Verb + มา

Up to Now

Level 2

In the duration examples here, Verb + มา connects an earlier stretch of time with the reference point. A duration and แล้ว help express the supplied have been doing reading; other constructions need their own context.

How It Works

In the duration examples here, post-verbal มา relates an earlier action or state to a later reference point. The English translation can use have been doing, have done or another construction; it is not a fixed tense conversion.

Reading the Complete Phrase:

  • Position in These Examples: Keep the verb and its object together in the supplied study and work examples: [Verb] + (Object) + มา + [Duration] + (แล้ว). This describes the shown construction, not a rule for every possible verb sequence.
  • Duration and Recent Context: A time period such as two years measures the stretch leading to the reference point in these continuative examples. A bare phrase such as ทำอะไรมา needs its situation to identify the earlier activity; it does not automatically mean lately or recently.
  • Negative Duration: The supplied negative example combines ไม่ได้ + [Verb] + มา + [Duration] to describe an interval without the event.
  • Motion and Completed Events: Compare the linked มา construction. In 'ไปหาหมอมา', the going-and-coming sequence can describe a completed doctor visit connected to the reference point. It does not by itself specify just now. Adding a duration supplies further time information; it does not automatically make every such visit an action still in progress.

Examples (6)

  1. เรียนภาษาไทยมาสองปีแล้ว

    I have been studying Thai for two years.

    Word by Word: study language Thai come two year already

    In this duration example, 'มา' connects the two years of studying with the present reference point.

  2. รอมานานหรือยัง

    Have you been waiting for a long time?

    Word by Word: wait come long-time or not-yet

    Here 'มา' relates the waiting period to the time of the question; the question asks whether it has been long.

  3. ช่วงนี้ทำอะไรมาบ้าง

    What have you been doing lately?

    Word by Word: period this do what come some

    The recent period is supplied by the opening time phrase. Read 'มา' with that context; the absence of a duration alone does not give it a fixed lately meaning.

  4. อยู่ที่นี่มาสามเดือน

    I have lived here for three months.

    Word by Word: live at here come three month

    This example presents three months of residence leading to the reference point. A final 'แล้ว' is absent in this supplied sentence.

  5. ไม่ได้เจอกันมาหลายปี

    We haven't seen each other for many years.

    Word by Word: not get meet each-other come many year

    The negative example describes a many-year interval without seeing each other, extending to the reference point.

  6. ทำงานที่นี่มาตั้งแต่ปีที่แล้ว

    I have been working here since last year.

    Word by Word: work at here come since year that last

    Here 'since' (ตั้งแต่) supplies the starting point, and 'มา' presents the work interval leading to the reference point.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving อ out of the standard written word หมอ.

    ไปหาหมมา
    ไปหาหมอมา

    The standard written word for a doctor is หมอ. The deliberately incorrect sentence writes หม, leaving out อ. Restore the letter to obtain ไปหาหมอมา. This exercise checks spelling and keeps the completed-visit sentence; it makes no rule against adding duration information in a suitable context.

  • Placing มา before the Thai-language object in the intended duration construction.

    เรียนมาภาษาไทยสองปี
    เรียนภาษาไทยมาสองปี

    For the intended duration construction, keep the study verb and its Thai-language object together before 'มา'. The supplied correct sentence follows the verb-object-marker ordering shown in the FSI study examples.

  • Leaving the tone mark out of the standard written country name ญี่ปุ่น.

    เคยอยู่ญี่ปุนสามปี
    เคยอยู่ญี่ปุ่นสามปี

    The standard written country name is ญี่ปุ่น. The deliberately incorrect sentence writes ญี่ปุน without the tone mark ่. Restore the mark to obtain เคยอยู่ญี่ปุ่นสามปี. The unchanged เคย introduces past experience here. This exercise checks spelling and does not impose a general ban on experiential มา or former-residence constructions.

How It Connects

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

Verb + มาLevel 2Up to Now

Learn This First

To understand 'Verb + มา' as a marker for actions continuing up to the present, you first need to be familiar with 'มา' as a verb of motion and how Thai uses multiple verbs in a row to indicate direction or aspect.

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