Learn Thai, Lesson 7: Asking Where Something Is

Let's learn how to ask where something is in Thai

Of course, "where?" is one of the most useful words to know if you are traveling some place that you've never been before, especially in a different country.

The word “where?” in Thai is ที่ไหน thîi nǎi. We can make a question with it by using it together with the verb อยู่ yùu, which means "to be located."

So to ask a question where something is in Thai, just put the name of what you're asking for, then follow by yùu thîi nǎi.

"Where is the...?" = ...อยู่ที่ไหน ...yùu thîi nǎi? 

In Thai we have two words for bathroom, ห้องน้ำ hâwng-náam / สุขา sù-kǎa. 

ห้องน้ำ  hâwng-náam is less formal, and used in spoken language. 

สุขา sù-kǎa is more formal, and used for written language.

So, "Where is the bathroom?" in Thai is ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน “hâwng-náam yùu thîi nǎi ?"

We can ask about the location of any other place or thing just by changing the first part of the sentence. Some other places that you might want to ask about are:

Thai Names for Common Buildings

Bank = ธนาคาร tà-naa-kaan

Drug store = ร้านขายยา ráan kǎai-yaa

Restaurant = ร้านอาหาร ráan aa-hǎan

Airport = สนามบิน sà–nǎam-bin

Post office = ไปรษณีย์ bprai-sà-nii

Embassy = สถานฑูต sà-thǎan-thûut


I hope you enjoyed the lesson and found it useful!
Sawat-dii kha :)

Learn Thai, Lesson 4: How are you?

In today's lesson we learn how to say "How are you?" in Thai. For someone who is just starting to learn Thai, I think this lesson will be very useful.

In Thai we don't have the direct words "Yes" or "No" to answer a question. So to indicate "yes" we just repeat the main Verb or Adjective used in the question. For example:

สบายดีไหม  sà-baai dii mǎi = How are you?
สบายดี sà-baai dii = I'm fine.

In Thai, we use ไม่ mâi before the Verb or Adjective to make it negative. For example:

ไม่ค่อยสบาย mâi khâwy sà-baai = I'm not so well.

Thai language is a tonal language, if the tone changes the meaning of the word changes too. For example:

ไหม "mǎi" with a rising tone is a question particle.
ไม่ "mâi" with falling tone is a negative particle.
So be careful not change ไหม "mǎi" to be ไม่ "mâi".

Thai Phrases to ask and answer "How are you?"

สบายดีไหม  sà-baai dii mǎi = How are you?

สบายดี sà-baai dii = I'm fine.

ไม่ค่อยสบาย mâi khâwy sà-baai = I'm not so well.

ไม่ mâi = No, Not

ไหม mǎi = (question particle)

เป็นงัย bpen-ngai = How is it going?

Hope you enjoy the lesson. Please leave a comment if you have any question. :)

Learn Thai, Lesson 3: What's your name?

In this lesson, you will learn how to ask: "What's your name?" and how to answer. When you make new friends in Thailand, of course you want to ask them their name. So, this lesson might be very useful for you.

Thai Words and Phrases to Ask Someone Their Name

คุณชื่ออะไร khun chûue à-rai = What's your name?

คุณ khun = You

ชื่อ chûue  = to name, to call

อะไร à-rai = What?

To Answer with Your Name in Thai

ผมชื่อ... phǒm chûue... = My name is... (for male speakers)

ดิฉันชื่อ... dì-chǎn chûue... = My name is... (for female speakers)

Hope you enjoy the lesson and find it useful. 
Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel too :)