When to use chai

[thetrader]

I'm starting my long journey in to learning Thai and have been listening to various you tube vids and also Pimsleur Thai.

 

I would like it if some one could clarify when to use "chai" in relation to a question.

 

For instance, in a direct question like when ordering a beer someone asks - "would you like lemon" - is it correct to answer "chai" for yes or "mai chai" for no.

Or do you answer Khrab for yes or "mai khrab" for no.

I'm just trying to understand the different answers to direct yes/no questions?

 

[tsmith18]

Answer a question with the VERB usually. In your example, “would you like lemon,” say “Mai Ow Krap” (no want) or “Ow krap” (want) 

[worldpunter]

That didnt really answer when to use , chai  ?  I always use it as we use , can , in english . So , mai chai khrap  , becomes , no cannot and chai khrap i use as yes can do .

I stand correcting if wrong ,  

[Darksider11]

I always use "mai ow krap" for "No thanks" and "krap pom" for "yes please". "Mai chai" is more of a definitive "no" to a definitive question, as in "does your shit stink?"

[forcebwithu]

2 minutes ago, Darksider11 said:

I always use "mai ow krap" for "No thanks" and "krap pom" for "yes please". "Mai chai" is more of a definitive "no" to a definitive question, as in "does your shit stink?"

A little bit of a TF here, but sometimes I hear krap pom used as a greeting or a response to a greeting. Can someone explain when that phrase is appropriate rather than sawadee krap?

[Darksider11]

11 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

A little bit of a TF here, but sometimes I hear krap pom used as a greeting or a response to a greeting. Can someone explain when that phrase is appropriate rather than sawadee krap?

Never heard "krap pom" used like that. "Sawadee krap" often abbreviated to "wadee krap" or if it's someone that you are very familiar with, just "wadee".

[Mognam]

1 hour ago, worldpunter said:

That didnt really answer when to use , chai  ?  I always use it as we use , can , in english . So , mai chai khrap  , becomes , no cannot and chai khrap i use as yes can do .

I stand correcting if wrong ,  

'dai' is used for 'can do'.  'chai' roughly stands for 'correct'.  so somebody asking a question might put 'chai mai' at the end of the sentence basically  asking if what they said is correct.  the reply would be either 'chai' for correct or 'mai chai' for not correct.

 

as said earlier when someone asks a question like 'do you want a lemon?' you would reply with the verb, in this case it is 'want'.  In the Thai language the word for 'want' is 'ao'.  Another example would be if someone asked 'is it hot?'.  In this case you would reply with the adjective and say either 'hot' or 'not hot' in Thai.  The word for 'hot' in Thai is 'rorn'.  So the answer would be 'rorn' or 'mai rorn'.

'krab' can be used for different things but you wouldn't really use it for saying 'yes'.  you could use it as an interjection to indicate that you are listening and understanding what they are saying.  And of course you add it on the end of a sentence to make it more polite when speaking in a formal situations or with people who aren't close friends.  You wouldn't really say 'mai krab' for 'no'.  The 'mai' should be followed by a verb or an adjective.

[supergeil]

22 minutes ago, Mognam said:

'krab' can be used for different things but you wouldn't really use it for saying 'yes'. 

It can be used to confirm questions, for example in the case of “do you want lemon?” you can just say “khrap”.

[Frang]

5 minutes ago, supergeil said:

It can be used to confirm questions, for example in the case of “do you want lemon?” you can just say “khrap”.

Yes. I've see it used like that.

-Kun bpen khun fred chai mai khrap?   {You are (Mr) fred, right?}

-khrap  {Right.}

[supergeil]

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

A little bit of a TF here, but sometimes I hear krap pom used as a greeting or a response to a greeting. Can someone explain when that phrase is appropriate rather than sawadee krap?

I have been told that it is a more polite way to say “khrap”, so you would use it when “khrap” is in order, but when you want to be more polite, for example if you receive money. But as I have only heard (older) security guards use it, I would be hesitant to use it myself.

[Mognam]

2 hours ago, supergeil said:

It can be used to confirm questions, for example in the case of “do you want lemon?” you can just say “khrap”.

Cheers, I stand corrected.  If it was me talking I would say 'ao khrap' but yes, you are right.  For beginners I would recommend learning how to read and write Thai as there is no perfect transliteration system.

Sure you don't have to read and write Thai to be able to speak it but in my opinion it makes learning the language easier in the long run.  Of course get the basics down first with a goal to learning how to read and write down the track.

[tsmith18]

3 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

A little bit of a TF here, but sometimes I hear krap pom used as a greeting or a response to a greeting. Can someone explain when that phrase is appropriate rather than sawadee krap?

I believe “krap Pom” is used when speaking to a higher rank or authority, server to customer, student to teacher, child to elder relative, employee to boss — or, everyone to monk. 

[Darksider11]

8 minutes ago, tsmith18 said:

I believe “krap Pom” is used when speaking to a higher rank or authority, server to customer, student to teacher, child to elder relative, employee to boss — or, everyone to monk. 

I think that this is technically true - but all Thais seem to get a buzz out of it when you use it on them!

