Unit 6 · First steps · A1
Unit 6: Questions, questions
Ask what, who, where, when, why and how, and ask and answer yes/no questions.
6 lessons · about 46 min CEFR A1
The story
Lung Chai, the kind security guard from Khon Kaen, shows you around your condo building: the lift, the pool, the gym and the laundry room. He also notices you don't look so well.
After this unit
- I can ask what something is, who someone is and whose it is.
- I can ask where, when, why and how.
- I can ask whether something is open, available or possible, and answer with the verb.
- I can find the bathroom, the lift and the laundry room in a building.
The 6 lessons
Each lesson takes 5-10 minutes. Read it here, then practise it in the app: free, no sign-up.
Words and phrases in Unit 6
Tap the speaker to hear each one. Tap any Thai word to see what it means.
Question words
Lesson page- ที่ไหน tîi-nǎi
where question word
Like most question words it goes where the answer goes, usually at the end.
- ใคร krai
who question word
Starts with the kr cluster: k and r together. In fast speech many Bangkok people drop the r.
- เมื่อไหร่ mûea-rài
when question word
Usually at the end: ไปเมื่อไหร่bpai mûea-rài (when are you going?).
- ทำไม tam-mai
why question word
Unlike the other question words, it usually comes first. At the end it sounds like 'what for?'.
- ยังไง yang-ngai
how question word
Spoken Thai; on signs and in writing you'll see อย่างไรyàang-rai.
- หรือเปล่า rǔue bplàao
…or not? (checking a yes/no question) question word
For checking something you suspect, like '…, aren't you?'. In speech it's often shortened to รึเปล่าrúe bplàao.
- เหรอ rǒe
really?; oh, is it? (surprised question) particle
Put it after something you've just heard to show surprise or check it: ปิดเหรอbpìt rǒe (it's closed?).
- คือ kuue
is, means (identifying or defining) verb
คือkuue identifies or explains what something is; for jobs and nationalities use เป็นbpen.
- นั่น nân
that (over there); that is… pronoun
นี่nîi is this, close to you; นั่นnân is that, a bit further away.
- ของ kǎwng
of, belonging to; things, stuff preposition
Thing + ของkǎwng + owner, and the thing is often left out: ของคุณkǎwng kun (yours). On its own ของkǎwng means things, stuff.
- ทำ tam
to do, to make verb
ทำอาหารtam aa-hǎan (make food) means to cook.
- ใช้ chái
to use verb
High tone. With a falling tone, ใช่châi means yes, that's right.
- ไม่สบาย mâi sà-baai
sick, unwell adjective
Literally 'not comfortable', from the สบายsà-baai in สบายดีsà-baai dii: the everyday way to say you're ill.
Around the condo
Lesson page- ห้องน้ำ hâwng-náam
bathroom, toilet noun
How to say “bathroom” in ThaiThe everyday polite word; on signs you'll also see สุขาsù-kǎa.
- คอนโด kawn-doo
condo, apartment building noun
From English 'condo'. In Bangkok, renting a flat often means a room in a คอนโดkawn-doo with a pool, a gym and a guard at the door.
- ห้อง hâwng
room noun
Room numbers are read digit by digit: ห้องแปดศูนย์ห้าhâwng bpàet sǔun hâa is room 805.
- ลิฟต์ líp
lift, elevator noun
From English 'lift', with a high tone and the f said as p.
- ชั้น chán
floor, storey noun
The number comes after it: ชั้นสองchán sǎwng is the second floor. The ground floor is ชั้นหนึ่งchán nùeng.
- สระว่ายน้ำ sà-wâai-náam
swimming pool noun
- ยิม yim
gym noun
- ซักผ้า sák pâa
to do the laundry, to wash clothes verb
Most condos have coin-operated washing machines on one floor, and there are laundry shops on every soi.
- เปิด bpòet
to open; open verb
เปิดbpòet and ปิดbpìt are for shops, doors and pools, and also mean switching things on and off.
- ปิด bpìt
to close; closed verb
Short and low, with an unreleased t at the end. Shop doors say ปิดbpìt (closed) and เปิดbpòet (open).
- ลุง lung
uncle (an older man; also 'you' or 'I') noun
For a man about your parents' age or older, like a condo guard or a taxi driver; he'll call himself ลุงlung too.
- พัสดุ pát-sà-dù
parcel, package noun
Online orders usually wait for you with the guard or at the condo's front desk.
Grammar: Asking questions
- นั่น nânอะไร à-rai
What's that?
- นั่น nânสระว่ายน้ำ sà-wâai-náam
That's the swimming pool.
- ซักผ้า sák pâaได้ dâiที่ไหน tîi-nǎiครับ kráp
Where can I do my laundry?
Men ซักผ้าได้ที่ไหนครับ Women ซักผ้าได้ที่ไหนคะ
Dialogue: A tour of the condo
Your first evening in the condo. Lung Chai, the security guard, walks you through the ground floor with a parcel under his arm.
14 lines · tap a line to hear it
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You
นั่น nânอะไร à-raiครับ krápWhat's that?
Men นั่นอะไรครับ Women นั่นอะไรคะ
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Lung Chaiลุงชัย
สระว่ายน้ำ sà-wâai-náamครับ krápThat's the swimming pool.
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You
เปิด bpòetไหม mǎiครับ krápIs it open?
Men เปิดไหมครับ Women เปิดไหมคะ
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Lung Chaiลุงชัย
เปิด bpòetครับ krápYes, it's open.
Culture note: Isan in Bangkok
Lung Chai comes from ขอนแก่นkǎwn-gàen in อีสานii-sǎan, Thailand's big, rice-growing northeast. Millions of people from Isan work in Bangkok as security guards, taxi drivers, builders and cooks, and head home for Songkran. They brought their food with them: ส้มตำsôm-dtam (papaya salad), ลาบlâap (spicy minced-meat salad) and ข้าวเหนียวkâao-nǐaw (sticky rice) are Bangkok favourites now.
At home they speak Isan, which is very close to Lao, and switch to Central Thai at work, but a few words slip through. เด้อdôe is the Isan นะná: ดื่มน้ำเยอะเด้อdùuem náam yóe dôe (drink lots of water, okay?). Praise Isan food with แซ่บsâep, Isan for 'delicious', and watch the cook smile.
Your condo guard is much more than security: he takes in your parcels, calls you a taxi, knows the best noodle stall on the soi and notices when you look tired. A smile and a ขอบคุณkàwp-kun go a long way.
AI role-play: Condo tour with Lung Chai
At the end of the unit you talk with Lung Chai, an AI character who answers in natural Thai and helps when you get stuck.
The scene
Lung Chai, the security guard, is showing you around your new condo building. Ask about everything you see.
Lung Chai starts
So this is our condo building.
Your goals
- 1Ask what something is
- 2Ask where you can do the laundry
- 3Ask whether the pool or gym is open and which floor it's on
- 4Ask how to use something or whose parcel it is