คาเฟ่
café
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 café
- 2 restaurant with live entertainment
It usually means a café serving coffee and light refreshments. It can also refer to a dining venue with live entertainment.
café
A place to sit and enjoy coffee, other drinks, and often light food.
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คาเฟ่นี้มีบรรยากาศดีมาก khaafêe níi mii banyaakàat dii mâak This café has a great atmosphere. คาเฟ่นี้มีบรรยากาศดีมาก details
restaurant with live entertainment
A restaurant or nightlife venue where customers eat and drink while watching live performances, such as singing or comedy.
Learning notes
Explanation
In everyday conversation today, the usual meaning is “café.” The word can suggest stylish décor or a photogenic setting, but neither is required. Use ร้าน as the classifier: คาเฟ่สองร้าน means “two cafés,” and คาเฟ่ร้านนี้ means “this café.” The entertainment-venue meaning occurs especially in discussions of comedians’ careers and Thai comedy culture. In ตลกคาเฟ่, it refers to venues where customers watch comedy while eating and drinking.
Usage
Use it when inviting someone out for coffee, finding a place to take a break, or sharing café recommendations. In conversations about performers or nightlife in earlier decades, it may refer to a dining venue with live shows.
Caution
The drink “coffee” is กาแฟ. คาเฟ่ refers to an establishment, so “drink coffee” is ดื่มกาแฟ.
Differences from similar words
1 café synonyms
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ร้านกาแฟ broadly means a coffee shop and can include a small takeaway business. คาเฟ่ often suggests somewhere to sit and enjoy the atmosphere, though the two terms overlap considerably.