How Do You Say...? (Questions of Manner in Thai)
Thai has multiple words for "How?" We compiled examples of questions and answers, and extracted the grammar rules.
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· published May 16, 2021
· last update June 16, 2021
Different words for "How?" in the Thai language?
There are multiple words for "How?" in Thai. Click on the yellow words to hear the sounds:
- ... อย่างไร? อย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary (the formal way) - ... ยังไง? ยังไง how
See in Dictionary (informal / spoken Thai) - ... ไง? ไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionary (informal / abbreviated)
Note: The above questions are called "Questions of Manner". They ask how something is done. There is a second type of "how"-questions, called "Questions of Degree", which usually start like "How long... ?", "How short...?", "How much...?", "How many...?", etc.
Questions of Degree are covered in the article How Much Do You Love Me? (Questions of Degree in Thai).
Let's look at the different forms of "How...?" in Thai more in detail:
Questions of Degree are covered in the article How Much Do You Love Me? (Questions of Degree in Thai).
Let's look at the different forms of "How...?" in Thai more in detail:
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... อย่างไร? (the formal way)
The official way to ask "How...?" is to use อย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary at the end of the question. See the examples at the end of this article. This is mainly used in formal or written language. Thai speakers will not use this form in most conversations, they will use a more informal question instead.
See in Dictionary at the end of the question. See the examples at the end of this article. This is mainly used in formal or written language. Thai speakers will not use this form in most conversations, they will use a more informal question instead.
... ยังไง? (informal / spoken Thai)
This is the most common way to ask "How...?" in the Thai language, mainly used in colloquial or everyday spoken Thai. To form this question, simply put the word อย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary at the end of the question. You can find examples below.
See in Dictionary at the end of the question. You can find examples below.
... ไง? (informal / abbreviated)
This is an extreme abbreviation of อย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary. Similar to the other forms, the question word ไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionary is put at the end of the question. This extreme abbreviation is easy to confuse and usually only appears in certain phrases (see examples below).
Notes:
See in Dictionary. Similar to the other forms, the question word ไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionary is put at the end of the question. This extreme abbreviation is easy to confuse and usually only appears in certain phrases (see examples below).
Notes:
- ไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionary sounds very similar to ไหน where; which
See in Dictionary, which means "Where?". Make sure you listen carefully, so you don't make a mistake. You can learn about "Where?" questions in this article: How to ask "Where" in Thai - ไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionary can also mean "What?".
Example Questions & Answers
Polite Particles
The Thai language uses special words, so-called polite particles, to convey politeness. For the sake of brevity, the examples below drop the polite particles - but you should NOT do that. Please always append ค่ะ polite word for women
See in Dictionary (if you are female) or ครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionary (if you are male) to all the questions and answers below.
To learn more, please read this article on Thai polite particles.
See in Dictionary (if you are female) or ครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionary (if you are male) to all the questions and answers below.
To learn more, please read this article on Thai polite particles.
Examples for ... อย่างไร? and ... ยังไง?
In all the following examples you can swap the words อย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary and ยังไง how
See in Dictionary - the meaning will not change.
Q: How to say (it)?
พูด speak, talk
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: say - how
Q: How do you say this in Thai?
อัน general quantifier for small objects
See in Dictionaryนี้ this
See in Dictionaryภาษา language
See in Dictionaryไทย Thai; Thailand
See in Dictionaryพูด speak, talk
See in Dictionaryว่า that
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: thing - this - language - Thai - speak - how
Q: How to do (it)?
ทำ do, make, cook
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: do - how
Q: How to go (there)?
ไป go; too
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: go - how
Q: How did (you) come (here)?
มา come, arrive
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: come - how
Q: How to open (it)?
เปิด open
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: open - how
Q: How to write (it)?
เขียน write
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: write - how
Q: How are (you/things)?
เป็น be, is, am, are
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: be - how
See in Dictionary and ยังไง how
See in Dictionary - the meaning will not change.
Q: How to say (it)?
พูด speak, talk
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: say - how
Q: How do you say this in Thai?
อัน general quantifier for small objects
See in Dictionaryนี้ this
See in Dictionaryภาษา language
See in Dictionaryไทย Thai; Thailand
See in Dictionaryพูด speak, talk
See in Dictionaryว่า that
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: thing - this - language - Thai - speak - how
Q: How to do (it)?
ทำ do, make, cook
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: do - how
Q: How to go (there)?
ไป go; too
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: go - how
Q: How did (you) come (here)?
มา come, arrive
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: come - how
Q: How to open (it)?
เปิด open
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: open - how
Q: How to write (it)?
เขียน write
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: write - how
Q: How are (you/things)?
เป็น be, is, am, are
See in Dictionaryอย่างไร How ?
See in Dictionary
Literally: be - how
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Examples for ... ไง?
Q: How are you? (informal, for friends)
เป็น be, is, am, are
See in Dictionaryไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionaryบ้าง (to some extend) (in questions: the speaker would like to know more than one things that happened)
See in Dictionary?
Please read "How are you?" in Thai, to learn more about this question
See in Dictionaryไง how; as a response, when the responder thinks the statement is obvious/self-evident
See in Dictionaryบ้าง (to some extend) (in questions: the speaker would like to know more than one things that happened)
See in Dictionary?
Please read "How are you?" in Thai, to learn more about this question