follow (instructions, advice, or a plan)
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- 1 follow (instructions, advice, or a plan)、comply with (a rule or order)、do as instructed
- 2 copy (someone’s actions)、follow someone’s example
Describes acting in line with an instruction, rule, plan, or example. Depending on the context, it can mean to follow, comply with, do as told, or copy someone’s behavior.
follow (instructions, advice, or a plan)、comply with (a rule or order)、do as instructed
To act according to an instruction, rule, piece of advice, plan, or other stated standard.
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ทำตามคำสั่ง tham taam kham sàŋ follow an order ทำตามคำสั่ง details
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กรุณาทำตามกฎ karunaa tham taam kòt Please follow the rules. กรุณาทำตามกฎ details
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ทำตามที่หมอบอกนะ tham taam thîi mɔ̌ɔ bɔ̀ɔk ná Do what the doctor told you. ทำตามที่หมอบอกนะ details
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เขาทำตามสัญญา khǎw tham taam sǎnyaa He kept his promise. เขาทำตามสัญญา details
copy (someone’s actions)、follow someone’s example
To observe another person or a demonstrated example and do the same thing.
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ดูแล้วทำตามนะ duu lɛ́ɛw tham taam ná Watch and do the same. ดูแล้วทำตามนะ details
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เด็กชอบทำตามผู้ใหญ่ dèk chɔ̂ɔp tham taam phûu yày Children like to copy adults. เด็กชอบทำตามผู้ใหญ่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
ทำตาม consists of ทำ (“do”) and ตาม (“follow” or “go along with”). Its central idea is to take something as a standard and act accordingly. It commonly precedes a noun that identifies the standard: ทำตามคำสั่ง (“follow an order”), ทำตามกฎ (“follow the rules”), and ทำตามคำแนะนำ (“follow advice”). Another useful pattern is ทำตามที่ followed by a clause. For example, ทำตามที่ฉันบอก means “do what I told you” or “do as I said.” When followed by a person, it may mean either obeying that person or copying their behavior. The intended meaning depends on the situation.
Usage
It is common when following orders or rules, acting on a doctor’s or teacher’s advice, carrying out a plan or promise, and completing a procedure step by step. It is also natural in demonstrations—such as cooking, exercise, or classroom activities—when asking someone to watch and do the same.
Caution
ทำตาม refers to acting according to something; it does not normally mean physically following someone to another place. Use ตาม or ตามไป for that. When the action should be stated explicitly, use an action verb plus ตาม—for example, พูดตามฉัน for “repeat after me.”
Differences from similar words
1 follow (instructions, advice, or a plan) synonyms
2 copy (someone’s actions) synonyms
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เลียนแบบ explicitly means to imitate a style, appearance, work, or behavior. ทำตาม is a more everyday way to say that someone watches an action or follows another person’s example and does the same.