Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Thai question words stay in their original position in the sentence, unlike English where they move to the front.
- Use 'krai' (who) for people: 'Khun chue krai?' (What is your name?)
- Use 'arai' (what) for things: 'Nii arai?' (What is this?)
- Use 'tee-nai' (where) for locations: 'Hong-nam yoo tee-nai?' (Where is the bathroom?)
Overview
3. Question Word Placement
| Question Word | Meaning | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Krai
|
Who
|
Subject/Object
|
Krai ma?
|
|
Arai
|
What
|
Object
|
Kin arai?
|
|
Tee-nai
|
Where
|
Location
|
Pai tee-nai?
|
Meanings
Question words are used to request specific information about people, objects, or locations. In Thai, they do not require moving to the start of the sentence.
Krai (Who)
Used to identify people.
“Khao kue krai?”
“Krai pai?”
Arai (What)
Used to identify objects or actions.
“Nii arai?”
“Khun tham arai?”
Tee-nai (Where)
Used to identify locations.
“Baan khun yoo tee-nai?”
“Pai tee-nai?”
Reference Table
| Thai Word | Meaning | Category |
|---|---|---|
|
arai
|
what
|
object
|
|
tee-nai
|
where
|
location
|
|
krai
|
who
|
person
|
|
meua-rai
|
when
|
time
|
|
yang-rai
|
how
|
method
|
|
tam-mai
|
why
|
reason
|
正式程度
Khun chue arai khrap/ka? (Meeting someone)
Khun chue arai? (Meeting someone)
Chue arai? (Meeting someone)
Chue rai? (Meeting someone)
Question Word Mapping
Focus
- arai what
Word Order Comparison
Where to put the question word?
Is it a question?
Thai Question Words
People
- • krai
按水平分级的例句
Nii arai?
What is this?
Khun chue krai?
What is your name?
Hong-nam yoo tee-nai?
Where is the bathroom?
Khao pai tee-nai?
Where is he going?
Khun yak kin arai?
What do you want to eat?
Krai ma haa khun?
Who came to see you?
Raan-aa-haan yoo tee-nai?
Where is the restaurant?
Khun tham arai yoo?
What are you doing?
Khun ja pai tee-nai kap krai?
Where are you going and with whom?
Arai kue het-phon khong khun?
What is your reason?
Krai pen khon bok khun?
Who is the person who told you?
Khun hen arai nai hong nan?
What did you see in that room?
Krai ja pen phu-rap-phit-chop?
Who will be responsible?
Khun tong-kan arai pen phiset?
What do you want specifically?
Sathan-thi ni yoo tee-nai?
Where is this location?
Khun dai-rap arai jak khao?
What did you receive from him?
Krai ja klaa tham chen nan?
Who would dare to do such a thing?
Arai kue sing thi sam-khan thi-sut?
What is the most important thing?
Tee-nai kue thi-tee rao ja pai?
Where is the place we are going?
Khun khit wa krai ja chana?
Who do you think will win?
Krai ja pai ru wa arai ja koet khuen?
Who would know what will happen?
Tee-nai thi khun a-sai yoo?
Where is the place you reside?
Arai kue khwam-mai khong chi-wit?
What is the meaning of life?
Krai pen phu-tang-khun?
Who is the founder?
容易混淆
Learners mix up 'mai' (yes/no) and 'arai' (what).
Learners think 'nai' means 'where'.
Learners use 'khon' (person) as a question word.
常见错误
Arai khun kin?
Khun kin arai?
Krai khun?
Khun chue krai?
Tee-nai pai?
Pai tee-nai?
Arai?
Nii arai?
Khun pai tee-nai talat?
Khun pai tee-nai?
Krai khun kin?
Khun kin arai?
Khun yoo tee-nai?
Khun yoo tee-nai?
Krai khun hen?
Khun hen krai?
Arai khun tong-kan?
Khun tong-kan arai?
Tee-nai khun pai?
Khun pai tee-nai?
Krai khun khit wa?
Khun khit wa krai?
Arai khun kam-lang tham?
Khun kam-lang tham arai?
Tee-nai khun a-sai?
Khun a-sai yoo tee-nai?
Krai khun chue?
Khun chue krai?
句型
Khun ___ ___?
___ pai ___?
Krai ___ ___?
Khun khit wa ___ ___ ___?
Real World Usage
Khun kin arai?
Hong-nam yoo tee-nai?
Khun chue krai?
Pai nai?
Khun tong-kan arai?
Sathan-thi ni yoo tee-nai?
Tone matters
Krai (who) has a different tone than kai (egg). Watch your pitch!Smart Tips
Use 'krai' and put it where the person's name would be.
Use 'tee-nai' at the end of the sentence.
Use 'arai' as the object.
Always add a polite particle.
发音
Tones
Thai is tonal. 'Krai' (who) has a mid tone. 'Arai' (what) has a mid-low tone. 'Tee-nai' (where) has a high-mid tone.
Rising at the end
Khun pai tee-nai ↑
Standard question intonation.
记住它
记忆技巧
Krai is for the Guy, Arai is for the Array of things, Tee-nai is for the 'Tee' (place) nearby.
视觉联想
Imagine a person ('Krai') holding a box of 'Arai' (things) standing at a specific 'Tee-nai' (location).
Rhyme
Krai is who, Arai is what, Tee-nai is where, don't forget the spot!
Story
You walk into a room. You ask 'Krai?' (Who is here?). You see a box and ask 'Arai?' (What is in it?). You look at the map and ask 'Tee-nai?' (Where am I?).
Word Web
挑战
Write 3 questions about your current room using these words.
文化笔记
Using 'khrap' (male) or 'ka' (female) at the end of questions makes them polite.
In Bangkok, people often shorten 'tee-nai' to just 'nai' in casual speech.
Northern speakers might use different particles, but 'krai/arai/tee-nai' are understood everywhere.
Thai interrogatives are derived from ancient Tai roots that have remained stable for centuries.
对话开场白
Khun chue arai?
Khun yak kin arai?
Krai pen khon bok khun?
Khun khit wa arai kue sing thi dee?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
Khun chue ___? (What is your name?)
arai to ask 'what'.Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /2
练习题
8 exercisesKhun kin ___?
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Tee-nai khun pai?
pai / khun / tee-nai
Who is this?
A: Khun pai ___? B: Pai talat.
Krai / ma / haa
Krai - Arai - Tee-nai
Score: /8
Practice Bank
1 exercisesArai khun chue?
Score: /1
常见问题 (8)
No, never. Thai keeps them in the same position as the answer.
No, 'krai' is only for people. Use 'arai' for objects.
Usually, yes. It follows the verb or location.
Add 'khrap' (male) or 'ka' (female) at the end.
Yes, if the context is clear, you can drop the subject.
No, 'arai' is for open questions, 'mai' is for yes/no.
It's a casual shortening common in spoken Thai.
No, Thai does not change these words for plural.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Quién/Qué/Dónde
Thai keeps the word order the same as a statement.
Qui/Quoi/Où
Thai does not use auxiliary structures like 'est-ce que'.
Wer/Was/Wo
Thai maintains SVO order even in questions.
Dare/Nani/Doko
Japanese uses particles like 'ka' at the end, Thai uses tone or specific particles.
Man/Ma/Ayna
Thai's in-situ nature is the opposite of Arabic's fronting.
Shei/Shenme/Nali
Thai uses tone more extensively for meaning.
