อ้ายๆ
âai âaiMeaning
1InterjectionB2
hey (older male)!
A call used mainly in Isan and Northern Thai to get the attention of an older boy or young man, or a male worker; friendly or neutral depending on context.
Examples
อ้ายๆâai âaiอ้ายๆâai âaihey (older male)!ขอทางหน่อยkŏr taang nòiขอทางหน่อยkŏr taang nòiExcuse me; let me passครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)ผมpŏmผมpŏm1I; me (male speaker, polite)2hair (on the head)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8auxiliary marking emphasis or resultของkŏngของkŏng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyเก็บgèpเก็บgèp1to keep; store; put away2to collect; pick up; gather3to tidy up; put in order4to keep back; save5[to] harvest; pick (fruit/flowers)6to charge; take (a fee/payment)7[to] tuck in; gather up (hair/clothes)หลังร้านlăng ráanหลังร้านlăng ráanback of the shop
Hey, brother! Excuse me, I need to take this to the back of the store.
3 more examplesShow less
Hey, big bro, come over here! Come help me lift this for a bit.
พอporรถrótจอดjòtสนิทsà-nìtเธอterก็gâwรีบrêepตะโกนเรียกdtà-gohn rîiakรถสองแถวrót sŏng tăeoคันkanข้างหน้าkâang nâaว่าwâaอ้ายๆâai âaiจอดjòtรับrápตรงนี้dtrong néeด้วยdûuayค่ะkâ
As soon as the car stopped, she quickly shouted to the songthaew driver ahead, "Hey, driver! Stop and pick me up here!"
เด็กน้อยdèk nôiเห็นhĕnคนงานก่อสร้างkon ngaan gòr sâangกำลังgam-langพักเหนื่อยpák nèuayอยู่ใต้yòo dtâiต้นไม้dtôn máaiเลยloieเดินเข้าไปdern kâo bpaiถามtăamเบาๆbao baoว่าwâaอ้ายๆâai âaiเห็นhĕnแม่mâeผมpŏmบ่bòครับkráp
The little boy saw a construction worker resting tiredly under a tree, so he walked up and asked softly, "Excuse me, sir, have you seen my mom?"
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is อ้ายๆ said อ้าย-อ้าย?
âai âai
Thai spelling does not always show how a word sounds. This is how it is said.
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Falling tone
âai
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Mid class + Mai tho → Falling
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |