Asking questions

The most common way is simply to add the word mái (ไหม) at the end of a sentence, which can be thought of as the equivalent of a question mark.

mái (ไหม) = word which is added to the end of a statement to create a question for expecting yes/no answers. Note: rising tone

► Structure: … mái?

Examples:
khun chôɔp mái (คุณชอบไหม)
Do you like it?

chôɔp khráp / khà (ชอบ ครับ/ค่ะ)
- Yes, I like.

mâi chôɔp khráp / khà (ไม่ชอบ ครับ/ค่ะ)
- No, I don’t like.


Note: The equally useful "mâi” (ไม่) (falling tone!) is used to put statement in the negative, and can be translated depending on the context as "no", "not", "don’t".



dâi mái (ได้ไหม) questions are asking whether or not someone "can" do something
Can I? Can you? Can he? May I?

To express that you can do something in Thai, you use the word "dâi "(ได้) which means, "can". If you would like to express that you can't do something, simply negate the verb dâi with "mâi "(ไม่).

▶ Structure: … dâi mái?

Examples:
sǒɔn phaasăa thai phǒm dâi mái (สอนภาษาไทยผมได้ไหม)
Can you teach me Thai?

dâi khráp / khà. (ได้ ครับ/ค่ะ)
- Yes, I can.

mâi dâi khráp / khà.(ไม่ได้ ครับ/ค่ะ)
- No, I can’t.



mii mái (มีไหม) This are a very important words used all the time in daily life. Coupled with mii it becomes even more useful. However the lesson here is that armed with mii (any noun) mái? You can ask for absolutely anything in any situation such as a shop, restaurant, home or workplace.

The verb mii (มี) "to have" has the multiple meanings of "have", "has", "there is", "there are", "there was", and "there were".

▶ Structure: … mii + noun + mái?

mii hôɔng wâang mái (มีห้องว่างไหม)
Is there a vacant room?

mii khráp / khà. (มี ครับ / ค่ะ)
- Yes, there is.

mâi mii khráp / khà. (ไม่มี ครับ / ค่ะ)
- No, there isn’t

Wh- questions

In English the Wh- question words (Who? What? where? Why? When? Which, how) normally occur at the beginning of the question. In Thai the position of some question words varies according to their grammatical function in the sentence, while others have a fixed position.

■ Who? – khrai (ใคร) = Verb + khrai
If the question pattern is Verb + khrai, then the answer will be Verb + person

Khun pai gàp khrai (คุณไปกับใคร)
Who are you going with?

pai gàp phûean (ไปกับเพื่อน)
- With a friend.


■ Whose? - (khǒɔng) khrai (ของใคร) = Noun + khǒɔng khrai

bâan khǒɔng khrai (บ้านของใคร)
Whose house?

bâan khǒɔng raw (บ้านของเรา)
- Our house. / Ours.

nîi khǒɔng khrai (นี่ของใคร)
Whose is this?

khǒɔng phǒm (ของผม)
- It’s mine.


■ What? – a-rai (อะไร) = Verb (phrase) + a-ria

khăo chûe a-rai (เขาชื่ออะไร)
What is his name?

Khăo chûe Tom (เขาชื่อทอม)
- His name is Tom.

Khun tham a-rai (คุณทำอะไร)
What are you doing?

duu TV (ดูทีวี)
- Watching TV.

■ Which? - năi (ไหน) = Verb +( noun) + classifier + năi

khun khui gàp phûu yǐng khon năi (คุณคุยกับผู้หญิงคนไหน)
Which girl did you chat with?

(khui gàp) khon yîi pùn (คุยกับ) คนญี่ปุ่น)
- (I chat with) the Japanese one.

ao năngsǔe lêm năi (เอาหนังสือเล่มไหน)
Which book do you want?

ao lêm nán ( เอาเล่มนั้น)
- I want that one.

■ Where? – thîi năi (ที่ไหน) = Verb (phrase) + thîi năi

thîi năi (ที่ไหน) always occurs the end of a sentence. Answers follow the pattern (verb (phrase) + thîi + location.

khun phák yùu thîi năi (คุณพักอยู่ที่ไหน)
Where are you staying?

(phák yùu) thîi rong raem Amarin (พักอยู่) ที่โรงแรมอมาริน)
-(I am staying) at the Amarin Hotel.

khun maa jàak năi (คุณมาจากไหน)
Where are you from?

(phǒm) maa jàak pràthét Germany (ผม) มาจากประเทศเยอรมนี)
- I come from Germany.


■ When? – muearai (เมื่อไหร่) = verb (phrase) + muearai

Answers follow the pattern Verb (phrase) + expression of time. muearai normally occurs at the end of a sentence, but may occur at the beginning for emphatic effect.

khun jà glàp mûearài (คุณจะกลับเมื่อไหร่)
When are you returning?

(glàp) aa- thîi náa (กลับ) อาทิตย์หน้า)
- (I'm returning) next week.

khun jà bòɔk khǎo mûearài (คุณจะบอกเธอเมื่อไหร่)
When are you going to tell her?

mûearài khun jà bòɔk khăo (เมื่อไหร่คุณจะบอกเขา)
When are you going to tell her?

■ Why? – tham mai (ทำไม) = thammai + subject + verb (phrase)
tham mai can occur at the end of the sentence, usually in an informal context.

thammai khun mâi chôɔp khăo (ทำไมคุณไม่ชอบเขา)
Why don't you like him?

phróɔ khăo mâi sùphâap (เพราะเขาไม่สุภาพ)
- Because, he is rude.

bòɔk thammai (บอกเธอทำไม)
Why did you tell her?

■ How much? – thâo rài (เท่าไหร่) = Verb (Phrase) + thâo rài
thâo rài always occurs at the end of the question.

khun súe thâo rài (คุณซื้อเท่าไหร่)
How much did you buy it for?

nîi thâo rài (นี่เท่าไหร่)
How much it this?


■ How many? – gìi (กี่) = Verb + noun + gìi + classifier
The answer normally consists of number + classifier

khun mii lûuk gìi khon (คุณมีลูกกี่คน)
How many children do you have?

săam khon (สามคน)
- Three.

khun pai gìi wan (คุณไปกี่วัน)
How many days are you going for?

hâa wan (ห้าวัน)
- Five days.

■ How? – yàangrai: manner (อย่างไร) = Verb (Phrase) + yàang rai
yàang rai is sometimes used when English uses “What?”

khǐan yàangrai (เขียนอย่างไร)
How do you write it?

gin yàangrai (กินอย่างไร)
How do you eat it?

khun khît yàangrai (คุณคิดอย่างไร)
What do you think?

khun jà tham yàangrai(คุณจะทำอย่างไร)
What will you do?

■ Wh-question + dii (ดี) = Verb (Phrase) + Wh-question + dii is used for asking advice.

súe a-rai dii (ซื้ออะไรดี)
What shall I / we buy?   
   
pai mûearài dii (ไปเมื่อไหร่ดี)
When shall I / we go?   
   
than yàang rai dii (ทำอย่างไรดี)
What shall I / we do?