A2 Modal Verbs 3 min read 쉬움

태국어로 허락 구하기 (dai)

Adding dai mai to the end of your verb turns any action into a polite permission request.

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'dai' (ได้) after a verb to express permission or ability in Thai.

  • Affirmative: Verb + dai (e.g., 'kin dai' - can eat).
  • Negative: Mai + verb + dai (e.g., 'mai kin dai' - cannot eat).
  • Question: Verb + dai + mai? (e.g., 'kin dai mai?' - can I eat?).
Subject + Verb + ได้ (dai)

Overview

개요
태국어로 허락을 구하고 싶은데 마치 팟타이를 주문하는 것처럼 들린 적이 있나요? dai가 필요합니다. 이것은 당신의 황금 티켓입니다.

Meanings

The word 'dai' acts as a modal verb indicating permission, possibility, or ability.

1

Permission

Seeking or granting authorization.

“จอดรถตรงนี้ได้ (Jod rot trong nee dai) - You can park here.”

“เข้าได้ไหม? (Khao dai mai?) - Can I enter?”

2

Ability

Possessing the skill or physical capacity.

“ฉันว่ายน้ำได้ (Chan wai nam dai) - I can swim.”

“เขาพูดไทยได้ (Khao phoot Thai dai) - He can speak Thai.”

3

Possibility

Something that is feasible.

“ไปได้นะ (Pai dai na) - It is possible to go.”

“กินได้ (Kin dai) - It is edible.”

Formation of 'Dai'

Type Structure Example Meaning
Affirmative Verb + ได้ กินได้ Can eat
Negative ไม่ + Verb + ได้ ไม่กินได้ Cannot eat
Question Verb + ได้ + ไหม กินได้ไหม Can I eat?
Ability Verb + ได้ ว่ายน้ำได้ Can swim
Permission Verb + ได้ จอดได้ Can park
Possibility Verb + ได้ ไปได้ Possible to go

Common Spoken Contractions

Full Form Spoken Form
ไม่ได้ ไม่ได้ (mai-dai)

Reference Table

Reference table for 태국어로 허락 구하기 (dai)
Type Thai Meaning
Question Verb + dai mai? Can I [verb]?
Affirmative Verb + dai Yes, I can
Negative Verb + mai dai No, I cannot
Polite Marker (M) Verb + dai mai khrap Can I [verb] (m)?
Polite Marker (F) Verb + dai mai kha Can I [verb] (f)?
Casual Verb + dai Can I [verb] (casual)

격식 수준 스펙트럼

격식체
เข้าได้ไหมครับ/คะ

เข้าได้ไหมครับ/คะ (Entering a room)

중립
เข้าได้ไหม

เข้าได้ไหม (Entering a room)

비격식체
เข้าได้ป่ะ

เข้าได้ป่ะ (Entering a room)

속어
เข้าได้ป่ะ

เข้าได้ป่ะ (Entering a room)

Permission Map

Permission

Actions

  • Nang Sit
  • Tai ruup Photo

Dai vs Sa-mat

Permission
Dai Allowed
Ability
Sa-mat Can do

The Permission Flow

1

Want to ask?

YES
Add 'dai mai'
NO
Don't add
2

Polite?

YES
Add 'khrap/kha'
NO ↓

Common Requests

🙏

Requests

  • Sit
  • Photo
  • Charge Phone

Examples by Level

1

กินได้

Can eat

2

ไปได้

Can go

3

ทำได้

Can do

4

มาได้

Can come

1

จอดรถตรงนี้ได้ไหม?

Can I park here?

2

ฉันพูดไทยได้นิดหน่อย

I can speak a little Thai

3

เขามาไม่ได้

He cannot come

4

เข้าได้เลย

You can enter

1

คุณสามารถทำได้ถ้าคุณพยายาม

You can do it if you try

2

ที่นี่ห้ามสูบบุหรี่ สูบไม่ได้

No smoking here, you cannot smoke

3

ฉันคิดว่าเราไปได้นะ

I think we can go

4

เขาทำงานนี้ได้ดีมาก

He can do this job very well

1

การตัดสินใจนี้ทำได้ยาก

This decision is hard to make

2

เราไม่สามารถปฏิเสธความจริงนี้ได้

We cannot deny this truth

3

ถ้าคุณต้องการ คุณก็ทำได้

If you want, you can do it

4

เขาได้รับอนุญาตให้ไปได้

He is permitted to go

1

ความสำเร็จนี้เกิดขึ้นได้เพราะความพยายาม

This success is possible because of effort

2

ไม่มีใครทำได้ดีเท่าเขา

No one can do it as well as him

3

เราควรทำในสิ่งที่ทำได้

We should do what we can

4

เหตุการณ์นี้อาจเกิดขึ้นได้ทุกเมื่อ

This event can happen at any time

1

การตีความนี้ทำได้หลายรูปแบบ

This interpretation can be done in many ways

2

เขาสามารถบรรลุเป้าหมายได้โดยง่าย

He can achieve the goal easily

3

ไม่มีสิ่งใดที่ทำไม่ได้หากตั้งใจ

Nothing is impossible if you are determined

4

ความเป็นไปได้นี้ทำได้จริง

This possibility is actually achievable

Easily Confused

Asking for Permission in Thai (dai) Dai vs Samart

Both mean 'can'.

Asking for Permission in Thai (dai) Dai vs Dai-rap

Both contain 'dai'.

Asking for Permission in Thai (dai) Dai vs Dai-yin

Both contain 'dai'.

자주 하는 실수

ได้กิน

กินได้

Dai must follow the verb.

กินไหม

กินได้ไหม

Missing the modal 'dai'.

