Verbs: Future Tense Marker 'จะ' — Thai Grammar

To indicate that an action will happen in the future, Thai uses the auxiliary word (jàchàčà). This word functions similarly to the English "will" or "shall". It is an invariant particle, meaning it never changes form regardless of the subject or the verb it accompanies.

Basic Sentence Structure

The structure for creating the future tense is straightforward. Place (jàchàčà) immediately before the main verb in the sentence.

Subject + จะ (jà) + Verb + Object

เขาจะกินข้าว
kǎo jà gin kâaokhǎo chà kin khâokhǎo čà kin khâo
He will eat rice.
เราจะไปโรงเรียน
rao jà pai roong·riianrao chà phai rong·rianrao čà phai rong·rian
We will go to school.
ฉันจะทำงาน
chǎn jà tam·ngaanchǎn chà tham·ngančǎn čà tham·ngan
I will work.

Negative Future (Will Not)

To express that something will not happen, you combine the future marker with the negation word (mâi). The standard order places the negation after the future marker.

Subject + จะ (jà) + ไม่ (mâi) + Verb

ผมจะไม่พูด
pǒm jà mâi pûutphǒm chà mâi phûtphǒm čà mâi phût
I will not speak.
ฝนจะไม่ตก
fǒn jà mâi dtòkfǒn chà mâi tòkfǒn čà mâi tòk
It will not rain.

Probability and "About To"

While (jàchàčà) is the primary marker for the future, it can also indicate probability, volition, or an action that is imminent (about to happen). In these contexts, it translates closer to "would," "might," or "is going to."

รถเมล์จะมาแล้ว
rót·mee jà maa láaeorót·me chà ma láeorót·me čà ma láeo
The bus is about to come.
เขาจะโกรธไหม
kǎo jà gròot mǎikhǎo chà kròt mǎikhǎo čà kròt mǎi
Would he be angry?

Using with Time Indicators

Thai sentences often include specific time words like "tomorrow" or "next year." While these time words alone can imply the future context, (jàchàčà) is frequently added to emphasize the intention or certainty of the action.

พรุ่งนี้ฉันจะไปหาหมอ
prung·níi chǎn jà pai hǎa mɔ̌ɔphrung·ní chǎn chà phai hǎ mǒphrung·ní čǎn čà phai hǎ mǒ̦
Tomorrow I will go see the doctor.
ปีหน้าเขาจะซื้อบ้าน
pii nâa kǎo jà sʉ́ʉ bâanphi nâ khǎo chà súe bânphi nâ khǎo čà sứ bân
Next year he will buy a house.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Thai course

59 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 41. A few of them, with the words “Verbs: Future Tense Marker 'จะ'” is about in bold:

คุณจะกลับมาทำงานพรุ่งนี้ไหม?
kun jà glàp maa tam ngaan prûng·níi mǎi?khun chà klàp ma tham ngan phrûng·ní mǎi?khun čà klàp ma tham ngan phrûng·ní mǎi?
Will you be back tomorrow?
Lesson 258
ฉันหวังว่าเธอจะประหยัดมากขึ้นนะ
chǎn wǎng wâa təə jà bprà·yàt mâak·kʉ̂n náchǎn wǎng wâ thoe chà prà·yàt mâk·khûen náčǎn wǎng wâ thơ čà prà·yàt mâk·khư̂n ná
I wish you were more frugal.
Lesson 328
ผมต้องการซื้อพืชต้นนี้ มันจะดูดีในห้องของผม
pǒm dtɔ̂ng·gaan sʉ́ʉ pʉ̂ʉt dtôn níi · man jà duu dii nai hɔ̂ɔng kɔ̌ɔng pǒmphǒm tông·kan súe phûet tôn ní · man chà du di nai hông khǒng phǒmphǒm tô̦ng·kan sứ phư̂t tôn ní · man čà du di nai hô̦ng khǒ̦ng phǒm
I want to buy this plant. It will look great in my room.
Lesson 384

Comments

Loading comments…