จะ
will
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 will、be going to、intend to、be about to
- 2 whether、either [introducing alternatives]
Placed before a verb, จะ presents an action or state as not yet realized, often expressing the future, a plan, an intention, or a prediction. It also marks alternatives in certain common constructions.
will、be going to、intend to、be about to
Placed before a verb, it presents the action as still ahead, with the context determining whether it is a future event, plan, intention, prediction, or something about to happen.
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พรุ่งนี้จะไปกรุงเทพฯ phrûŋníi cà pay kruŋthêep I’m going to Bangkok tomorrow. พรุ่งนี้จะไปกรุงเทพฯ details
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ฝนจะตก fǒn cà tòk It’s going to rain. ฝนจะตก details
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ฉันจะทำเอง chǎn cà tham eeŋ I’ll do it myself. ฉันจะทำเอง details
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เขากำลังจะมา khǎw kamlaŋ cà maa He is about to arrive. เขากำลังจะมา details
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ฉันจะไม่ลืม chǎn cà mây lʉʉm I won’t forget. ฉันจะไม่ลืม details
whether、either [introducing alternatives]
In patterns such as ไม่ว่า…จะ… and จะ…หรือ…, it introduces or contrasts alternatives that have not been settled.
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จะไปหรือจะอยู่ cà pay rʉ̌ʉ cà yùu Whether to go or stay. จะไปหรือจะอยู่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
จะ normally appears in the pattern “subject + จะ + verb.” It presents the action or state as not yet realized and lying ahead. With a person as the subject, it often expresses a plan or intention: ฉันจะไป can mean “I’m going” or “I intend to go.” With weather or events, it commonly expresses a prediction: ฝนจะตก means “It’s going to rain.” กำลังจะ + verb means that something is just about to happen. With ใกล้ or แทบ, จะ helps form expressions meaning “nearly” or “almost.” It also occurs in alternative constructions, including ไม่ว่าจะ, “regardless of whether/no matter what,” and จะ…หรือ…, “whether/either…or….”
Usage
This is one of the most common words in Thai for discussing future plans, spontaneous decisions, intentions, and predictions in both speech and writing. It also appears frequently in questions about someone’s choice, such as จะกินอะไร, “What will you eat?”, and in requests for advice, such as จะทำอย่างไรดี, “What should I do?”
Caution
Do not mechanically translate จะ as “will.” Depending on the context, natural English may use “will,” “be going to,” the present progressive, or another future expression. Future negation normally follows the order จะไม่ + verb. Also distinguish กำลังทำ, “be doing now,” from กำลังจะทำ, “be about to do.”
Differences from similar words
1 will synonyms
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จัก also expresses futurity or intention, but it sounds literary or old-fashioned today. จะ is the normal form in both everyday speech and general writing.