[supergeil]

57 minutes ago, Mognam said:

Cheers, I stand corrected.  If it was me talking I would say 'ao khrap' but yes, you are right.

Yes, I would also mostly include the verb, it has the added advantage that it makes it clear that you understood the question.

But say the other person asks something a bit more complex, without using “ao” (want), like (at the grocery store) “put items in bag together?” [sai tung duai-gan mai] here it might be a little much to reply “sai duai-gan khrap” (although when writing it out, it doesn’t seem like that much; I tried to brainstorm a bit, and I think the most common situation where I just reply “khrap” is when drivers are asking me to confirm directions, like “turn left down this soi?”).

[misteregg]

Krap pom is kind of a "yes sir" as others have said, when speaking to someone you are serving, like a customer or someone of a higher rank than you.

I think using krap usually sounds better than chai in 90% of the times. 

[Drewbrogan]

36 minutes ago, misteregg said:

Krap pom is kind of a "yes sir" as others have said, when speaking to someone you are serving, like a customer or someone of a higher rank than you.

I think using krap usually sounds better than chai in 90% of the times. 

So when my teacher asks if I understand or if I want a coffee I normally reply "chai khrap"

Should I instead reply "kowjai khrap" or "ao khrap"

Genuinely interested because she hasn't corrected me but that may be because she knows 'phom mee samong lek"

Or is it 'noi' lol.  Told you I had a small brain

[worldpunter]

But if you repmy " chai khrap  "  you might get tea not coffee 

[supergeil]

11 minutes ago, Drewbrogan said:

So when my teacher asks if I understand or if I want a coffee I normally reply "chai khrap"

Should I instead reply "kowjai khrap" or "ao khrap"

That would be more natural, yes. She wouldn’t correct you, as “chai khrap” is not incorrect, it’s just not what is commonly used when replying to such questions.

[Drewbrogan]

2 hours ago, worldpunter said:

But if you repmy " chai khrap  "  you might get tea not coffee 

Wouldn't that be "cha khrap"........5555

2 hours ago, supergeil said:

That would be more natural, yes. She wouldn’t correct you, as “chai khrap” is not incorrect, it’s just not what is commonly used when replying to such questions.

Cheers mate. I didn't know that.  I will use that in future.

[Young Coxy]

Krab pom is a formal acknowledgement or confirmation of something.

Mr Egg's "yes sir!" is pretty spot on.

[thetrader]

Ok, thanks for the replies. It seems its not entirely clear maybe I'm a bit stupid?

 

22 hours ago, tsmith18 said:

Answer a question with the VERB usually. In your example, “would you like lemon,” say “Mai Ow Krap” (no want) or “Ow krap” (want) 

Manaw mai? then the above would be the correct answer .

 

But a question asked with Chai is for confirmation? - "are you a person from England yes / no?" (Khun bpen khn angrit chai mai). Then chai (yes) or mai chai (no) is used.

In this case then "chai" is a confirmation and can be used.

 

But also khrap or mai khrap can be used but is not quite the correct answer?  (Or just not used as the answer)?

 

Anyone clarify this or I am presuming correctly?

 

 

[just hanging]

When to use chai

for example, you meet a hot girl who wants to go with you says:

want to go with me? 5,000 short time.      answer mai chai

want to go with me? 1,000 long time        answer   chai

hope a real world example helps

[supergeil]

Chai, Khrap, or repeating the verb: All confirms the question.

Chai mostly used when the questions ends in “chai mai”, similarly “dai” (can) is used when the question ends in “dai mai” (can I?).

Khrap used when you are (mentally) lazy

Repeating the verb, possibly followed by khrap (to be polite) is the most general form.

As for the latter, this differs from English because in English it would be ambiguous to repeat the word, like “hungry?”, “hungry!”, but in Thai they have the question word (hiuw *mai*) so replying “hiuw” is not ambiguous, it makes it clear to the other person you understood the question, you can elaborate, like “hiuw mak” (very hungry), and I guess it just adds a bit of variance to the language, because spoken Thai in general cuts out a lot of words.

[Jaws56]

Don't know about the rest of you but I'm totally confused.

[Mognam]

19 hours ago, thetrader said:

Ok, thanks for the replies. It seems its not entirely clear maybe I'm a bit stupid?

 

Manaw mai? then the above would be the correct answer .

The question would be:  ao manao mai?

Answers can be: 1. (mai)ao khrap    2. (mai)ao manao krap    3. (mai)khrap    and finially 4. (mai)chai khrap - this not technically correct because it wasn't a 'chai mai' question but they will understand

the (mai) is to turn it into a negative response.  just remember when using 'mai' for a question it has a high tone when spoken.  when using 'mai' to create a negative response it has a falling tone.  although if you don't get the tones correct they should understand you if the words are used in the right context.

 

But a question asked with Chai is for confirmation? - "are you a person from England yes / no?" (Khun bpen khn angrit chai mai). Then chai (yes) or mai chai (no) is used.

In this case then "chai" is a confirmation and can be used.

But also khrap or mai khrap can be used but is not quite the correct answer?  (Or just not used as the answer)?

 

Anyone clarify this or I am presuming correctly?

This is correct or I should say ใช่คร้บ