Question words

I'm sure that you know some questions in Thai already from common phrases like "What's your name?" (Khun chêu àrai?) or "Where is the restroom?" (Hâwngnáam yùu thîinăi?). Did you notice where the position of these questions are?


Yes, mostly they are at the end of the sentence.



Now let's see how to say these question words in Thai.


- what = àrai อะไร
- where = thîinăi ที่ไหน
- when = mêuarài เมื่อไหร่/ เมื่อไร
- why = thammai ทำไม
- how = yangngai/ yàangrai ยังไง/ อย่างไร
- who = khrai ใคร
- whose = khăwngkhrai ของใคร
- which = ...(classifier).... năi ไหน





Pattern: verb/ phrase + question word?

 

WHAT


- Khun chêu àrai?
What's your name?
คุณชื่ออะไร

- Khun gamlang tham àrai?
What are you doing?
คุณกำลังทำอะไร

- Kháo thamngaan àrai?
What does he do?
เขาทำงานอะไร



WHERE

Note: It's more common in spoken language to drop the word "thîi"

- Khun yùu (thîi)năi?
Where are you?
คุณอยู่(ที่)ไหน

- Khun maa jàak (thîi)năi?
Where do you come from?
คุณมาจาก(ที่)ไหน



WHEN

Note: When can be put at the beginning if the speaker wants to emphasize it

- Khun jà maa mêuarài?
When will you come?
คุณจะมาเมื่อไร

- Mêuarài khun jà khâojai?
When will you understand?
เมื่อไรคุณจะเข้าใจ



WHY

- Khun thăam chán thammai?
Why did you ask me?
คุณถามฉันทำไม

- Thammai khun yàak thamngaan thîi meaung Thai?
Why do you want to work in Thailand?
ทำไมคุณอยากทำงานที่เมืองไทย



HOW

- Phŏm jà pai thîinán dâi yangngai?
How can I get there? (asking direction)
ผมจะไปที่นั่นได้อย่างไร

- Khun rúu dâi yangngai?
How can you know?
คุณรู้ได้ ยังไง/อย่างไร



WHO

- Khun jà pai gàp khrai?
Who will you go with?
คุณจะไปกับใคร

- Phûuyĭng khonnán pen khrai?
Who is that woman?
ผู้หญิงคนนั้นเป็นใคร


WHOSE

- Nân pen gràpăo khăwngkhrai?
Whose bag is that?
นั่นเป็นกระเป๋าของใคร


WHICH

- Khun châwp lêm năi? (talking about book)
Which one you like?
คุณชอบเล่มไหน

- An năi thùuk gwàa?
Which one is cheaper?
อันไหนถูกกว่า



Up to now, you may have a question about the position of a few question words that you've heard somebody asked by putting at the beginning.


Can you think of a sentence that question word is put at the beginning of the sentence?


How about "Who gave you this book?"


"Who" in this sentence, its function is as "Subject" who does the action which is "to give"


Therefore, we ask " Khrai hăi năngsĕu khun?" ใครให้หนังสือคุณ


How to ask "What is on the table?"


-----> àrai yûu bon tó? อะไรอยู่บนโต๊ะ


Now you can see that, some question words like "what" or "who" can be added either at the beginning or at the end which depends on its function (as Subject or object).



"Learning to speak for the fisrt time might be a bit difficult for you have to think of its position or structure, but once you know and practise and be able to communicate with other people in daily life, then you will be surprised that you can speak automatically. Be brave and let's speak Thai!!"

Chôok dii (^-^)/