Language/Thai/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have
Hi Thai learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will discuss the usage of the word "have" in the Thai language. As you might have already known, Thai is a tonal language and is known for its complex pronunciation. Don't worry if you are still struggling with the tones because with enough practice, you will get the hang of it. For this lesson, we will assume that you have at least an intermediate level of understanding of the language.
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Subject Pronouns & Possessive Pronouns.
Understanding "Have" in Thai[edit | edit source]
The word "have" in Thai is translated to "มี" (mii). It is commonly used in Thai sentences and has a similar function as the word "have" in the English language. The word "mii" is a verb and can be used to denote possession or existence. It is also used to indicate actions that have already taken place.
For example:
| Thai | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ผมมีรถ | phǒm mii rót | I have a car |
| มีสี่คน | mii sìi kon | There are four people |
| เขาเคยมีเพื่อน | khǎo koei mii pʉ̂an | He/she used to have a friend |
As you can see from the examples above, the word "mii" can be used in different contexts. It can be used to assert possession as in the first example, indicate the existence of four people in the second example, and indicate past actions in the third example.
Using "Have" in Various Sentence Structures[edit | edit source]
The word "mii" can be used in various sentence structures depending on the context. Here are a few examples:
Possession[edit | edit source]
When indicating possession, "mii" is usually accompanied by the classifier "กำลัง" (gamlang). The classifier is used to count or classify the noun that is possessed.
Example:
| Thai | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ฉันกำลังมีสองตัวแมว | chǎn gamlang mii sǎawng dtua maeo | I have two cats |
| เขากำลังมีห้องน้ำสองห้อง | khǎo gamlang mii hɔ̂ng náam sǎawng hɔ̂ng | He/she has two bathrooms |
In the examples above, we used the classifier "กำลัง" (gamlang) to count the number of cats and bathrooms. Note that the classifier to be used depends on the noun that is being possessed.
Existence[edit | edit source]
When indicating the existence of something or someone, "mii" is used on its own without any classifier.
Example:
| Thai | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ร้านอาหารนี้มีอาหารอร่อย | rán aa-hǎan níi mii aa-hǎan à-ràwỳ | This restaurant has delicious food |
| ในสวนสาธารณะมีดอกไม้หลายชนิด | nai sǔan sǎa-thǎa-rá-ná mii dɔ̀k mái lǎai chón-nít | There are various types of flowers in the park |
In the examples above, we used "mii" to indicate the existence of delicious food and various types of flowers.
Past Actions[edit | edit source]
In Thai, "mii" can also be used to denote past actions. In this context, it is commonly used with the word "เคย" (koie).
Example:
| Thai | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| เขาเคยมีแฟนสาว | khǎo koei mii fɛɛn sǎao | He/she used to have a girlfriend/boyfriend |
| ผมเคยมีโอกาสไปต่างประเทศ | phǒm koei mii òogàat bpai dtàang bprà-têt | I have had the opportunity to travel to foreign countries before |
In the examples above, we used "mii" with the word "เคย" (koie) to indicate past actions.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
To better understand the usage of "mii" in Thai, let's create a dialogue:
- Person 1: สวัสดีครับ คุณมีชื่ออะไรครับ? (sà-wàt-dii khráp khun mii chʉ̂u à-rai khráp?) (Hello, what is your name?)
- Person 2: สวัสดีครับ ผมชื่อศิวะครับ คุณมีชื่ออะไรครับ? (sà-wàt-dii khráp phǒm chǔe sì-wá khráp khun mii chʉ̂u à-rai khráp?) (Hello, my name is Siva. What is your name?)
- Person 1: ผมชื่อเจมส์ครับ ผมมีร้านขายอาหารไทยที่ห้องอาหารญี่ปุ่น คุณชอบอาหารไทยมั้ยครับ? (phǒm chǔe James khráp phǒm mii ráan khǎai aa-hǎan Thai tîi hɔ̂ng aa-hǎan Yîi-bpùn khun chǎawp aa-hǎan Thai mâi khráp?) (My name is James. I have a Thai restaurant in a Japanese restaurant. Do you like Thai food?)
- Person 2: ชอบมากครับ ผมกำลังหิวมากเลย มีอะไรแนะนำมั้ยครับ? (chǎawp mâak khráp phǒm gamlang hiǔa mâak leeuy mii à-rai náe-nam mâi khráp?) (I like it very much. I am very hungry now. Do you have any recommendations?)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In conclusion, the word "mii" in Thai has various usages as discussed in this lesson. There are many resources available online to help you further improve your understanding of Thai grammar. You can also use the Polyglot Club website to find native speakers and ask them any questions regarding the language. Remember, practice is key to mastering the Thai language.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Basic Prepositions & Verb 'To Be'.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Thai Classifiers
- Tenses
- Plurals
- Nouns
- Personal pronouns
- Negation
- Future Tense
- Conditional Mood
- Give your Opinion
- Questions
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Learn Thai Grammar: How to Use Hai (ให้) in Thai
- A Beginner's Guide to Basic Thai Grammar
- Thai language - Wikipedia