ถึงขนาด

So Far as to

Level 4

ถึงขนาด means “to the extent of” or “so far as to” in the degree examples. The busy-work example gives having no time to eat as the extent reached.

How It Works

1. Show The Extent
ถึงขนาด introduces the extent of a situation in these examples. The wealth sentence gives having a private plane as its measure. The anger phrase gives refusing to speak as the extent of the anger.

2. Read The Displayed Forms
เขาทำงานยุ่งถึงขนาดที่ไม่มีเวลาทานข้าวเลย contains ถึงขนาดที่ followed by having no time to eat. เขารวยถึงขนาดมีเครื่องบินส่วนตัวเลยนะ has no ที่ after ถึงขนาด. Learn both full examples; this comparison does not establish that ที่ can be added or removed in every sentence.

3. Deny An Extent
มันไม่เลวร้ายถึงขนาดนั้นหรอก says it is not bad to that extent. ถึงขนาดนั้น points back to an extent understood in the conversation. The negative statement does not claim that extent was reached.

4. Read เลย In Context
The wealth example uses เลย for emphasis. In the busy-work and refusal-to-speak examples, it reinforces the negative phrase. Compare เลย through its own examples rather than treating one English gloss as its meaning everywhere.

5. Keep The Literal Sense Separate
ขนาด can name size, and the dictionary also records ถึงขนาด in a sufficiency sense. The degree examples here instead show how far a situation goes. That reading is attested in complete Thai usage; it does not follow from translating the two component words alone.

Examples (5)

  1. เขาทำงานยุ่งถึงขนาดที่ไม่มีเวลาทานข้าวเลย

    He is so busy with work that he does not even have time to eat.

    Word by Word: He work busy reach size that no have time eat rice at-all

    The phrase contains ถึงขนาดที่ and a negative result, ไม่มีเวลาทานข้าวเลย: there is no time to eat. The example gives that situation as the extent of being busy.

  2. มันไม่เลวร้ายถึงขนาดนั้นหรอก

    It’s not actually that bad.

    Word by Word: It not bad reach size that [particle]

    ไม่เลวร้ายถึงขนาดนั้น denies the stated degree of badness: it is not that bad.

  3. เขารวยถึงขนาดมีเครื่องบินส่วนตัวเลยนะ

    He is so rich that he even has his own plane!

    Word by Word: He rich reach size have airplane personal [emphasis] [particle]

    The particle เลย is added here to emphasize the surprising scale of his wealth.

  4. โกรธถึงขนาดไม่ยอมพูดด้วยเลย

    So angry to the point of refusing to speak (to them) at all.

    Word by Word: Angry reach size not willing speak with at-all

    This shows an emotional state leading to a specific, extreme behavioral result, emphasized by เลย.

  5. เขาสิ้นเนื้อประดาตัวถึงขนาดที่ต้องขอทาน

    He became so destitute that he had to beg.

    Word by Word: He finish flesh [idiom for broke] reach size that must beg

    ถึงขนาดที่ connects his destitution with having to beg in this example. The sentence does not establish a general formality rule for ที่.

Common Mistakes

  • Losing the intended state-to-result order with 'ถึงขนาด' when saying 'so rich that he has a plane'.

    เขาถึงขนาดรวยมีเครื่องบิน
    เขารวยถึงขนาดมีเครื่องบิน

    For the requested “so rich that he has a plane” meaning, use เขารวยถึงขนาดมีเครื่องบิน: the wealth comes first, followed by the plane as its measure. The comparison practises this complete structure and does not set a rule for every possible position of ถึงขนาด.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ถึงขนาดLevel 4So Far as to

Learn This First

To understand 'ถึงขนาด' (so far as to / to the extent that), you first need to understand its components: 'ถึง' (to reach) and 'ขนาด' (size/extent). Together they form a phrase that marks an action reaching an extreme or surprising degree. Familiarity with resultative markers like 'จน' is also helpful as they function similarly in complex sentences.

Words in This Pattern

ถึงขนาด