How to say “yes” in Thai

Q: How do you say yes in Thai?

There's no single word. Use ครับ (kráp) (men) or ค่ะ (kâ) (women) on their own, ใช่ (châi) for 'that's right', or repeat the verb from the question: ไปไหม (bpai mǎi) → ไป (bpai).

Q: What does chai mean in Thai?

ใช่ (châi), with a falling tone, means 'yes, that's right'. With other tones the same sound means other things: ใช้ (chái) is 'to use' and ชาย (chaai) is 'male'.

Q: How do you say okay in Thai?

โอเค (oo-kee) is universal. ได้ (dâi) means 'okay, can do', and ตกลง (dtòk-long) means 'okay, agreed' when you settle a plan or a price.

Q: How do you say of course in Thai?

แน่นอน (nâe-nawn) ('certainly'). For 'of course you can', Thais say ได้อยู่แล้ว (dâi yùu láew).

Q: Is ka yes in Thai?

Yes. ค่ะ (kâ), said alone by a woman, means 'yes' or 'I'm listening'. Men say ครับ (kráp). At the end of a sentence, the same words just make it polite.

The short answer

Thai has no single word for yes. The most common "yes" is the polite particle on its own: ครับkráp for men, ค่ะkâ for women. For "yes, that's right", say ใช่châi. Most often, though, Thais answer by repeating the verb from the question: asked ไปไหมbpai mǎi ("are you going?"), you say ไปbpai. For "sure, can do", say ได้dâi.

“Yes” in Thai

Tap a Thai word for its meaning

Men and women say

ใช่ châi

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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 ใช่châi spelled many ways. We write it with the tone of every syllable marked; online you'll also find:

chai
chai krap
chai ka
krap
ka
dai
ok
tok long
nae non

Other ways to say “yes”

ครับ kráp

yes (said by men)

On its own it means 'yes', 'I'm listening' or 'yes, sir'.
ค่ะ kâ

yes (said by women)

Falling tone. The high คะká means 'yes?' when someone calls you.
ได้ dâi

yes, sure, can do

The answer to requests and 'can you…?' questions.
โอเค oo-kee

okay

Everyone says it, from teenagers to grandmothers.
ตกลง dtòk-long

okay, agreed, deal

For plans and agreements: 'agreed'.
แน่นอน nâe-nawn

of course, definitely

Confident and a little emphatic.
จ้า jâa

yes! (cheerful, casual)

A sunny 'yes' or 'coming!', common among women and with children.
อือ uue

mm-hmm, yeah

Very casual, with close friends and family only.

How to reply

จริง jingเหรอ rǒe

really?

Surprise or mild doubt.
จริง jing

really, it's true

Said firmly, it confirms: 'really!'
ใช่ châiไหม mǎi

right? isn't it?

Put it at the end of a statement to check you've understood.

Example sentences

ใช่ châiผม pǒmมา maaจาก jàakอเมริกา à-mee-rí-gaaครับ kráp Men
ใช่ châiฉัน chǎnมา maaจาก jàakอเมริกา à-mee-rí-gaaค่ะ kâ Women

Yes, I'm from America.
ได้ dâiเลย loei

Sure, no problem!
มี miiครับ kráp Men
มี miiค่ะ kâ Women

Yes, we have it. (answer to 'do you have…?')
อร่อย à-ràwyมาก mâak

Yes, it's delicious! (answer to 'is it good?')
แน่นอน nâe-nawnผม pǒmไป bpaiด้วย dûay Men
แน่นอน nâe-nawnฉัน chǎnไป bpaiด้วย dûay Women

Of course, I'm coming too.

Thai answers with the verb

English answers a question with "yes" or "no"; Thai usually answers with the verb or adjective from the question. That's the most natural yes there is:

หิวไหมhǐu mǎi (hungry?) → หิวhǐu (yes, hungry)
มีไหมmii mǎi (do you have it?) → มีmii (yes, we have)
ชอบไหมchâwp mǎi (do you like it?) → ชอบchâwp (yes, I like it)
ได้ไหมdâi mǎi (can you? is it OK?) → ได้dâi (yes, sure)

Add ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ to make it polite: มีค่ะmii kâ is exactly what a shop assistant says. This works for almost any question ending in ไหมmǎi.

When to use ใช่châi

ใช่châi means "that's right, correct". Use it when the question is about whether something is true: คุณชื่อน้ำใช่ไหมkun chûue náam châi mǎi ("your name is Nam, right?") → ใช่châi. A classic learner mistake is answering every question with ใช่châi. If someone asks เอากาแฟไหมao gaa-fae mǎi ("want a coffee?"), ใช่châi sounds like "that is correct". Answer เอาao ("I'll have one") instead.

Krap and ka as "yes"

On their own, ครับkráp and ค่ะkâ mean "yes" or "I'm listening". You'll hear them when a teacher calls the register, when a boss gives an instruction, and on the phone, where Thais say ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ every few seconds to show they're following. Women answer with the falling ค่ะkâ for "yes" but the high คะká for "yes?", when someone calls their name.

Casual yeses

With friends, โอเคoo-kee, ได้เลยdâi loei (sure!), จ้าjâa and a relaxed อือuue do most of the work. ใช่เลยchâi loei means "exactly!" There's also เออoe, "yeah", but it's blunt: fine with old friends, rude to anyone older.

When yes means maybe

Thais value เกรงใจgreeng-jai, not wanting to impose on or disappoint others. A soft ได้dâi or a smile can sometimes mean "I'll try" rather than a firm promise, especially if saying no would cause awkwardness. If it matters, ask a gentle follow-up such as แน่ใจนะnâe-jai ná ("are you sure?") or agree a time.

Pronunciation

ใช่châi has a falling tone: start high and drop, like a firm "chai!" Careful, the tones matter here: ใช้chái (high) means "to use", and ชายchaai (mid, long) means "male". ได้dâi falls too.

Yes in Thai: questions people ask

How do you say yes in Thai?

There's no single word. Use ครับkráp (men) or ค่ะkâ (women) on their own, ใช่châi for 'that's right', or repeat the verb from the question: ไปไหมbpai mǎi → ไปbpai.

What does chai mean in Thai?

ใช่châi, with a falling tone, means 'yes, that's right'. With other tones the same sound means other things: ใช้chái is 'to use' and ชายchaai is 'male'.

How do you say okay in Thai?

โอเคoo-kee is universal. ได้dâi means 'okay, can do', and ตกลงdtòk-long means 'okay, agreed' when you settle a plan or a price.

How do you say of course in Thai?

แน่นอนnâe-nawn ('certainly'). For 'of course you can', Thais say ได้อยู่แล้วdâi yùu láew.

Is ka yes in Thai?

Yes. ค่ะkâ, said alone by a woman, means 'yes' or 'I'm listening'. Men say ครับkráp. At the end of a sentence, the same words just make it polite.

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