If you listen to Thai people speak for just a few minutes, you’ll definitely hear certain short words repeated over and over again at the end of sentences.

Words like na, ka, krap, mai, or loei.

These are called sentence particles.

If you translate a Thai sentence directly into English word-for-word, these particles often don’t have a direct meaning.

You might ask, “Why are they there if they don’t mean anything?”

Think of sentence particles as the “emojis” of spoken Thai.

Just like a smiling emoji 😊 changes the feeling of a text message, a particle changes the emotion, politeness, or intent of a spoken sentence.

They can turn a statement into a question, a command into a request, or a rude remark into a soft suggestion.

Using them correctly is a step to sounding like a native Thai speaker.

What are sentence particles?

In English, we use our tone of voice to show emotion.

If I say “Sit down” with a harsh voice, it’s an order.

If I say it with a soft voice, it’s an invitation.

In Thai, because it is a tonal language, you cannot change the pitch of words too much without changing their meaning.

So, instead of using intonation, we use particles at the end of the sentence to show how we feel.

The politeness particles: Ka and Krap

The very first particles you must learn are the ones that show respect. Using these makes your speech formal and polite. If you don’t use them, you might sound a bit abrupt or rude to strangers.

Krap (ครับ)

This is used by male speakers. You put it at the end of a sentence to make it polite. It can also be used on its own to say “yes” or to acknowledge that you are listening.

Ka (ค่ะ / คะ)

This is used by female speakers. It is a little bit trickier than krap because it changes tone depending on how you use it.

1. Falling tone (Ka - ค่ะ): Used for statements, answers, and agreeing.
2. High tone (Ka - คะ): Used for questions or calling someone’s attention.

Question particles: Mai, Ror and Chai Mai

In English, we switch words around to ask a question (e.g., “You are hungry” becomes “Are you hungry?”).

In Thai, the sentence order stays exactly the same. We just add a “question mark” word at the end.

Mai (ไหม)

This is the most standard way to turn a statement into a Yes/No question.

Ror (เหรอ)

This is often pronounced as lor or rer. It indicates surprise or seeks confirmation. It’s like saying “Really?” or “Oh, is that so?” in English.

Chai mai (ใช่ไหม)

This translates to “Right?” or “Isn’t it?“. You use this when you are pretty sure of the answer, but you want the other person to agree with you.

Softening and persuasive particles: Na, Si and Tuh

These are the particles that really give your Thai some “flavor.” They help manage the relationship between you and the listener.

Na (นะ)

Na is used to soften a sentence. It makes a statement sound friendlier, or turns a command into a gentle request. It can roughly mean “okay?” or “please.”

If you say “Don’t forget” without a particle, it sounds like an order. If you add na, it sounds like a friendly reminder.

Si (สิ)

Si acts like an imperative or an encouragement. It conveys “Go ahead” or “Do it.” It can also indicate that something should be obvious.

Tuh (เถอะ)

This is a persuasive particle used to urge someone to do something. It is very similar to “Let’s…” in English.

Emphasis particles: Jang, Loei and Rok

These particles add weight or emotion to your adjectives and verbs.

Jang (จัง)

This simply means “very” or “so much,” but it is used more as an exclamation of feeling.

Loei (เลย)

Loei has many meanings, but as a particle at the end of a sentence, it usually means “completely,” “at all,” or acts as an intensifier like “totally.”

Rok (หรอก)

This particle is used in negative sentences. It contradicts what someone else thinks or softens a refusal. It implies “No (contrary to what you might believe).”

Regional variations

Thailand has four main regions, and the spoken language changes in each one. While standard Thai is understood everywhere, people often use their local particles to show warmth and local identity.

If you travel, you might hear these:

• Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai): They often use jao (เจ้า) instead of ka for women. It sounds very sweet and polite.
• Northeastern Thailand (Isan): They often use der (เด้อ) at the end of sentences to mean “okay” or for emphasis, similar to na or si.

Summary table of common particles

Here is a quick reference guide to help you memorize them.

Learning tip

Don’t try to memorize the grammar rules for these too strictly.

Particles are about feeling.

The best way to learn them is to listen to how Thai people speak in Thai dramas or real life.

Try to mimic the whole sentence, including the particle.