{"id":191,"date":"2010-11-13T01:02:41","date_gmt":"2010-11-13T01:02:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/?p=191"},"modified":"2014-08-27T14:00:37","modified_gmt":"2014-08-27T14:00:37","slug":"thai-ending-particles-krap-and-ka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/thai\/thai-ending-particles-krap-and-ka\/","title":{"rendered":"Thai Ending Particles, krap and ka"},"content":{"rendered":"

When learning Thai, one of the very first things you learn are the words \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a <\/strong>(krap) and \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 <\/strong>(ka). For me, \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a <\/strong>was the very first Thai word I learned \u2013 and I still remember the day. As you should already know, \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a<\/strong> is for boys and \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 <\/strong>is for girls. By simply adding either at the end of a sentence, you make yourself sound very polite and respectful.<\/p>\n

At least that\u2019s how its taught \u2013 but it\u2019s not that simple.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a<\/strong>. First, the \u0e23 sound isn’t always produced. You’ll often just hear \u0e04\u0e31\u0e1a<\/strong>. Second, and this will confuse many a farang, women are also allowed to say \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a<\/strong>! Yeap, it\u2019s not just for guys! Now, not all women will say it, especially not the girly-girls. But strong-minded women will often do it.<\/p>\n

For an even more formal way of saying it, which basically means ‘yes sir’, say \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e1c\u0e21<\/strong>. You’ll hear soldiers and police say this to their superiors. If you’re girlfriend bosses you around a lot, you can say this as a form of sarcasm. If however you are careful how you say it, speaking slowly and friendly while dragging out the vowel, it can come off as a friendly yet informal ‘yes ma’am’.<\/p>\n

You may know now that just saying \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a <\/strong>and \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 <\/strong>can be used to let the speaker know you are listening to them. For example, the speaker is trying to make a point, and you occasionally say \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 <\/strong>to signify you are accepting what they are saying. On radio talk shows, where a woman is involved, you’ll often here \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 to the point you’d swear they were surrounded by crows.<\/p>\n

Similarly, you can say \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e17\u0e48\u0e32\u0e19 <\/strong>or \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30\u0e17\u0e48\u0e32\u0e19<\/strong> to be extra formal when responding to someone with much higher social superiority (boss of your boss, a high ranking monk, etc.).<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s say someone you’re close to requests something of you that you’re already aware of, like a mother reminding you to not forget to do your homework. The proper response would be \u0e04\u0e4a\u0e32\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e1a <\/strong>(kaaaaap, high tone). Slightly nod your head and smile just a bit as you draw out that vowel.<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s move on to \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30<\/strong>. This is a huge simplification, and there are actually many different ways it can be pronounced\/spelled, depending on the situation. Here are the most common as explained below.<\/p>\n

\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30<\/strong> Use this when you are answering a question, or stating a sentence.<\/p>\n

examples:<\/p>\n

\u0e2a\u0e27\u0e31\u0e2a\u0e14\u0e35\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30
\n\u0e02\u0e2d\u0e42\u0e17\u0e29\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30
\n\u0e19\u0e48\u0e32\u0e23\u0e31\u0e01\u0e08\u0e31\u0e07\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30
\n\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e01\u0e27\u0e19\u0e1e\u0e35\u0e48\u0e46\u0e0a\u0e48\u0e27\u0e22\u0e15\u0e2d\u0e1a\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30<\/p>\n

\u0e04\u0e30<\/strong> Use this word at the end of a question.<\/p>\n

examples:<\/p>\n

\u0e0a\u0e37\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e2d\u0e30\u0e44\u0e23\u0e04\u0e30
\n\u0e44\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e21\u0e32\u0e04\u0e30
\n\u0e17\u0e32\u0e19\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e27\u0e22\u0e31\u0e07\u0e04\u0e30
\n\u0e2d\u0e30\u0e44\u0e23\u0e19\u0e30\u0e04\u0e30<\/p>\n

\u0e04\u0e49\u0e32<\/strong> Use this when you want to be a little bit sarcastic.<\/p>\n

\u0e40\u0e04\u0e49\u0e32\u0e2b\u0e25\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e21\u0e32\u0e01\u0e04\u0e49\u0e32<\/p>\n

\u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e44\u0e14\u0e49\u0e25\u0e37\u0e21\u0e04\u0e49\u0e32<\/p>\n

\u0e02\u0e32<\/strong> Use this to be sweet sounding, such as when you will soon request for something.<\/p>\n

examples:<\/p>\n

\u0e41\u0e21\u0e48\u0e02\u0e32 \u0e2b\u0e19\u0e39\u0e02\u0e2d\u0e19\u0e49\u0e33\u0e14\u0e36\u0e21\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30<\/p>\n

\u0e2d\u0e32\u0e08\u0e32\u0e23\u0e22\u0e4c\u0e02\u0e32 \u0e14\u0e34\u0e09\u0e31\u0e19\u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e40\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e43\u0e08\u0e40\u0e23\u0e37\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e07\u0e19\u0e35\u0e49\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u0e02\u0e2d\u0e0a\u0e48\u0e27\u0e22\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22\u0e0b\u0e34\u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 \u2026 … and you get the idea<\/p>\n

Now that you understand the basics of krap and ka, I will now inform you that there are approximately 50 more ending particles each with similarly complicated rules. <evil grin><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When learning Thai, one of the very first things you learn are the words \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a (krap) and \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 (ka). For me, \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a was the very first Thai word I learned \u2013 and I still remember the day. As you should already know, \u0e04\u0e23\u0e31\u0e1a is for boys and \u0e04\u0e48\u0e30 is for girls.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[10208,10341],"tags":[12267],"class_list":["post-191","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-beginner","category-intermediate","tag-thai-ending-particles-krap-ka"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t