ไม่กิน

ไม่กินได้

Negation needs the modal.

ฉันได้กิน

ฉันกินได้

Subject placement.

สามารถกิน

กินได้

Samart is too formal.

กินได้ไม่

กินได้ไหม

Wrong question particle.

ไม่สามารถกินได้

กินไม่ได้

Redundant formal structure.

ฉันได้ไป

ฉันไปได้

Placement of subject.

กินได้หรือเปล่า

กินได้ไหม

Overly formal.

ทำได้ดี

ทำได้ดี

Actually correct, but often confused with 'tam dee'.

สามารถที่จะทำได้

ทำได้

Wordy.

ไม่สามารถที่จะทำได้

ทำไม่ได้

Wordy.

ทำได้จริงไหม

ทำได้ไหม

Context error.

Sentence Patterns

ฉัน ___ ได้

___ ได้ไหม?

ฉันไม่ ___ ได้

คุณ ___ ได้ดีมาก

Real World Usage

Ordering food constant

เผ็ดได้ไหม?

Texting very common

มาได้ป่ะ?

Job interview common

ฉันทำได้ครับ

Travel common

ไปทางนี้ได้ไหม?

Food delivery common

ไม่ใส่ผักได้ไหม?

Social media common

แชร์ได้เลย

💡

Don't overthink

Keep it simple. Verb + dai mai is all you need.
⚠️

Check your tone

The polite particle determines the vibe.
💬

Smile

Thai culture loves a smile when asking for favors.

Smart Tips

Always add 'khrap' or 'kha' to be polite.

เข้าได้ไหม? เข้าได้ไหมครับ?

Use 'dai' instead of 'samart' for natural speech.

ฉันสามารถว่ายน้ำ ฉันว่ายน้ำได้

Use 'mai dai' after the verb for clarity.

ไม่สามารถไป ไปไม่ได้

Don't forget the 'mai' particle.

ไปได้? ไปได้ไหม?

발음

dai (falling)

Tone

Dai has a falling tone.

Question

กินได้ไหม? ↑

Rising intonation at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Dai is like a 'Die' (pass) card in a game; it lets you move forward.

Visual Association

Imagine a gatekeeper holding a sign that says 'ได้' (Dai) to let you through.

Rhyme

When you want to say you can, put 'dai' after the plan.

Story

A tourist asks 'Eat here?' (Kin dai mai?). The waiter smiles and says 'Kin dai!' (You can eat). The tourist is happy and says 'Aroi!'

Word Web

กินได้ไปได้ทำได้พูดได้จอดได้เข้าได้

챌린지

For 5 minutes, look at objects around you and say what you can do with them using 'dai'.

문화 노트

Thai culture values politeness. Always add 'khrap' or 'kha' after 'dai'.

Dai is a Proto-Tai word meaning 'to get' or 'to obtain'.

Conversation Starters

คุณพูดไทยได้ไหม?

ที่นี่จอดรถได้ไหม?

คุณทำอาหารไทยได้ไหม?

เราไปดูหนังกันได้ไหม?

Journal Prompts

Write 3 things you can do in Thai.
Write 3 things you cannot do yet.
Ask a friend 3 things you want to do.
Describe a place and what you can do there.

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank

___ (take a photo) dai mai?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tai ruup
Tai ruup means to take a photo.
Which sentence is correct? 객관식

Choose the correct permission request:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nang dai mai?
Adding 'mai' makes it a question.
Fix the mistake Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Nang dai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nang dai mai?
You need the question marker for permission.

Score: /3

연습 문제

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

ฉันกิน___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ได้
Dai follows the verb.
Choose the correct sentence. 객관식

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: กินได้ไหม
Correct order.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

ได้กินไหม

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: กินได้ไหม
Dai follows the verb.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

ได้ / ฉัน / ไป

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ฉันไปได้
Subject-Verb-Modal.
Translate to Thai. 번역

Can I go?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ไปได้ไหม
Correct structure.
Match the meaning. Match Pairs

Match 'Can eat' with Thai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: กินได้
Direct translation.
Make it negative. Conjugation Drill

กินได้

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: กินไม่ได้
Standard negative.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: ไปได้ไหม? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ไปได้
Affirmative response.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank 빈칸 채우기

Jot rot trong ni ___ mai?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dai
Reorder the words Sentence Reorder

mai / dai / nang

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nang dai mai
Translate to Thai 번역

Can I sit?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nang dai mai?
Which is polite? 객관식

Which includes a polite particle?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nang dai mai khrap?
Fix the sentence Error Correction

Tai ruup dai.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tai ruup dai mai?
Fill in the blank 빈칸 채우기

Khao ___ dai mai?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pai
Match the verb Match Pairs

Match the action to the request

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nang (Sit)
Which is for ability? 객관식

Which implies skill?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sa-mat
Fill in the blank 빈칸 채우기

___ fai dai mai?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Chaart
Translate to Thai 번역

Can I park?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jot rot dai mai?

Score: /10

자주 묻는 질문 (8)

Yes, it is the standard way to ask for permission.

Yes, it is used for both ability and permission.

Always after the verb.

Use 'mai' before the verb or 'mai dai' after.

Only in formal writing.

Because it covers many meanings.

Yes, it is standard Thai.

Yes, with time markers.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Poder

Spanish conjugates for person; Thai does not.

French high

Pouvoir

French requires inversion for questions; Thai uses particles.

German high

Können

German verbs change position in sentences.

Japanese moderate

Dekiru

Japanese uses different structures for permission (te-form).

Arabic moderate

Yastati'

Arabic is highly inflected for gender and number.

Chinese high

Neng/Ke yi

Chinese has separate words for ability vs permission.

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