Jingjok
Thai phrases › Telling stories
How to say at first
in Thai
ตอนแรก
dtaawn-râaek
at first
dtaawn midrâaek falling
Opens a story or sets up a twist: ตอนแรกคิดว่า… แต่… 'at first I thought… but…'.
- Part of speech
- adv
In a sentence
- ตอนแรกไม่ชอบ แต่ตอนนี้ชอบมากdtaawn-râaek mâi châawp dtàae dtaawn-níi châawp mâakAt first I didn't like it, but now I love it.
From the same situation: Telling stories
- หลังจากนั้นafter that
- ต่อมาlater on, subsequently
- ในที่สุดin the end, finally
- ทีหลังlater, afterwards
- ตอนนั้นat that time, back then
- วันหนึ่งone day
- ครั้งหนึ่งonce (on one occasion)
- ก่อนหน้านี้before this, previously
All 78 words and phrases in “Telling stories” →
Your first 90 days of Thai
Jingjok teaches ตอนแรก with audio, the tone drawn on screen, and a check on your own voice. Tell a story from beginning to end: set the scene, order the events, add the twist, say how it felt, and keep a listener hooked.
- WEEKS 1–2 · SURVIVEGreet anyone, pay, and order food and 7-Eleven exactly how you like it.
- WEEKS 3–6 · SETTLE INGet around by taxi, Grab and skytrain, find anything, and handle your landlord.
- WEEKS 7–12 · RUN YOUR LIFEPharmacy, bank, SIM and apps, how you feel, and a weekend away, all in Thai.
The first week is free.