Greetings How to say “where are you going?” in Thai
The short answer
"Where are you going?" in Thai is ไปไหนbpai nǎi, literally "go where?", and "where have you been?" is ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa. Thais use both as friendly greetings more than as real questions, so nobody expects to hear your plans. A short, vague answer is perfect, like ไปธุระมาbpai tú-rá maa ("just out on an errand") or ไปกินข้าวbpai gin kâao ("going to eat"), with ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ to be polite.
“Where are you going?” in Thai
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Men say
Women say
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Other spellings you'll see
There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters, so you'll see ไปไหนbpai nǎi spelled many ways. We write it with the tone of every syllable marked; online you'll also find:
- pai nai
- bpai nai
- pai nai krap
- pai nai krub
- pai nai ka
- pai nai kha
Other ways to say “where are you going?”
- ไป bpaiไหน nǎiมา maaครับ kráp Menไป bpaiไหน nǎiมา maaคะ ká Women
where have you been?
What people ask when you come back: the same friendly greeting, looking back.
- จะ jàไป bpaiไหน nǎiครับ kráp Menจะ jàไป bpaiไหน nǎiคะ ká Women
where are you going to go?
With จะjà it's about plans: where you're heading next, or at the weekend.
- ไป bpaiไหน nǎiกัน gan
where are you all going?
To two or more people: กันgan is together.
- ไป bpaiที่ไหน tîi-nǎiครับ kráp Menไป bpaiที่ไหน tîi-nǎiคะ ká Women
where are you going? (which place)
The full form, with ที่ไหนtîi-nǎi: more of a real question about the place.
- ไป bpaiไหน nǎiดี dii
where shall we go?
Not a greeting: friends planning a day out.
How to reply
- ไป bpaiธุระ tú-ráมา maaครับ kráp Menไป bpaiธุระ tú-ráมา maaค่ะ kâ Women
just out on an errand
The polite, vague answer to ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa.
- ไป bpaiทำ tamธุระ tú-ráครับ kráp Menไป bpaiทำ tamธุระ tú-ráค่ะ kâ Women
off to run an errand
The same answer on your way out.
- ไป bpaiแถว tǎewนี้ níiครับ kráp Menไป bpaiแถว tǎewนี้ níiค่ะ kâ Women
just around here
As vague as it gets, on your way out or back.
- ไป bpaiกิน ginข้าว kâaoครับ kráp Menไป bpaiกิน ginข้าว kâaoค่ะ kâ Women
going to eat
- ไป bpaiเซเว่น see-wênครับ kráp Menไป bpaiเซเว่น see-wênค่ะ kâ Women
just to 7-Eleven
Any nearby place will do: the answer is as casual as the question.
- ไป bpaiเที่ยว tîawมา maaครับ kráp Menไป bpaiเที่ยว tîawมา maaค่ะ kâ Women
I've been out (having fun)
An answer to ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa: out with friends, or back from a trip.
- ไม่ mâiได้ dâiไป bpaiไหน nǎiครับ kráp Menไม่ mâiได้ dâiไป bpaiไหน nǎiค่ะ kâ Women
nowhere special
You're only stepping out, or you didn't go anywhere.
Example sentences
- เมื่อวาน mûea-waanไป bpaiไหน nǎiมา maaครับ kráp Menเมื่อวาน mûea-waanไป bpaiไหน nǎiมา maaคะ ká Women
Where did you go yesterday?
- เสาร์อาทิตย์ sǎo-aa-títนี้ níiจะ jàไป bpaiไหน nǎiครับ kráp Menเสาร์อาทิตย์ sǎo-aa-títนี้ níiจะ jàไป bpaiไหน nǎiคะ ká Women
Where are you going this weekend?
- อยาก yàakไป bpaiไหน nǎiครับ kráp Menอยาก yàakไป bpaiไหน nǎiคะ ká Women
Where do you want to go?
- ไป bpaiไหน nǎiก็ gâwได้ dâi
Anywhere is fine.
ก็ได้gâw dâi after a question word means any: anywhere at all.
A greeting, not a question
In Thailand, ไปไหนbpai nǎi is what a neighbour, the security guard at your condo or the auntie at the noodle stall calls out when they see you heading out. It works like "hi, how's it going?": they're saying hello and that they noticed you, not asking about your plans. When you come back, the same people ask ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa, "where have you been?". Both come with a smile, and a smile and a few words are all anyone expects back.
How to answer
Keep it short and vague. ไปธุระมาbpai tú-rá maa, "out on an errand", answers anything on your way back, ไปทำธุระbpai tam tú-rá does the same on your way out, and ไปแถวนี้bpai tǎew níi, "just around here", works both ways. Or say where or what in two or three words: ไปกินข้าวbpai gin kâao (going to eat), ไปตลาดbpai dtà-làat (to the market), ไปทำงานbpai tam-ngaan (to work), ไปเที่ยวมาbpai tîaw maa (been out having fun). Nobody minds that you didn't say exactly where. With anyone older than you, add ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ.
Going, or been?
ไปไหนbpai nǎi is about now: you're on your way somewhere. Add มาmaa, "come", and ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa looks back: you went somewhere and came back. The same มาmaa works after other verbs, so ไปเที่ยวมาbpai tîaw maa is "went out (and I'm back)". With จะjà, จะไปไหนjà bpai nǎi asks about plans: where someone is about to go, or where they're going at the weekend.
When it really is a question
From a taxi or motorbike taxi driver, ไปไหนครับbpai nǎi kráp means "where to?": answer with the place, as in ไปสนามบินbpai sà-nǎam-bin (to the airport). Between friends planning a day out, ไปไหนดีbpai nǎi dii means "where shall we go?", and ไปไหนก็ได้bpai nǎi gâw dâi is "anywhere's fine".
Pronunciation
ไปbpai is level, with the unaspirated bp sound between b and p, so not quite "pie". ไหนnǎi rises, like a surprised "nigh?". Spellings like pai nai, bpai nai and pai nai ma are all this phrase.
Where are you going? in Thai: questions people ask
What does pai nai mean?
ไปไหนbpai nǎi means 'where are you going?', literally 'go where?'. Thais often use it as a friendly greeting rather than a real question.
What does pai nai ma mean?
ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa means 'where have you been?'. People ask it when you come back, and a vague answer like ไปธุระมาbpai tú-rá maa ('just out on an errand') is fine.
How do you answer pai nai?
Briefly: say where or what in a few words, like ไปกินข้าวbpai gin kâao ('going to eat'), or stay vague with ไปทำธุระbpai tam tú-rá ('off to run an errand'). Add ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ with anyone older.
Is it rude to ask where someone is going in Thailand?
No. Between neighbours, colleagues and people who know each other it's a normal, friendly greeting, and nobody expects a full answer.
The words in the dictionary
Look up the words used on this page: each entry has audio, tones and more examples.
Related phrases
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones