Language/Thai/Grammar/Negation

Thai Grammar - Negation

Hi Thai learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore the concept of negation in Thai. Negation is an important part of any language, as it allows us to express negative actions or ideas.

Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Tenses, Thai Classifiers, Object Pronouns & Adjectives.

Negation in Thai

Negation in Thai is expressed by adding the word "ไม่" (mâi) before the verb. It is similar in concept to the English word "not". For example, "I don't understand" in Thai is "ผมไม่เข้าใจ" (phǒm mâi kâo jai).

In Thai, the word "ไม่" (mâi) is generally placed before the verb, but there are exceptions. For example, when negating a verb that ends with a vowel, the word "ไม่" (mâi) is placed after the verb. For example, "I don't want to go" is "ผมไม่อยากไป" (phǒm yàak mâi bpai).

Negation with Adjectives and Adverbs

Negation in Thai can also be used with adjectives and adverbs to express negative qualities. To negate an adjective or adverb, simply precede it with the word "ไม่" (mâi). For example, "not good" is "ไม่ดี" (mâi dee) and "not fast" is "ไม่เร็ว" (mâi reo).

Common Useful Phrases

Here are some common phrases that use negation:

Thai	Pronunciation	English
ไม่เป็นไร	mâi bpen rai	It's okay; never mind
ไม่เป็นไร	mâi mi nák-rà-sùu	No problem
ไม่ชัวร์	mâi chuăa	Not sure
ไม่มีปัญหา	mâi mi bpàn hǎa	No problem; No worries

Here's an example dialogue to help illustrate the use of negation in Thai:

• Person 1: คุณอยากกินอาหารไทยไหม (khuᵐn yàak kin aa-hǎan thai hǎi) (Do you want to eat Thai food?)
• Person 2: ไม่เอา (mâi ao) (No, I don't)

Tips

To improve your understanding of negation in Thai, you can use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

You can also refer to the Thai grammar page on Wikipedia to supplement your learning.

And be sure to practice negation in your conversations with native Thai speakers to hone your skills.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Thai Negation: Learn How to Form Negative Sentences
• Learn Thai | Negative Past Tense | mâi dâai + Verb ไม่ได้ + Verb

Other Lessons

• Tenses
• Personal pronouns
• How to Use Have
• Thai Classifiers
• Give your Opinion
• Gender
• Adjectives
• Plurals
• Questions