เท่ากับ
Equal to
เท่ากับ means “equal to” or “the same as.” The dictionary gives both an arithmetic equation and a life-size statue example. The native sentences here compare prices, height, and profit, and one speaker asserts that not speaking amounts to accepting.
How It Works
1. Read the Equation
หนึ่งบวกหนึ่งเท่ากับสอง means one plus one equals two. Treat เท่ากับ as the complete comparison expression; compare the separate กับ entry without requiring every use here to mean accompaniment.
2. Identify What Is Compared
The price example states ราคา on both sides. The height example explicitly states สูง, and the profit example compares this year with last year. Compare the different complete constructions with กว่า and ไม่เท่า. These words do not by themselves identify the dimension of every comparison.
3. Separate a Claim From a Fact
การไม่พูดเท่ากับการยอมรับ states the speaker’s claim that not speaking amounts to accepting. It demonstrates a comparison between action expressions; it does not establish that silence is consent in every situation.
4. Follow the Two Requested Tasks
The first task asks for resemblance, เขาเหมือนพ่อของเขา, rather than the different comparison เขาเท่ากับพ่อของเขา. The second asks for the complete same-height statement เราสองคนสูงเท่ากัน. เราสองคนสูงเท่ากับ leaves the comparison unfinished in this context. This task does not ban contextual ellipsis or require one ending in every possible conversation.
Examples (5)
- หนึ่งบวกหนึ่งเท่ากับสอง
One plus one equals two.
Word by Word: one plus one equal with two
This native equation states one plus one equals two. The dictionary independently gives a multiplication equation using เท่ากับ.
- ราคานี้เท่ากับราคาเมื่อวาน
This price is the same as yesterday's price.
Word by Word: price this equal with price yesterday
Used here to show that the numerical value (price) has not changed.
- การไม่พูดเท่ากับการยอมรับ
Not speaking is equivalent to accepting.
Word by Word: [action] not speak equal with [action] accept
The speaker compares การไม่พูด with การยอมรับ, both using การ action expressions. The sentence asserts equivalence; it is not evidence that lack of speech guarantees acceptance.
- เขาสูงเท่ากับพ่อ
He is as tall as [his] father.
Word by Word: he tall equal with father
สูง states the compared dimension, height, before เท่ากับพ่อ. The possessive translated as [his] is inferred from context; no possessive pronoun is written in the native sentence.
- กำไรปีนี้เท่ากับปีที่แล้ว
This year's profit equals last year's [profit].
Word by Word: profit | year this | equal to | last year
The first side names profit; the second side names last year, with the repeated profit understood in context. The sentence supplies this particular comparison, not a frequency claim about business usage.
Common Mistakes
Choosing a different comparison when the task asks for resemblance.
เขาเท่ากับพ่อของเขาเขาเหมือนพ่อของเขาFor this resemblance task, reproduce เขาเหมือนพ่อของเขา with เหมือน. เขาเท่ากับพ่อของเขา instead states a different comparison whose intended dimension would need context; it does not express the requested resemblance wording.
Leaving the comparison unfinished in the requested same-height statement.
เราสองคนสูงเท่ากับเราสองคนสูงเท่ากันThe task requests เราสองคนสูงเท่ากัน, stating that the two of us are equally tall. เราสองคนสูงเท่ากับ leaves the comparison unfinished in this given context. Other contexts can supply understood material; this exercise does not prohibit every omitted comparison.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'เท่ากับ' (equal to), you should first be familiar with basic Thai sentence structure and how the verb 'คือ' (to be/equals) works. Since 'เท่ากับ' is a compound involving 'กับ' (with/and), knowing how 'กับ' links two entities is essential. Finally, familiarity with comparative structures like 'กว่า' (more than) helps you understand where 'equal to' fits in the spectrum of comparison.
- คือTo Be — Equals
Understanding the basic 'equals' verb for nouns helps in grasping how 'เท่ากับ' functions as a mathematical or comparative 'equals'.
Level 1 - กับSaying 'With' and Joining Nouns
The word 'กับ' is a component of this pattern, used here to link the two things being compared.
Level 1 - กว่าMore than
Understanding how Thai handles comparisons of degree provides the necessary context for expressing exact equality.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- เหมือนSame as
Compare resemblance in the requested task with the explicitly stated height comparison.
Level 2 - ไม่เท่าNot As…As in Comparisons
Compare the unequal or not-as reading in its complete comparison sentences.
Level 2 - การ + VerbTurning a Verb into a Noun
The asserted-equivalence example contains การไม่พูด and การยอมรับ action expressions.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.