-luey-ka). It's the Thai fo shizzle.

Conjunction เลย

...functions like "so" in connecting an effect to its cause. It is often preceded by the particle ก็ (gaw).

                       Thai                                           Word-by-word                          Meaning   

   ฝนตก ฉันก็เลยไม่อยากไปข้างนอก        rain-fall I-gaw-luey-not-want          It's raining so I don't

   fon-dok chun-gaw-luey-mai-yaak        go-side-outside                             want to go outside

   bai-kang-nawk

   มันเผ็ด เขาเลยกินไม่ได้                         it-spicy he-luey-eat-not-can            It's spicy so he can't eat it

   mun-pet kao-luey-gin-mai-dai

Note that เลย comes after the subject in the effect clause. This is a tricky one, as in English "so" comes before the whole clause, subject and all. We say "it's spicy, so he can't eat it" while Thais say "it's spicy, he so can't eat it."

Just เลย

...is the hardest to translate, so here's a couple examples.

"Just eat it"

We all know the (in)famous durian, so-called King of Fruits. (It's a love it or hate it thing - I love it!) Perhaps you are familiar with the durian paste sold in plastic tubes around Thailand.

When I saw it at the stand I asked Big Sister Clump (พี่กอ) how to eat it - do you cook with it, put it on toast or what? She said กินเลย (gin-luey), meaning "you just eat it." Right out of the tube with a spoon. By the way I tried it and was unimpressed. First timers, don't go for the paste! Base your decision on the fresh fruit, please.

"Just grab it"

At the kitchen table with Uncle Fat (ลุงอ้วน), I was trying to politely strip the meat from a chicken leg with my fork like a lady. Uncle Fat, watching the struggle, said หยิบเลย (yip-luey), telling me to just grab it with my hands. Much easier!

So you'll notice in this example that เลย can also function as a command. Just watch out because it's very informal. I'd say ไปเลย (bai-luey - get lost) to a kid or some street dogs, but not to Granny.

And finally there's...

Miscellaneous เลย

Listen to Thais and you will hear เลย used in all sorts of ways depending on context. For example, ไปมาเลเซียเลย (bai-malesia-luey) could be referring to a plane that flies direct to Malaysia without making any stops. Or it could be referring to a train that runs from Bangkok all the way down to Malaysia.

See this page for many more good example sentences with เลย: http://www.thai-language.com/id/131454

คำว่าเลย ใช้ได้เลยนะจ๊ะ !!