ห้าม
Forbidden
ห้าม (hâam) means forbid, prohibit, or stop. In ห้ามสูบบุหรี่, it tells people not to smoke.
How It Works
1. State A Prohibition
In ห้ามสูบบุหรี่, ห้าม comes before the action and gives the meaning “No smoking.” ห้ามเข้าก่อนได้รับอนุญาต prohibits entering before permission is received.
2. Read Who Forbids What
In หมอห้ามไม่ให้เขากินของหวาน, the doctor forbids him from eating sweets. Read ห้ามไม่ให้ as one prohibition in this sentence; the negative word does not cancel the ban. This attested construction is not a rule for interpreting every sentence that contains two negative expressions.
3. Read The Longer Construction
The displayed กฎหมายห้ามมิให้ขายสุราแก่เด็ก also expresses a prohibition. มิ is a formal word for “not.” The sentence illustrates that wording; it does not establish the current law or its age limits. The doctor sentence likewise reports a restriction in an example, rather than giving medical advice.
4. Read Complete Expressions
ห้ามเลือด means control or stop bleeding. In the final example, ห้ามใจตัวเองไม่ให้ซื้อเสื้อผ้าใหม่ describes restraining oneself from buying new clothes. Learn these complete expressions instead of treating every use of ห้าม as a posted rule.
5. Compare Different Messages
อย่า gives a negative command or request. The wording and delivery determine how firm a message sounds. ไม่ต้อง says that an action is not required; that is a different message from prohibiting it.
Examples (6)
- ห้ามสูบบุหรี่
No smoking.
Word by Word: Forbid smoke cigarette
ห้าม comes before สูบบุหรี่ and expresses the prohibition “No smoking.”
- ห้ามเข้าก่อนได้รับอนุญาต
Do not enter without permission.
Word by Word: Forbid enter before receive permission
The prohibition applies to entering before permission is received.
- กฎหมายห้ามมิให้ขายสุราแก่เด็ก
The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to children.
Word by Word: Law forbid not give sell liquor to child
In this illustrative statement, ห้ามมิให้ expresses a prohibition. It does not verify a current law or an age threshold.
- หมอห้ามไม่ให้เขากินของหวาน
The doctor forbade him from eating sweets.
Word by Word: Doctor forbid not give him eat thing sweet
The example reports a doctor’s restriction: ห้ามไม่ให้เขากินของหวาน means forbidding him from eating sweets. It is not medical advice.
- เขาพยายามห้ามเลือด
He tried to stop the bleeding.
Word by Word: He try forbid blood
Demonstrates ห้าม used in a physical context meaning 'to stop' or 'to stem'.
- ฉันต้องห้ามใจตัวเองไม่ให้ซื้อเสื้อผ้าใหม่
I have to restrain myself from buying new clothes.
Word by Word: I must forbid heart self not give buy clothes new
The phrase ห้ามใจ means to restrain one's feelings or impulses.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'ห้าม' (Forbidden), you should first be familiar with basic Thai sentence structure and the common way to say 'do not' (อย่า). 'ห้าม' functions similarly to 'อย่า' but carries a stronger, more official tone often found on signs or in formal rules.
Related Patterns
- ไม่ต้องNo Need to
ไม่ต้อง means an action is not needed. It removes a requirement; it does not by itself forbid the action.
Level 1 - กรุณาPlease — Formal
Compare a request with กรุณา with a prohibition using ห้าม; a request word and a ban express different functions.
Level 1 - มิNot — Literary
The displayed ห้ามมิให้ sentence contains มิ, a formal negator. Read the whole construction to identify the prohibition.
Level 5 - บังคับให้Force Someone to
The opposite concept: to force or compel someone to do something.
Level 4 - ยอมให้Allow
To allow or permit, which is the antonym of ห้าม.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice ห้าม in Bubblegum
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