More Closed Questions in Thai
Have you...yet? Are you ready to ...? and other questions
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· published May 28, 2021
· last update June 16, 2021
Closed Questions in Thai
Closed questions are questions, to which the reply has to come from a set of pre-defined responses. The Thai language has several patterns to form such questions. Each pattern requires a different type of response:
- Yes/No questions
Please read our separate article on yes/no questions - ...แล้วหรือยัง - questions
(Have...already? / Have...yet?) - จะ...หรือยัง - questions
(Do you want to ... yet? / Are you ready to ...?) - ...หรือเปล่า - or not questions referring to the past
(Did you ... or not?) - "Or" questions: A หรือ B?
(A or B?)
Note: It is up to you which polite particle you use. In this article. we substitute all polite particles with [pp]. To be more concise, our examples do not use polite particles except if they are required -- but you should definitely use them. The default particles are: ครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionary for men and ค่ะ polite word for women
See in Dictionary for women. In questions women use คะ question for women
See in Dictionary.
For more options and details on how to use them, please refer to our article on Thai polite particles.
See in Dictionary for men and ค่ะ polite word for women
See in Dictionary for women. In questions women use คะ question for women
See in Dictionary.
For more options and details on how to use them, please refer to our article on Thai polite particles.
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แล้วหรือยัง - Have...already? Have...yet? in Thai
The question is formed by appending แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary at the end of a statement. แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary and หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionary are sometimes dropped in spoken Thai. หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionary can be replaced with the colloquial รึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionary:
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary at the end of a statement. แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary and หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionary are sometimes dropped in spoken Thai. หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionary can be replaced with the colloquial รึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionary:
- statement + แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (formal) - statement + หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (spoken, abbreviated) - statement + ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (spoken, abbreviated) - statement + แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionaryรึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (spoken) - statement + รึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (spoken, abbreviated)
To answer, you use the following pattern, in which statement is often shortened to the verb only or even dropped:
- Yes: แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary[pp]. - Yes: [short statement] + แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary[pp]. - No: ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp] - No: ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionary[short statement][pp]
Examples
Q: Have (you) eaten yet?
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: eat - rice - already - or - not yet
Q: Have (you) eaten yet?
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: eat - rice - or - not yet
Q: Have (you) eaten yet?
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: eat - rice - not yet
A: Yes, (I have) eaten
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: eat - rice - already
A: Yes, (I have) eaten
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: eat - already
A: Yes
แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: already
A: No, I haven't
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet - not - eat
A: No
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: eat - rice - already - or - not yet
Q: Have (you) eaten yet?
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: eat - rice - or - not yet
Q: Have (you) eaten yet?
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: eat - rice - not yet
A: Yes, (I have) eaten
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: eat - rice - already
A: Yes, (I have) eaten
กิน eat
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: eat - already
A: Yes
แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: already
A: No, I haven't
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet - not - eat
A: No
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet
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จะ...หรือยัง - Do you want to ... yet?
These questions follow the pattern:
- จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionary + statement + หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (formal) - จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionary + statement + รึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp]? (spoken)
The answers follow the pattern:
- Yes: [short statement][pp]
- Yes: จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionary + [short statement] + แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary[pp] - No: ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary[pp] - No: ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionary + [short statement][pp]
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Examples
Q: Do you want to eat, yet?
จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: will - eat - rice - or - not yet?
A: Yes.
กิน eat
See in Dictionary
Literally: eat
A: Yes, I do.
จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: will - eat - already
A: No
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet
จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionaryข้าว rice, food
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary?
Literally: will - eat - rice - or - not yet?
A: Yes.
กิน eat
See in Dictionary
Literally: eat
A: Yes, I do.
จะ will (in the future)
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: will - eat - already
A: No
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet
A: No, I don't
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet - not - eat
ยัง not yet, still
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryกิน eat
See in Dictionary
Literally: not yet - not - eat
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หรือเปล่า - or not-questions referring to the past
These questions are built exactly like normal หรือเปล่า - questions (see our article on yes/no questions), but if the verb is not a stative verb they require the use of ได้ can; get
See in Dictionary after ไม่ no, not
See in Dictionary:
See in Dictionary after ไม่ no, not
See in Dictionary:
- Yes: [short statement] + แล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary[pp] - No: ไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryได้ can; get
See in Dictionary + [short statement][pp] - No: เปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionary[pp] - No: เปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionary[pp]ไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryได้ can; get
See in Dictionary + [short statement][pp]
Stative verb: a verb that can also be an adjective, e.g. เล็ก small
See in Dictionary meaning "small" or "to be small".
