ทำไม
tam-mai/tʰam˧.maj˧/
The English word 'why' is translated into Thai as ทำไม (tam-mai). Wiktionary also lists ไฉน (chà-nǎi).
Meaning: (interrogative) for what reason (adv)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ทำไม | tam-mai | /tʰam˧.maj˧/ |
| ไฉน | chà-nǎi | /t͡ɕʰa˨˩.naj˩˩˦/ |
The word ทำไม is used to ask for a reason. In Thai, you can place ทำไม either at the beginning or at the end of a sentence to form a question.
Which one should you use?
ทำไม is the standard way to ask 'why', whereas ไฉน is a much more poetic version. You will rarely hear ไฉน in daily conversation, as it is typically found in literature or formal songs.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ไฉน is an archaic and formal form. For highly informal situations, you may also use ทำไมเนี่ย to mean 'why'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To create a more natural-sounding structure in many question types, ทำไม is often followed by the word ถึง (thǔeng) to mean 'why… (is/does/did)'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is tam-mai.
Did you know?
- The word ถึง used after ทำไม does not translate to 'why' but literally means 'to arrive' or 'to reach'.
- The standard word for 'why', ทำไม, is actually a linguistic contraction. It evolved from the older form ทำไร, combining the words for 'to do' and 'what'.
- While English speakers use 'why' as a one-word response, saying only ทำไม in Thai can sound blunt or even rude. It is often better to add particles to soften the tone.
Examples in context
- คุณถามทำไม?Why do you ask?This sentence shows how to use ทำไม in a question.Tatoeba #7878393 by pastelite, translation #1368 by CK
- ทำไมคุณวิ่ง?Why are you running?This sentence demonstrates a question starting with ทำไม.Tatoeba #8720292 by pastelite, translation #1776575 by Amastan
- ทำไมมันนานจังWhy did it take so long?This sentence uses ทำไม to ask about the duration of an event.Tatoeba #10365720 by Somsak, translation #1901616 by Spamster
- 57 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a coffee shop, a woman asks a man why he is late.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanทำไมคุณมาช้าจังคะ?tham-mai khun ma cha chang kha?Why are you so late?
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatรถติดมากเลยครับrot tit mak loei khrapThe traffic was very heavy.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanวันนี้รถติดทำไมคะ?wan-ni rot tit tham-mai kha?Why is the traffic bad today?
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatเพราะมีอุบัติเหตุครับphro mi u-bat-ti-het khrapBecause there was an accident.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations and entries ทำไม, ไฉน, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ทำไม, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
