ไม่ว่า
mâi-wâaMeanings
1ConjunctionB1
no matter; regardless (whether/what/who)
Introduces conditions showing that the result is true in all cases (e.g., ไม่ว่าใคร/ที่ไหนที่ไหนtîi-nǎi1where?2wherever (with ก็)3no way!; not at all (colloq.)/เมื่อไรเมื่อไรmʉ̂ʉa-rai1when (question word)2when; whenever (time clause) ‘no matter who/where/when’).
Examples
ไม่ว่าmâi-wâaไม่ว่าmâi-wâa1no matter; regardless (whether/what/who)2whether (…or not)ใครkraiใครkrai1who2anyone; whoeverจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)พูดpûutพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutอะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2what; what kind of (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ทำต่อtam-dtɔ̀ɔทำต่อtam-dtɔ̀ɔ[to] continue; [to] carry on
No matter what anyone says, I will keep going.
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ไม่ว่าmâi-wâaเมื่อไรmʉ̂ʉa-raiที่tîiเธอtəəต้องการdtɔ̂ng-gaanความช่วยเหลือkwaam-chûuai-lʉ̌ʉaโทรหาtoo-hǎaฉันchǎnได้dâaiเสมอsà-mə̌ə
No matter when you need help, you can always call me.
ไม่ว่าmâi-wâaคุณkunจะjàมาจากmaa-jàakที่ไหนtîi-nǎiหรือrʉ̌ʉมีmiiพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎanอย่างไรyàang-raiที่นี่tîi-nîiให้โอกาสhâi-oo-gàatเท่าเทียมกันtâo-tiiam-gan
No matter where you come from or what your background is, here you are given equal opportunity.
2ConjunctionB2
whether (…or not)
Used to introduce alternatives, often paired with หรือไม่หรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâi1or not? (question particle)2whether ... or not ‘or not’.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillถามtǎamถามtǎam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeเธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyกับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)หรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâiหรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâi1or not? (question particle)2whether ... or notไม่ว่าmâi-wâaไม่ว่าmâi-wâa1no matter; regardless (whether/what/who)2whether (…or not)เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ตอบตกลงdtɔ̀ɔp-dtòk-longตอบตกลงdtɔ̀ɔp-dtòk-long[to] agree (to [sth]); accept [sth]; say yes (to [sth]); consent (to [sth])หรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâiหรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâi1or not? (question particle)2whether ... or notเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerพร้อมprɔ́ɔmพร้อมprɔ́ɔm1ready; prepared2along with; together with3equipped; provided with4together; simultaneouslyรับฟังráp-fangรับฟังráp-fang1[to] listen (attentively); hear out2[to] take into account
He asked whether you would go with us or not; whether you agree or not, he’s ready to listen.
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ครูkruuจะjàตรวจงานdtrùuat-ngaanทุกคนtúk-konไม่ว่าmâi-wâaเธอtəəจะjàส่งsòngวันนี้wan-níiหรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâiก็gɔ̂ควรkuuanเตรียมไว้dtriiam-wáiให้เรียบร้อยhâi-rîiap-rɔ́ɔi
The teacher will check everyone’s work; whether you submit today or not, you should have it ready.
บริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtกำลังgam-langชั่งใจchâng-jaiว่าwâaจะjàลงทุนlong-tunเพิ่มpə̂əmหรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâiไม่ว่าmâi-wâaผลการตัดสินpǒn-gaan-dtàt-sǐnใจjaiจะjàออกมาɔ̀ɔk-maaอย่างไรyàang-raiแผนสำรองpɛ̌ɛn-sǎm-rɔɔngก็gɔ̂พร้อมprɔ́ɔmแล้วlɛ́ɛo
The company is weighing whether to invest more. No matter how the decision turns out, the backup plan is ready.
เราraoควรkuuanอภิปรายà-pí-bpraaiว่าwâaควรkuuanเลื่อนlʉ̂ʉanกำหนดส่งgam-nòt-sòngหรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâiไม่ว่าmâi-wâaเสียงส่วนใหญ่sǐiang-sùuan-yàiจะjàเห็นด้วยhěn-dûuaiหรือไม่rʉ̌ʉ-mâiก็gɔ̂ต้องdtɔ̂ngมีเหตุผลmii-hèet-pǒnรองรับrɔɔng-ráp
We should discuss whether we should postpone the deadline or not; whether the majority agrees or not, there must be reasons to support it.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
mâi
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → 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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
+
ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticize[to] say; tellPart 2
ไม่ว่าmâi-wâaไม่ว่าmâi-wâano matter; regardless (whether/what/who)no matter; regardless (whether/what/who)Word