ไม่ได้
mâi-dâaiMeanings
1NounA2
cannot; not allowed; impossible
Used after a verb or verb phrase to indicate inability, impossibility, or lack of permission; also used alone to mean ‘cannot’ or ‘not allowed’.
Examples
เด็กๆdèk dèkเด็กๆdèk dèk1children; kids2childish; immature3easy; trivial (colloquial)เล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] play (audio or video)7[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)ไฟfaiไฟfai1fire; flame2electricity; power3light (from a lamp)4signal light; indicator5anger; passion (figurative)ไม่ได้mâi dâaiไม่ได้mâi dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)อันตรายan-dtà-raaiอันตรายan-dtà-raai1danger; hazard2dangerous; hazardous
Children cannot play with fire. It's dangerous.
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I can't drive a car; I don't have a driver's license.
You must not talk loudly on the phone in the library.
ฉันchănอยากyàakช่วยchûuaiนะnáแต่dtàeเรื่องrêuuangนี้néeฉันchănตัดสินใจdtàt-sĭn-jaiแทนtaenเขาkăoไม่ได้mâi dâaiจริงๆjing jing
I want to help, but on this matter, I really can't decide for him.
2NounA2
did not
used before a verb to negate a past or completed action (often with a time phrase)
Examples
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)ไปทำงานbpai-tam-ngaanไปทำงานbpai-tam-ngaan[to] go to work
I didn't go to work yesterday.
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He didn't tell me he was coming today.
We didn't see each other at all during the trip to Chiang Mai.
ฉันchănไม่ได้mâi dâaiตั้งใจdtâng jaiจะjàทำให้tam hâiเธอterโกรธgròhtเลยloieนะnáขอโทษจริงๆkŏr-tôht jing jing
I really didn't mean to make you angry. I'm truly sorry.
3VerbA2
[to] fail to get/receive [sth]
to fail to obtain or receive something (e.g., ไม่ได้เงิน ‘didn’t get the money’)
Examples
น้องnɔ́ɔngน้องnɔ́ɔng1younger sibling2junior; younger person3I; you (for the younger person)ร้องไห้rɔ́ɔng-hâaiร้องไห้rɔ́ɔng-hâai[to] cry; weepเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)ของเล่นkɔ̌ɔng-lênของเล่นkɔ̌ɔng-lên1toy; plaything2novelty; fun gadget3plaything (figurative)
The little brother/sister is crying because he/she didn't get the toy.
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Last week I was sick, so I didn't get the diligence bonus.
I've applied to many places, but I haven't gotten a job yet.
ถึงจะtʉ̌ng-jàพยายามpá-yaa-yaamอย่างเต็มที่yàang-dtem-tîiแล้วlɛ́ɛoแต่dtɛ̀ɛเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂ไม่ได้mâi-dâaiทุนการศึกษาtun-gaan-sʉ̀k-sǎaที่tîiหวังwǎngไว้wái
Even though he tried his best, he didn't get the scholarship he was hoping for.
4AdjectiveA2
unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)
used as a predicate to judge something as not acceptable/impermissible (e.g., แบบนี้ไม่ได้ ‘This won’t do / This isn’t allowed’)
Examples
ทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níi1like this; in this way2this kind/type (modifier)3this kind (standalone)ไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)
You can't do it like this. / This won't do.
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You can't park here.
Wearing shorts to enter a temple is not allowed.
ทิ้งtíngเด็กdèkไว้wáiในรถnai-rótคนเดียวkon-diiaoไม่ได้mâi-dâaiเด็ดขาดdèt-kàatมันmanอันตรายan-dtà-raaiมากmâak
Leaving a child alone in the car is absolutely not permissible; it's very dangerous.
5InterjectionA2
No way!; absolutely not
a forceful refusal or contradiction used alone or as a quick reply
Examples
Aขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forยืมyʉʉmยืมyʉʉm1[to] borrow [sth]2[to] borrow [an idea, style, etc.]เงินngənเงินngən1money2funds; finances3silver (metal)หน่อยnɔ̀iหน่อยnɔ̀i1a little; a bit2polite softener (request)Bไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)
A: Can I borrow some money? B: No way! / Absolutely not!
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A: Can I go with you? B: No, you can't.
A: Let's go out tonight! B: Can't. I have an exam tomorrow.
Aบอกbɔ̀ɔkหัวหน้าhǔua-nâaว่าwâaคุณkunป่วยbpùuaiสิsìจะได้jà-dâaiไม่ต้องmâi-dtɔ̂ngมาmaaทำงานtam-ngaanBไม่ได้mâi-dâaiหรอกrɔ̀kทำtamแบบนั้นbɛ̀ɛp-nánไม่ดีmâi-dii
A: Just tell the boss you're sick so you don't have to come to work. B: Absolutely not. It's not right to do that.
6NounB1
not really/actually (corrective)
used before a verb/adjective/clause to gently contradict or downplay (e.g., ไม่ได้แพง ‘not really expensive’; ไม่ได้หมายความว่า… ‘does not mean that…’)
Examples
อาหารaa-hǎanอาหารaa-hǎan1food; nourishment2dish; meal3diet; what one eatsร้านนี้ráan-níiร้านนี้ráan-níithis shop; this storeก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)แพงpɛɛngแพงpɛɛng1expensive2costly; dearly paid for (figurative)อย่างที่yàang-tîiอย่างที่yàang-tîias; like; the way thatคิดkítคิดkít1[to] think; consider2[to] calculate; figure out3[to] charge (a price)4[to] intend; planนะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particle3wondering particle
The food at this restaurant isn't as expensive as I thought.
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He's not really angry at you; he might just be tired.
การที่gaan-tîiฉันchǎnไม่เห็นด้วยmâi-hěn-dûuaiก็gɔ̂ไม่ได้mâi-dâaiหมายความว่าmǎai-kwaam-wâaความคิดkwaam-kítของkɔ̌ɔngคุณkunไม่ดีmâi-diiนะná
Just because I disagree doesn't mean that your idea is bad.
ผมpǒmยอมรับyɔɔm-rápว่าwâaมันmanเป็นbpenงานngaanที่tîiท้าทายtáa-taaiแต่dtɛ̀ɛก็gɔ̂ไม่ได้mâi-dâaiยากyâakเกินgəənความสามารถkwaam-sǎa-mâatของkɔ̌ɔngทีมเราtiim-rao
I admit it's a challenging task, but it's not beyond our team's capabilities.
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
+
ได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerokay; sure; agreedPart 2
ไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâaicannot; not allowed; impossiblecannot; not allowed; impossibleWord