Learn how to ask "How are you?"
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| สวัสดีค่ะ (sà-wàt-dii khà) Is mastering basic Thai greeting really this easy!!?? YES, you’ll learn a few tips to master the basic Thai greeting FAST with this introduction lesson. |
| In this lesson, you are going learn more about the Thai Greeting: How are you? and how to answer this question. It’s SUPER easy and it only takes THREE minutes. |
| Please take a look at this short dialogue… |
| Here is a typical dialogue you would here everyday in Thailand. |
| A: สวัสดีครับ(sà-wàt-dii khráp) “Hello” |
| สบายดีไหมครับ(sà-baai-dii mái khráp) “How are you?” |
| B: สบายดีค่ะ(sà-baai-dii khà) “I’m fine” |
| Let’s break down the dialogue together… |
| Someone said to me สวัสดี(sà-wàt-dii) means “Hello” It can be used at any time of the day. สวัสดี(sà-wàt-dii) |
| สบายดีไหม(sà-baai-dii mái) “How are you?” สบายดีไหม(sà-baai-dii mái) |
| สบายดี(sà-baai-dii) means “fine” |
| ไหม(mái) is a word that makes a sentence becoming a question. |
| Then, the easy part! How to answer. |
| I answered with สบายดี(sà-baai-dii) which means “fine”. Basically, you just drop ไหม(mái) at the end so this sentence becomes affirmative sentence. สบายดี(sà-baai-dii) |
| Time for Rawinporn’s hint… ta da… |
| In case you want to answer something else besides “I’m fine”… Here you are! |
| เรื่อยๆ(rûueai-rûueai) means “So so” or “nothing much” |
| ไม่สบาย(mâi sà-baai) means “Not so good” “I’m sick” |
| Remember… สบาย(sà-baai) means “fine”. When you add the prefix ไม่(mâi) which means “no” or “not”, this sentence becomes negative. |
| These are informal phrases. Remember… if the speakers are male, just add ครับ(khráp) and if you are female, add khà at the end, these phrases would become formal! |
| Now before you go, let’s practice together one more time. I am going ask you a question, please respond. |
| สวัสดีค่ะ สบายดีไหมคะ(sà-wàt-dii khà. sà-baai-dii mái khá?) |
| Good job. Now it’s your turn. Please ask me ”How are you?”. |
| เรื่อยๆค่ะ(rûueai-rûueai khà) |
| ไม่สบายค่ะ(mâi sà-baai khà) |
| สบายดีค่ะ(sà-baai-dii khà) |
| See you next time! |
26 Comments
HideHello Mohamed,
Thank you very much. We're glad you enjoy studying with us. 👍Please feel free to let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
ปริษา Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
An Excellent Lesson 👍❤️️
Hello Luke,
Thank you. This rule is not apply to every word. Thai actually have no rule that can be use logic for everything. We native kid, learn by using Thai dictionary which could also tell us how to read each word. I would also recommend it to Thai learner here. http://www.thai-language.com/dict/search
Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
ปริษา Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
Hello! So ส as an initial consonant makes an 's' sound. ส is a high class consonant, and since there is no written vowel after ส in the phrase สบายดี, shouldn't ส gives it's 'worth' to บ which makes the syllable บาย a rising tone since a high class inital with a life ending makes a rising tone? Why is บาย said with a mid tone?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hello camille (คามิวลี่),
Thank you. Yes, you are right about ค่ะ / คะ also ๆ but เรื่อยๆ need tone mark "maai-eek" aswell. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
ปริษา Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
สวัสดีค่ะ สบายดีไหมคะ - the first ค่ะ is the polite particle used by female speaker at the end of her statement and the second one is คะ used to ask a question.
เรือยๆ is this word if I'm not mistaken this letter ๆ is used to repeat the word itself.
Hello Karen,
Thank you for comment. Yes, second time of repeat is often sound a little longer. I would suggested about adding word to the list. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
Parisa Koknoi
Team ThaiPod101.com
Also - be good for so-so to be in vocabulary list
For comment on pronunciation of so-so / is the repeat word stressed so it sounds longer?
Hello Ivan,
Thank you for question. The first ส used as a first syllable สะ which have ะ vowel hidden. Then the second ส make sound "t or d" as a final consonant in the word วัส read as having ห silent letter high class in front of a syllable หวัด(ส) low tone. Hope that’s help. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com