How to say “no” in Thai

Not one word, but a pattern

Thai doesn't answer with a bare "no". It puts ไม่mâi in front of the verb or adjective from the question:

• ไปไหมbpai mǎi (are you going?) → ไม่ไปmâi bpai (not going)
• เผ็ดไหมpèt mǎi (is it spicy?) → ไม่เผ็ดmâi pèt (not spicy)
• มีไหมmii mǎi (do you have it?) → ไม่มีmâi mii (we don't)
• ได้ไหมdâi mǎi (can you?) → ไม่ได้mâi dâi (can't)

ไม่ใช่mâi châi is the "no" for "is it…?" and "right?" questions: ไม่ใช่ของ{I}mâi châi kǎwng pǒm means "it's not mine". Women would say ไม่ใช่ของฉันmâi châi kǎwng chǎn.

Saying no to offers

At the 7-Eleven counter the cashier asks รับถุงไหมráp tǔng mǎi ("want a bag?"): answer ไม่รับครับmâi ráp kráp or ไม่เป็นไรค่ะmâi bpen rai kâ. When a tuk-tuk driver or a stall holder calls out to you, a smile, a small shake of the head and ไม่เอาครับmâi ao kráp or ไม่เอาค่ะmâi ao kâ is enough; keep walking and nobody minds.

How Thais soften a no

A flat "no" can feel harsh in Thai. Thais usually wrap it up: ไว้คราวหน้านะwái kraao nâa ná ("maybe next time"), ไม่ค่อยสะดวกmâi kâwy sà-dùak ("not very convenient") or a vague เดี๋ยวดูก่อนdǐaw duu gàwn ("let me see"). Learn to hear these as a polite no. When you refuse, add ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ, a smile and, if you can, a reason. A loud, bare ไม่mâi sounds cross.

Pronunciation: one sound, five meanings

ไม่mâi has a falling tone: start high and drop. Change the tone and you change the word. The classic tongue-twister shows it: ไม้ใหม่ไม่ไหม้ไหมmáai mài mâi mâi mǎi, "new wood doesn't burn, does it?" In order that's wood (high), new (low), not (falling), burn (falling) and the question word (rising). If "no" comes out rising, Thais will hear the question particle ไหมmǎi instead.

Common mistakes

• Answering "no" with ไม่mâi alone. Add the verb: ไม่ชอบmâi châwp, "I don't like it".
• Using ไม่ใช่mâi châi for everything. It means "not correct", so it doesn't answer "do you want…?"
• Refusing food from a host too quickly. Try a little first; อิ่มแล้วìm láew ("I'm full") is a kinder no than "I don't want it".