ไม่
not
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 not、do not、is not
- 2 no、I won’t、I don’t want to
This is the basic Thai negator, placed before a verb or description to say that something is not true or does not happen. On its own, it can also express “no” or a refusal.
not、do not、is not
It comes before a verb or descriptive predicate to negate an action, state, quality, or judgment.
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วันนี้ไม่ไป wan níi mây pay I’m not going today. วันนี้ไม่ไป details
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ฉันไม่เข้าใจ chǎn mây khâwcay I don’t understand. ฉันไม่เข้าใจ details
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อาหารนี้ไม่เผ็ด aahǎan níi mây phèt This food isn’t spicy. อาหารนี้ไม่เผ็ด details
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เขาไม่ใช่ครู khǎw mây chây khruu He/She isn’t a teacher. เขาไม่ใช่ครู details
no、I won’t、I don’t want to
Used alone or as a shortened reply, it rejects a question, suggestion, offer, or request.
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ไปไหม — ไม่ไป pay mǎy mây pay Are you going? — No, I’m not. ไปไหม — ไม่ไป details
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เอาไหม — ไม่เอา aw mǎy mây aw Do you want it? — No, I don’t. เอาไหม — ไม่เอา details
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ไม่! mây No! ไม่! details
Learning notes
Explanation
The basic order is subject + ไม่ + verb or descriptive predicate. Thai does not change the form of the predicate for negation; ไม่ is placed before the part being negated. To say that someone or something is not a noun, use ไม่ใช่ + noun. Common patterns include ยังไม่ “not yet,” ไม่เคย “have never,” ไม่ต้อง “do not need to,” ไม่ค่อย “not often/not very,” and ไม่...เลย “not at all.” In replies, ไม่ can stand alone, but repeating the verb after it is often clearer.
Usage
It is used in nearly every setting where negation is needed: denying facts, describing preferences or conditions, saying what someone will not do, and declining invitations or offers. For a polite refusal, speakers can add ครับ or ค่ะ, as in ไม่เอาครับ/ค่ะ.
Caution
For a prohibition meaning “don’t do it,” Thai normally uses อย่า, not ไม่: อย่าไป means “don’t go,” while ไม่ไป means “not going” or “won’t go.” Also, ไม่ได้ can mean either “cannot” or “did not,” so its interpretation depends on time expressions and context.
Differences from similar words
1 not synonyms
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มิ is also a negator, but it is mainly literary or formal. ไม่ is the ordinary neutral form used in both speech and writing.
2 no synonyms
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เปล่า commonly answers a factual yes-or-no question with “no” or “I didn’t.” ไม่ directly negates what follows and can also stand alone as a firm refusal.