กับ

kàp

with

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  1. 1 with、together with、to、toward、against、in relation to、compared with、on; at [contact/location]
  2. 2 and、as well as
  3. 3 side dish eaten with rice
  4. 4 trap、snare

กับ is a basic linking word. It connects people, things, actions, and targets, covering ideas like “with,” “to,” “against,” and “and,” depending on the sentence.

1

with、together with、to、toward、against、in relation to、compared with、on; at [contact/location]

Preposition⭐️5 Essential

Links an action, state, or person to another person or thing, often meaning “with,” “to,” “toward,” “against,” or “in relation to.”

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2

and、as well as

Conjunction⭐️5 Essential

Joins two nouns or noun phrases as equal items, like “and” or “as well as.”

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Learning notes

Explanation

The core idea of กับ is connection between two things. It can mark a companion, a conversation partner, a target of attitude, an opponent, a matching item, or a comparison point. It also joins two nouns as “A and B.” Many common Thai patterns are best learned as verb/adjective + กับ + target, such as คุยกับ, ดีกับ, เข้ากับ, ตรงกับ, and เกี่ยวกับ.

Usage

It is extremely common in everyday speech and writing. You use it when doing something with someone, talking to someone, pairing things, joining two nouns, comparing things, or describing how something relates to a target.

Caution

Do not translate every “with,” “and,” or “by” into กับ. For quoting speech, Thai uses ว่า, as in พูดว่า.... For tools or means, ด้วย is often the better choice, as in เขียนด้วยปากกา, “write with a pen.”

Differences from similar words

1 with synonyms

  • ด้วย often marks a means, tool, or “also.” กับ is used more for a companion, counterpart, target, or matching item.

  • ต่อ strongly marks direction or stance toward something, often in attitudes, responsibility, or ratios. กับ is broader and also covers companions, conversation partners, and relationships.

2 and synonyms

  • และ is common in writing or more formal coordination. กับ is natural in everyday speech when joining two nouns as “and.”

3 side dish eaten with rice synonyms

4 trap synonyms

  • กับดัก is the most practical modern word for “trap.” กับ alone can mean “trap,” but learners will usually encounter and use กับดัก.

Component words

Other words containing กับ

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The Thai meaning, naturalness, examples, and pronunciation in this entry have been reviewed by a native Thai editor. The English text is created with AI assistance from the same reviewed entry data and undergoes automated checks and selective human review. We always welcome reports of errors and suggested corrections through the link above.

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