Sanuk, Sabai, Mai Pen Rai: Thai Values in 3 Phrases

Three everyday phrases sum up a lot of Thai life: สนุกsà-nùk (fun), สบายsà-baai (comfortable, at ease) and ไม่เป็นไรmâi bpen rai (never mind, no problem). Thais like life to be enjoyable and relaxed, and try not to let small problems spoil it. Knowing these three words, and their limits, helps you understand your Thai friends, colleagues and neighbours.

Sanuk: life should be fun

สนุกsà-nùk means fun, enjoyable, and Thais judge a lot by it: a job, a trip, a party, even a lesson. Work goes better with a joke, a snack and a chat; a meal is better with a big group. สนุกไหมsà-nùk mǎi, "was it fun?", is the natural question after almost anything, and สนุกมากsà-nùk mâak is the answer everyone hopes for.

Sabai: comfort and ease

สบายsà-baai means comfortable, well, relaxed. You know it from สบายดีไหมsà-baai dii mǎi, "how are you?" (literally "are you well?"). Doubled, สบายๆsà-baai-sà-baai means easy-going and stress-free: a beach bar, a slow Sunday, a boss who doesn't mind if you're five minutes late. สบายใจsà-baai-jai is "at ease, with a light heart", and ตามสบายdtaam sà-baai, "as you like", is what your host says to make you feel at home.

You'll see "Sabai Sabai" on spa and restaurant signs all over the world; in Thailand it's simply how people like things to feel.

Mai pen rai: never mind

ไม่เป็นไรmâi bpen rai literally means "it isn't anything", and it may be the phrase you hear most in Thailand. It does a lot of jobs:

• You're welcome, after ขอบคุณkàwp-kun.
• That's okay, after ขอโทษkǎw-tôot, for example when someone bumps into you.
• Never mind, don't worry, when plans change or something breaks.
• No thanks, when you're offered something you don't want.

Behind it is an attitude: what's done is done, so stay calm, ใจเย็นๆjai yen-yen, and move on. It's a big part of why Thailand feels so relaxed.

When it isn't okay

ไม่เป็นไรmâi bpen rai can also cover up a problem. A friend may say it while still being upset, or a colleague may say it rather than admit something has gone wrong, so watch the face as well as the words. And when you caused the problem, a breezy "mai pen rai" sounds careless: apologise first, with ขอโทษkǎw-tôot, and let the other person say it.

Its casual cousin ช่างมันchâang man ("forget it, whatever") is fine about your own small troubles, but it sounds dismissive about someone else's.

You'll meet ไม่เป็นไรmâi bpen rai in Unit 1 of the free course, the first time someone says sorry to you.