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Small words

What in Thai

“What” in Thai is อะไรà-rai.

อะไร à-rai

what question word

  • à low
  • rai mid
  • Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.

Question words sit where the answer would go, usually at the end: ชื่ออะไรchûue à-rai, 'called what?'.

Taught in Unit 2 · Lesson 1: What's your name? of the free course.

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How to use it

อะไรà-rai goes where the answer would go, usually at the end: นี่อะไรnîi à-rai, what's this? ชื่ออะไรchûue à-rai, what's your name? In questions and with "not" it also means "anything": ไม่มีอะไรmâi mii à-rai, there's nothing. Didn't catch what someone said? อะไรนะà-rai ná is a soft "sorry, what?". In fast speech and chats it often shrinks to ไรrai: ทำไรอยู่tam rai yùu, what are you up to?

Other spellings you'll see

There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters. We mark the tone of every syllable; online you'll also find:

  • alai

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More small words in Thai

All small words
  • ผม pǒm I

    I, me (male speaker)

  • คุณ kun You
  • เขา kǎo He, she
  • เรา rao We

    we, us

  • พวกเขา pûak-kǎo They

    they, them

  • ทุกคน túk kon Everyone

    everyone, everybody

Learn this word in Unit 2, free

Unit 2 · Nice to meet you · What's your name? Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.

Practise it free (2 min) See Unit 2

Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones