Figuring out and discerning (ออก)

Discerning with ออก

You may already know ออก as a directional word meaning "out" or "to exit." However, when placed after a verb of perception or thought, ออก acts as a resultative verb. It indicates that you have successfully discerned, decoded, or figured something out.

To express whether you can or cannot figure something out, use these common patterns:

• [Verb] + ออก: You can discern or figure it out.
• [Verb] + ไม่ + ออก: You cannot make it out or figure it out.
• [Verb] + ออก + ไหม: Can you tell / Can you figure it out?

For example, when looking at an old classmate whose appearance has changed, you might pair this with visual verbs like มอง (to look) or ดู (to look/see) to say you cannot recognize them or tell if they have had plastic surgery.

Figuring out Mental Puzzles

This structure is incredibly common with cognitive verbs like คิด (to think) or ทาย (to guess).

If you are trying to solve an equation or remember a detail, คิดออก means you successfully figured it out, while คิดไม่ออก means your mind is drawing a blank. Similarly, ทายไม่ออก means you simply cannot guess the answer.

Notice in the examples below that the object of the sentence (like the equation) can either be stated before the verb phrase as a topic, or tucked directly between the main verb and ออก.

Deciphering Handwriting and Clues

You will also use this grammar when trying to make out physical information, such as messy handwriting, faded characters, or complex clues.

Using อ่านออก means you can decipher and read the text, while อ่านไม่ออก means the writing is completely illegible to you. When encountering clues, ดูออก signifies you can tell what you are looking at.