เท่าที่
As Far as
เท่าที่ (thâo thîi) is used to set boundaries on what you are saying. It translates to 'as far as' (knowledge/perception) or 'as much as' (possibility/effort).
How It Works
Limit The Extent
เท่าที่ means to the extent that or as far as. In เท่าที่ผมรู้, the speaker limits the statement to what he knows. เท่าที่เห็น gives the displayed observation an as-far-as-I-can-see reading.
Read The Following Words
เท่าที่จะทำได้ gives the instruction an extent based on what can be done. In ไม่สนุกเท่าที่คิดไว้, the movie is compared with an earlier expectation. กินได้เท่าที่อยากกิน gives an extent based on what the person wants to eat. These readings come from the complete phrases.
Finish The Intended Comparison
The price card asks for ไม่แพงเท่าไหร่, translated here as not very expensive. The displayed alternative ends at เท่าที่ without stating the comparison. This task compares those written phrases; it does not assign one meaning to every negative sentence containing เท่า.
Examples (5)
- เท่าที่ผมรู้ เขาไม่ได้มาทำงานวันนี้
As far as I know, he didn't come to work today.
Word by Word: As far as I know, he not did come work today.
Here, เท่าที่ limits the statement to the speaker's current knowledge.
- พยายามทำให้ดีที่สุดเท่าที่จะทำได้
Try to do your best as much as you can.
Word by Word: Try do for good most as far as will do can.
เท่าที่จะทำได้ limits the requested effort to what can be done in the situation.
- เท่าที่เห็น ทุกอย่างดูปกติดี
As far as I can see, everything looks normal.
Word by Word: As far as see, every thing look normal good.
This limits the scope to visual perception.
- หนังเรื่องนี้ไม่สนุกเท่าที่คิดไว้
This movie isn't as fun as I thought it would be.
Word by Word: Movie story this not fun as far as think kept.
Used here to compare the reality against a prior expectation.
- กินได้เท่าที่อยากกิน
You can eat as much as you want to eat.
Word by Word: Eat can as far as want eat.
Limits the action to the extent of the person's desire.
Common Mistakes
Say It Is Not Very Expensive.
ไม่แพงเท่าที่ไม่แพงเท่าไหร่The card asks for the displayed phrase ไม่แพงเท่าไหร่, not very expensive. ไม่แพงเท่าที่ stops at the extent expression without stating what supplies the comparison. Read the full phrase rather than treating ที่ and ไหร่ as interchangeable endings.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'เท่าที่' (as far as), you first need to understand 'เท่า', which expresses equality or extent, and how 'ที่' functions as a relative marker to link that extent to a specific action or state. Familiarity with common verbs like 'to know' (รู้) is also helpful as they frequently follow this pattern.
- เท่ากับEqual to
The word 'เท่า' establishes the concept of equality or extent, which is the base for 'เท่าที่'.
Level 2 - ที่ (ขยายคำนาม)The One That
The word 'ที่' acts as a relative marker here, connecting the extent to a following clause or verb.
Level 1 - รู้ว่าKnow That
Understanding how to link verbs like 'know' to clauses is essential since 'เท่าที่' is most commonly used with verbs of perception or knowledge (e.g., 'เท่าที่รู้').
Level 3
Related Patterns
- เท่าไหร่How Much
Compare เท่าที่ meaning to the extent that with เท่าไหร่ in questions about amount and the displayed negative price phrase.
Level 1 - ได้ (ความสามารถ)Can — After the Verb
The effort example contains เท่าที่จะทำได้; read the extent phrase with the action it limits.
Level 1 - เหมือนSame as
While 'เท่าที่' compares extent or limits, 'เหมือน' compares similarity in nature or appearance.
Level 2 - จนTo the Point That
เท่าที่ marks the extent or limit relevant to its clause. จน can mark an endpoint with “until” or a result with “to the point that”; compare the full sentences.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice เท่าที่ in Bubblegum
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