เก่า

Explanation

The central idea of เก่า is that something is not part of the new or current stage, but belongs to an earlier time. It normally follows the noun: รถเก่า means “an old car,” ข้อมูลเก่า means “old information,” and แฟนเก่า means “an ex-partner.” Context determines whether it describes age or identifies something as the previous one. เก่า is not inherently negative. With technology, systems, or ideas, however, it may imply that something is old-fashioned or no longer suitable. Its usual opposite is ใหม่ (“new”). Meaning also depends on the relationship being described. แฟนเก่า means an ex-partner, while เพื่อนเก่า normally means an old or longtime friend, not a former friend.

Usage

It is common in everyday conversation when talking about clothes, cars, houses, phones, and other things that are not new. It is also used for older information, methods, systems, and songs. It frequently identifies earlier relationships or previous things, as in แฟนเก่า (“ex-partner”), เจ้านายเก่า (“former boss”), ที่อยู่เก่า (“previous address”), and ลูกค้าเก่า (“returning customer”).

Caution

Do not normally use เก่า to describe an elderly person; แก่ is used for age. คนแก่ means “an elderly person,” whereas คนเก่า can mean someone who was there before or has been there for a long time. เก่า does not mean “broken” or “rotten.” Use เสีย for a broken or malfunctioning object, and words such as บูด or เน่า for spoiled or rotten food. Phrases such as บ้านเก่า can mean either “an old house” or “a previous house.” Add context when the intended meaning is not clear.

1 old synonyms

• ล้าสมัย

  ล้าสมัย explicitly means “outdated” or unsuitable for the present day. เก่า can simply mean “old” without expressing criticism.

• เก่าแก่

  เก่าแก่ emphasizes great age or a long history and is common with temples, traditions, and cultures. เก่า is broader and does not necessarily suggest an especially long history.

2 former synonyms

• เดิม

  dəəm original

  เดิม means “original,” “unchanged,” or “as before,” as in สภาพเดิม (“the original condition”). เก่า more broadly marks a person or thing as the previous one and can mean “ex-,” as in แฟนเก่า.