คุณโอเคไหม
khun o-khe mai
To say "are you okay?" in Thai, use คุณโอเคไหม (khun o-khe mai).
The phrase is used to ask if someone is feeling well or is in a safe condition.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a loanword construction consisting of the pronoun คุณ (you), the English loanword โอเค (okay) and the Thai question particle ไหม ([question particle]).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While คุณโอเคไหม is understood, a more natural way to ask if someone is okay (especially if they look upset or hurt) is เป็นอะไรหรือเปล่า. For a formal setting, you can use ท่านสบายดีหรือคะ? In casual situations, เป็นไงบ้าง? can be used to mean both "How are you?" and "Are you okay?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle ไหม is added to the end of a statement to turn it into a yes/no question.
How do you pronounce it?
khun o-khe mai
Did you know?
- If someone answers ไม่เป็นไร (mai pen rai) to the question 'are you okay?', they are using a phrase that translates to 'it is nothing' and is central to the Thai philosophy of letting things go.
- When using the question particle ไหม, your voice should not necessarily rise in pitch at the end as it does in English, as Thai is a tonal language.
- While โอเค is a direct loan from English, Thai speakers often use it as a filler word or a way to agree to a request even when they are not actually 'okay' with the situation.
Examples in context
- คุณโอเคไหมหลังจากที่ล้มลงไปkhun ok mai lang chak thi lom long paiAre you okay after falling down?
Example conversation
A woman asks a man if he is alright after he trips.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanคุณโอเคไหมคะkhun ok mai khaAre you okay?
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitผมโอเคครับ แค่เจ็บเข่านิดหน่อยphom ok khrap khae chep khao nit noiI'm okay, just a little knee pain.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanให้ฉันช่วยไหมคะhai chan chuay mai khaCan I help you?
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitไม่เป็นไรครับ ขอบคุณครับmai pen rai khrap khop khun khrapIt's okay, thank you.
