มาก
mâak/maːk̚˥˩/
The English phrase "a lot" is expressed in Thai as มาก (mâak).
มาก is an adverb meaning "very much".
Meaning: very much (adv)
Which one should you use?
While มาก (mâak) functions as an adverb meaning "very much," the related form หลาย (lǎai) is used as an adjective to mean "many" or "several" when quantifying countable nouns.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal, everyday spoken Thai, you may use the colloquial alternative เยอะ (yúe) to mean "a lot" or "many." For more formal contexts, มากมาย is used to express an abundance or a great amount and จำนวนมาก is used to literally mean "a large amount."
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Thai, the adverb มาก is typically placed after the verb or adjective it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
มาก is pronounced mâak (/maːk̚˥˩/).
Did you know?
- In very informal settings, เยอะ can be used sarcastically to describe someone who is 'extra' or acting over the top.
- In casual speech, you will often hear มาก ๆ repeated twice. This doubling transforms 'very' into 'extremely' or 'so much'.
- To emphasize that something is truly 'a lot', Thai speakers often elongate the vowel sound in มาก, turning it into มาาาาก.
Examples in context
- ขอบคุณมากThanks a lot!This sentence shows how to use มาก.Tatoeba #8675965 by pastelite, translation #534970 by Snout
- ฉันชอบบอสตันมากI like Boston a lot.Tatoeba #8722680 by pastelite, translation #3678094 by CK
- มันช่วยฉันได้มากIt helped me a lot.Tatoeba #8669154 by pastelite, translation #338347 by Sprachprofi
- ผมชอบกินอาหารไทยมากๆI like Thai food a lot.
- ในงานมีคนมาเป็นจำนวนมากThere were a lot of people at the event.
- ชาวไทยเล่นกอล์ฟมากThai people play golf a lot.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
The two friends are talking about a movie they just watched.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatคุณชอบหนังเรื่องนี้ไหมkhun chop nang rueang ni maiDid you like this movie?
- พิมล Pimonฉันชอบมากเลยchan chop mak loeiI liked it a lot.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatผมก็คิดว่ามันสนุกมากphom ko khit wa man sanuk makI also think it was very fun.
- พิมล Pimonใช่ เราควรไปดูอีกรอบchai rao khuan pai du ik ropYes, we should go see it again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a lot” translations and entries มาก, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
