with only a rudimentary grasp
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- 1 with only a rudimentary grasp、in broken language
This expression describes having only a shaky grasp of something, especially being able to speak a language just a little.
with only a rudimentary grasp、in broken language
It describes knowing a little or having limited ability, without a solid grasp of the subject or skill.
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รู้ภาษาอังกฤษแค่งู ๆ ปลา ๆ rúu phaasǎa aŋkrìt khɛ̂ɛ ŋuu ŋuu plaa plaa I only know bits and pieces of English. รู้ภาษาอังกฤษแค่งู ๆ ปลา ๆ details
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เรื่องคอมพิวเตอร์ ฉันรู้แค่งู ๆ ปลา ๆ rʉ̂aŋ khɔɔmphiwtəə chǎn rúu khɛ̂ɛ ŋuu ŋuu plaa plaa My knowledge of computers is pretty sketchy. เรื่องคอมพิวเตอร์ ฉันรู้แค่งู ๆ ปลา ๆ details
Learning notes
Explanation
A common pattern is พูด + language + ได้งู ๆ ปลา ๆ, meaning that someone can speak a little of a language but struggles with it. รู้แค่งู ๆ ปลา ๆ means having only a sketchy knowledge of something and can also describe subjects other than languages. This is a conversational idiom, often used to downplay your own ability. งู means “snake” and ปลา means “fish,” but the expression as a whole has nothing to do with animals. Learn it as a fixed phrase. It is also written with spaces: งู ๆ ปลา ๆ.
Usage
Use it in everyday conversation when someone asks how well you speak a language, or when explaining that you know only a little about a subject. It fits casual introductions and conversations with friends.
Caution
Applied to someone else, it can sound dismissive of their knowledge or ability. It is not a general expression for doing something carelessly and cannot freely modify any action verb.