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How to answer when the
question uses ไหม or หรือ

When one of the question particles is used, a simple affirmative or negative response is expected. The affirmative answer is a repetition of the main verb.

คุณ สบายดี ไหม คะ
How are you?
Or
คุณ สบายดี หรือ คะ
How are you?
Affirmative response:
ผม สบายดี ครับ
I am fine. (male)
ฉัน สบายดี ค่ะ
I am fine. (female)

To reply to this type of question, you should never simply say the Thai word for yes or no. Although you might be understood, you will sound very strange.

Note: We will cover the negative response in a future lesson.

And what about you?

Just as in English, whenever someone asks how you are doing, you should return the question and ask about them. Thai has a very simple way of doing this by using the words léow and around the subject.

léow + (the subject) +

This phrase means:
and what about (the subject)

So, using our practice question from above when someone asks about you, you can ask exactly the same question back using this phrase.

คุณ สบายดี ไหม คะ
How are you?
Affirmative response:
ผม สบายดี ครับ
I am fine. (male)
แล้ว คุณ ละ ครับ
And what about you? (And how are you?)

Note that léow and are just a way of forming another question about a topic that you were already discussing, in this case, the verb sà-baai-dee.

The next application drill will get you used to saying the words and give you more practice switching the pronoun.

Lesson Navigation:

Application Settings:
Gender  (Recordings for your gender)
Transliterations  (Thai words in English)
Interpretations  (What the words mean)

More to come . . .

Active Thai is a work in progress, supported by our users. Please tell your friends!

Lesson Navigation:

Application Settings:
Gender  (Recordings for your gender)
Transliterations  (Thai words in English)
Interpretations  (What the words mean)

More to come . . .

Active Thai is a work in progress, supported by our users. Please tell your friends!