ศาลาชุมนุม

[JF80]

If I wanted to say: "I went to the bar but only had two drinks"

Which only would I use as there are quite a few:
http://www.thai2english.com/dictionary/only.html

This one looks most likely I think:

มีแต่ mee dtàe

What about: I've only been to Thailand once.

Same 'only'?

Thanks,

[Toffeeman]

What about: I've only been to Thailand once.

Same 'only'?

Thanks,

I would say this: ผมเคยไปเมืองไทยแค่ครั้งเดียวเท่านั้น
Literally: I ever go Thailand just time single only.

You have แค่ meaning 'just' and เท่านั้น meaning 'only.
I believe you could leave either of them out and the meaning would be the same or use both of them.

[JF80]

Thanks for that. So เท่านั้น is the best for only in this example.

What about: "I only have 100 baht"?

ผม เท่านั้น มี 100 บาท

Just a bit confused as there seems to be lots of words for 'only'.

Thannks.

[claude06thailand]

What about: "I only have 100 baht"?

ผมมีแต่ 100 บาท เท่านั้น

I think that เท่านั้น can be omitted as well...

[Toffeeman]

Thanks for that. So เท่านั้น is the best for only in this example.

What about: "I only have 100 baht"?

ผม เท่านั้น มี 100 บาท

Just a bit confused as there seems to be lots of words for 'only'.

Thannks.

เท่านั้น has to go at the end of the sentence.

Try typing 'only' into the dictionary here and you get masses of info. If you scroll down to the bottom you will get 130 example sentences. Among them is this:
มีแค่สิบบาทครับ
meeM khaaeF sipL baatL khrapH
[spoken by male] "I have only 10 baht."

Even if there are different words you should be able to see patterns developing with that many example sentences.

[tod-daniels]

I too usually hear เท่านั้น used at the end of things people say not in the middle.

As far as แค่ and แต่, I don’t think they’re interchangeable as far as usage for “only”.

However, I don’t hear แค่ that much when I’m eavesdropping on Thais (my new pastime).

It’s either that or my hearing isn’t good and my old ears mis-hear แต่ when they say แค่.

[Tgeezer]

What about: "I only have 100 baht"?

ผมมีแต่ 100 บาท เท่านั้น

I think that เท่านั้น can be omitted as well...

The Thai is like the English, if you look at the meanings there is duplication. It is what people say and we get used to it.
Someone wrote;
"ผมเคยไปเมืองไทยแค่ครั้งเดียวเท่านั้น
Literally: I ever go Thailand just time single only.

You have แค่ meaning 'just' and เท่านั้น meaning 'only."

Which language mimics which? does Thai need both words? The more you hear these extra words the easier it is to believe that they give extra meaning, but do they really?
In, I went to Thailand only once. and I went to Thailand just one time only. the message is identical. Five minutes later if questioned I doubt that anyone could say which was used, but they could say with certainty how often I had been to Thailand.

[DanR]

As far as แค่ and แต่, I don’t think they’re interchangeable as far as usage for “only”.

My take on them is that แต่ means 'exclusively' and แค่ means 'not more than' or 'this small amount' so you might say
กินแต่ขนมปัง - (He/I/...) eats only/exclusively bread
and
กินแค่นิดเดียว - (He/I/...) eats only/not more than a little

You could use เท่านั้น with either.

[bobozone]

Lesson for today is about 'just, only'

http://www.iwanttolearnthai.com/LearnThai_26032012.html

kâe / tâo-nán /tâo-nán ayng/ ayng

[David and Bui]

Thank you for that, Bobozone. It is really wonderful that Thailand is now granting graduate degrees in teaching Thai to foreigners and that a number of Thais are taking advantage of those degree programs. I believe that as time goes on the quality of language teaching will improve dramatically. And, it seems that these students are encouraged to learn not only the art of teaching but to do so in the context of modern technology to include Youtube, teaching websites and Skype.

I wonder how many programs there are at Thai universities. Khun Bobo tells us that she is studying at Srinakharinwirot university.

I wish her the best of luck in her studies and her business.