Expressing “so”, “therefore” in Thai with “gôr loiie”
The most colloquial way to say “so”, “therefore” is ก็เลย (gôr loiie).
There’s a more complete version which is เพราะฉะนั้น…ก็เลย (prór chà-nán…gôr loiie) but in this lesson, we will learn the most common and colloquial version.
Structure
It’s very important to put the subject before ก็เลย (gôr loiie) and not after (if you are going to put one).
⭐️ clause 1 + (subject) + ก็เลย (gôr loiie) + clause 2
However, colloquially, when the context is clear and the subject is guessable, you can omit the subject.
For example:
- I don’t like it so I don’t eat it.
ฉันไม่ชอบฉันก็เลยไม่กิน
chăn mâi chôp chăn gôr loiie mâi gin
or you can remove the subject if it’s clear.
- I don’t like it so I don’t eat it.
ไม่ชอบก็เลยไม่กิน
mâi chôp gôr loiie mâi gin
Examples
- ฉันชอบเรียนฉันก็เลยไปโรงเรียน chăn chôp riian chăn gôr loiie bpai rohng riian ➜ I like studying so I go to school.
- ฉันไม่เข้าใจฉันก็เลยไม่ตอบ chăn mâi kâo jai chăn gôr loiie mâi dtòp ➜ I don't understand so I don't answer.
- แม่ไม่รู้ฉันก็เลยบอก mâe mâi róo chăn gôr loiie bòk ➜ My mom didn't know so I told her.
- เขาไม่อยากก็เลยไม่ไป kăo mâi yàak gôr loiie mâi bpai ➜ He doesn't want to so he won't go.
- บ้านเล็กก็เลยย้าย bâan lék gôr loiie yáai ➜ The house is small so I moved.
- เขาเจ็บเขาก็เลยไปหาหมอ kăo jèp kăo gôr loiie bpai hăa mŏr ➜ He's hurt, therefore he went to the doctor.
- คอมพิวเตอร์ช้าฉันก็เลยต้องซื้อใหม่ kom-piw-dtêr cháa chăn gôr loiie dtông séu mài ➜ My computer is slow so I have to buy a new one.
- ฉันร้อนฉันก็เลยเปิดพัดลม chăn rón chăn gôr loiie bpèrt pát lom ➜ I was hot so I turned on the fan.
- อากาศหนาวฉันก็เลยใส่เสื้อหนา aa-gàat năao chăn gôr loiie sài sêuua năa ➜ The weather is cold so I wore a thick jacket.
- ยุงกัดฉันฉันก็เลยรู้สึกคัน yung gàt chăn chăn gôr loiie róo sèuk kan ➜ A mosquito bit me so I'm itchy.
Common mistake
It doesn’t sound native to put the subject after ก็เลย (gôr loiie).
Examples
- Wrong ❌ ก็เลยฉัน gôr loiie chăn 👉 the subject should come before the 'gôr loiie' ➜ So I...
- Correct ✅ ฉันก็เลย chăn gôr loiie 👉 (think of it as "I, therefore...") ➜ So I...