Breakdown of ทั้งๆ ที่ วิทยุ ล้าสมัย แต่ ตา ก็ ยัง ฟัง
แต่
but
ฟัง
to listen
ยัง
not yet / still
ตา
grandfather (maternal)
ก็
then (in result clause)
ทั้งๆ ที่
despite the fact that
วิทยุ
radio
ล้าสมัย
outdated
Questions & Answers about ทั้งๆ ที่ วิทยุ ล้าสมัย แต่ ตา ก็ ยัง ฟัง
Why does the sentence use แต่ (but) when it already starts with ทั้งๆ ที่ (even though)?
In English, it sounds incorrect to say "Even though it is outdated, but he still listens." However, in Thai, it is standard and completely natural to pair an "even though" word like ทั้งๆ ที่ in the first clause with แต่ (but) in the second clause. This double structure strongly emphasizes the contrast.
Since our current lesson is about stopping actions with ไม่... อีกแล้ว, how would I change this sentence to say he doesn't listen anymore?
This sentence currently uses ยัง (still) to highlight that an action continues despite expectations. To apply your current lesson and say he stopped listening, you would drop ยัง and wrap the verb in the negative frame: แต่ตาไม่ฟังอีกแล้ว (but grandfather doesn't listen anymore).
What is the exact role of ก็ (gaw) in this sentence?
Here, ก็ acts as a linking particle that ties the result back to the surprising condition in the first clause. In sentences that follow this "Even though... but..." pattern, you will almost always see ก็ placed right before the main action or auxiliary verb (like ยัง) to give the feeling of "nevertheless" or "anyway."
How do the individual parts of the word ล้าสมัย (outdated) translate?
It combines ล้า (to lag behind / to be fatigued) with สมัย (era / times). Literally, it means "lagging behind the times." You will recognize สมัย from other time-period words you've learned, such as สมัยก่อน (in the old days) or สมัยนี้ (nowadays).
Why is there no word for "it" or "them" after ฟัง (listen) at the very end of the sentence?
Thai frequently drops pronouns and objects when the context makes them obvious. Because วิทยุ (radio) was already established as the topic in the first half of the sentence, adding a pronoun for "it" after ฟัง is unnecessary and would actually sound slightly unnatural.
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