ว่ายน้ำ

Explanation

The expression combines ว่าย, “to move by swimming,” with น้ำ, “water.” It applies both to people and to animals such as dogs and fish. The basic pattern is “subject + ว่ายน้ำ.” A location can be added, as in ว่ายน้ำในสระ, “swim in a pool.” To say that someone has learned how to swim, Thai commonly uses ว่ายน้ำเป็น. Its negative, ว่ายน้ำไม่เป็น, means that someone does not know how to swim. The same verb is used when talking about swimming as exercise, recreation, or sport.

Usage

It is commonly used when talking about swimming in a pool, the sea, or a river, as well as swimming for recreation, exercise, training, or competition. Everyday patterns include ว่ายน้ำเป็นไหม “Can you swim?”, ชอบว่ายน้ำ “like swimming,” and ไปว่ายน้ำ “go swimming.”

Caution

Use เป็น or ไม่เป็น for knowing or not knowing how to swim. Use ว่ายน้ำไม่ได้ when swimming is impossible because of temporary circumstances, rules, or another restriction. Do not confuse ว่ายน้ำ with ดำน้ำ, “dive,” or อาบน้ำ, “bathe or take a shower.”

1 swim synonyms

• ว่าย

  wâay swim

  ว่าย also means to move by swimming and may be followed by a direction or swimming style. ว่ายน้ำ is the usual explicit expression for swimming or going for a swim.

• เล่นน้ำ

  เล่นน้ำ means to play in the water and does not necessarily involve swimming. ว่ายน้ำ specifically describes swimming through the water.