See in Dictionary meaning "small" or "to be small".
Examples
Q: Did you tell him or not? (referring to the past)
คุณ Ms, Mrs, Mr; you
See in Dictionaryบอก tell, inform
See in Dictionaryเขา he; she, they
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryเปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionary?
Literally: you - tell - he - or - not?
A: Yes.
บอก tell, inform
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: tell - already
A: No.
คุณ Ms, Mrs, Mr; you
See in Dictionaryบอก tell, inform
See in Dictionaryเขา he; she, they
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryเปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionary?
Literally: you - tell - he - or - not?
A: Yes.
บอก tell, inform
See in Dictionaryแล้ว already; and, so
See in Dictionary
Literally: tell - already
A: No.
ไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryได้ can; get
See in Dictionaryบอก tell, inform
See in Dictionary
Literally: not - did - tell
A: No.
See in Dictionaryได้ can; get
See in Dictionaryบอก tell, inform
See in Dictionary
Literally: not - did - tell
A: No.
เปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionaryครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryได้ can; get
See in Dictionaryบอก tell, inform
See in Dictionary
Literally: not - polite - not - did - tell
See in Dictionaryครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryได้ can; get
See in Dictionaryบอก tell, inform
See in Dictionary
Literally: not - polite - not - did - tell
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Example - Stative Verb
Q: Was the room small or not? (referring to the past)
ห้อง room, quantifier for rooms
See in Dictionaryเล็ก small
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryเปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionary?
Literally: room - small - or - not?
A: Yes.
เล็ก small
See in Dictionary
Literally: small
A: No.
ห้อง room, quantifier for rooms
See in Dictionaryเล็ก small
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryเปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionary?
Literally: room - small - or - not?
A: Yes.
เล็ก small
See in Dictionary
Literally: small
A: No.
เปล่า plain, empty, blank
See in Dictionaryครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryเล็ก small
See in Dictionary
Literally: not - polite - not - small
See in Dictionaryครับ polite word for men
See in Dictionaryไม่ no, not
See in Dictionaryเล็ก small
See in Dictionary
Literally: not - polite - not - small
Or-questions in Thai
"Or" questions give you a choice between predefined options. They are also called alternative questions. In Thai, they are formed like this:
- [option 1] + หรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionary + [option 2][pp]? (formal) - [option 1] + รึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionary + [option 2][pp]? (spoken)
To answer, you repeat the option of your choice.
Examples
Q: Do (you) want coffee or tea?
เอา take
See in Dictionaryกาแฟ coffee
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryน้ำ water; liquid
See in Dictionaryชา tea
See in Dictionary?
Literally: take - coffee - or - water - tea?
Q: Do (you) want coffee or tea?
เอา take
See in Dictionaryกาแฟ coffee
See in Dictionaryรึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionaryน้ำ water; liquid
See in Dictionaryชา tea
See in Dictionary?
Literally: take - coffee - or - water - tea?
A: Coffee
เอา take
See in Dictionaryกาแฟ coffee
See in Dictionary
Literally: take - coffee
A: Tea
เอา take
See in Dictionaryน้ำ water; liquid
See in Dictionaryชา tea
See in Dictionary
Literally: take - water - tea
เอา take
See in Dictionaryกาแฟ coffee
See in Dictionaryหรือ or; at the end of a yes or no question
See in Dictionaryน้ำ water; liquid
See in Dictionaryชา tea
See in Dictionary?
Literally: take - coffee - or - water - tea?
Q: Do (you) want coffee or tea?
เอา take
See in Dictionaryกาแฟ coffee
See in Dictionaryรึ or (colloqial)
See in Dictionaryน้ำ water; liquid
See in Dictionaryชา tea
See in Dictionary?
Literally: take - coffee - or - water - tea?
A: Coffee
เอา take
See in Dictionaryกาแฟ coffee
See in Dictionary
Literally: take - coffee
A: Tea
เอา take
See in Dictionaryน้ำ water; liquid
See in Dictionaryชา tea
See in Dictionary
Literally: take - water - tea