Grammar

From the perspective of linguistic typology, Thai can be considered to be an analytic language. The word order is Subject Verb Object, although the subject is often omitted. The Thai pronominal system varies according to the sex and relative status of speaker and audience.

Adjectives and adverbs

There is no morphological distinction between adverbs and adjectives. Many words can be used in either function. They follow the word they modify, which may be a noun, verb, or another adjective or adverb. Intensity can be expressed by a duplicated word, which is used to mean "very" (with the first occurrence at a higher pitch) or "rather" (with both at the same pitch) (Higbie 187-188). Usually, only one word is duplicated per clause.

• คนอ้วน (khon uan, IPA: [kʰon uan ]) a fat person
• คนอ้วนๆ (khon uan uan, IPA: [kʰon uan uan]) a very/rather fat person
• คนอ้วนไว (khon uan wai) a person who becomes/became fat quickly
• คนอ้วนไวๆ (khon uan wai wai) a person who becomes/became fat very/rather quickly

Comparatives take the form "A X กว่า B" (kwa, IPA: [kwaː]), A is more X than B. The superlative is expressed as "A X ที่สุด" (thi sut, IPA: [tʰiːsut]), A is most X.

• เขาอ้วนกว่าฉัน (kao uan kwa chan) S/he is fatter than I.
• เขาอ้วนที่สุด (kao uan thi sut) S/he is the fattest (of all).

Because adjectives can be used as complete predicates, many words used to indicate tense in verbs (see Verbs:Tense below) may be used to describe adjectives.

• ฉันหิว (chan hiw) I am hungry.
• ฉันจะหิว (chan ja hiw) I will be hungry.
• ฉันกำลังหิว (chan kamlang hiw) I am becoming hungry. or I am hungry right now.
• ฉันหิวแล้ว (chan hiw laeo) I am already hungry.