Completed Actions and State Changes with แล้ว
To indicate that an action is finished or a physical state has changed, place the particle แล้ว at the end of a sentence or verb phrase. It translates roughly to "already".
Because Thai verbs do not have past-tense forms, แล้ว is a crucial marker to show that something has happened or a new situation has begun.
Describing Missing, Depleted, or Broken Items
When items break, get lost, spoil, or run out, pair the state verb with แล้ว.
For misplaced items, use หาย (to be lost):
For resources that have been completely used up, use หมด (to run out):
Thai has specific words for things breaking or spoiling. Use เสีย for electronics or spoiled food, พัง for machines breaking down, and แตก for fragile items shattering:
Finished Tasks and Physical Feelings
To state that you have completed a task, place เสร็จ (to be finished) after the action and before แล้ว.
Use แล้ว for changes in personal physical states, such as going from hungry to full:
Weather Events
For weather, แล้ว shows that an event has already occurred or has just begun: