ให้ (มอบ)
Give
ให้ (hâi) can mean 'give', mark an action done for someone, introduce someone who is made or allowed to act, or link an action to its intended result.
How It Works
1. Giving Something
The examples here use Subject + ให้ + [Thing] + [Receiver]. In แม่ให้เงินผม, เงิน (money) comes before ผม (me). Follow this order for the displayed giving exercise; do not turn it into a rule for every construction containing ให้.
2. Doing Something For Someone
In Verb + (Object) + ให้ + [Receiver], ให้ marks who the action is done for. ผมซื้อกาแฟให้เพื่อน means 'I bought coffee for a friend'.
3. Making Or Letting Someone Act
In Subject + ให้ + [Person] + [Verb], the person after ให้ does the following action. เขาให้ฉันรอที่นี่ can mean that he made or let me wait here. Context determines whether this is an instruction or permission.
4. An Intended Result
In กินให้หมดนะ, ให้ links eating to the result หมด (finished). This use does not require a person receiving anything. See Verb + ให้ + Adjective for more details.
Choosing A Word For 'For'
ให้ can focus on doing an action for someone. สำหรับ can mark who something is intended for. ผมซื้อของขวัญสำหรับคุณ can describe a gift intended for you; it is not automatically an incorrect sentence.
Examples (5)
- แม่ให้เงินผม
Mom gave me money.
Word by Word: Mom give money me
A basic 'giving' sentence. Notice the order: Thing (money) comes before the Receiver (me).
- ผมซื้อกาแฟให้เพื่อน
I bought coffee for a friend.
Word by Word: I buy coffee give friend
The benefactive use. The action 'buy coffee' is directed 'to/for' the friend.
- เขาให้ฉันรอที่นี่
He made/let me wait here.
Word by Word: He give me wait at here
The causative use. He is the agent who 'gives' the permission or order for me to wait.
- ช่วยเปิดประตูให้หน่อย
Please open the door for me.
Word by Word: Help open door give a little
Here, ให้ appears with ช่วย...หน่อย. In the selected reading, the speaker asks for the door to be opened for them.
- กินให้หมดนะ
Eat it all up (Eat until it's finished).
Word by Word: Eat give finished [softener]
The resultative use. The action 'eat' should result in the state 'finished' (หมด).
Common Mistakes
Using The Wrong Order For The Displayed Giving Exercise.
ผมให้เขาเงินผมให้เงินเขาFor this exercise, say ผมให้เงินเขา: the thing เงิน (money) precedes the recipient เขา. The second string does not follow the requested giving pattern. This exercise does not judge every possible contextual ordering or other use of ให้.
Using An Intended-Recipient Phrase When The Exercise Requests Benefactive ให้.
ผมซื้อของขวัญสำหรับคุณผมซื้อของขวัญให้คุณThis exercise asks you to mark doing the buying for someone with ให้: ผมซื้อของขวัญให้คุณ. ผมซื้อของขวัญสำหรับคุณ is a meaningful alternative that can describe a gift intended for you. It does not supply the requested ให้ pattern, but it is not rejected as universally ungrammatical.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- ให้ (ทำเพื่อผู้อื่น)Do It for Someone
Focuses specifically on the 'doing for someone' aspect of this word.
Level 2 - ให้ (ให้ผู้อื่นทำ)Make or Let Someone Do
Focuses on using this word to mean 'let' or 'make' someone do something.
Level 2 - ทำให้Cause and Result with ทำให้
A related causative that specifically means 'to cause something to happen' or 'to make someone feel' a certain way.
Level 2 - ช่วย + Verb + หน่อยPlease Do This
This request pattern can include ให้ to mark who the action is done for.
Level 1 - สำหรับFor
Compare สำหรับ for who or what something is intended for, alongside ให้ for an action done for someone.
Level 3 - Verb + ให้ + AdjectiveIntended Results with ให้
Explains how ให้ is used to describe the intended manner or result of an action.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ให้ (มอบ) in Bubblegum
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