When อะไร (ʔaray) does not mean what
This lesson we will discuss the word อะไร (ʔaray) when it does not mean a question word ‘what?’ anymore. When you use อะไร (ʔaray) in a negative sentence, it will be translated as the word anything.
ไม่ (mây) … อะไร (ʔaray) = not … anything
For example
1.
– ผมไม่มีอะไร
– phôm mây mii ʔaray
– I don’t have anything
2.
– ฉันยังไม่กินอะไร
– chán yaŋ mây kin ʔaray
– I still haven’t eaten anything.
3.
– เขาไม่คิดอะไรเลย
– kháw mây khít ʔaray ləəy
– She did think anything.
4.
– คุณจะไม่ทำอะไรเลยใช่ไหม
– khun ca mây tham ʔaray ləəy chây-máy
– You will not do anything at all right?
อะไร (ʔaray) = thing, something
You can also use the word อะไร (ʔaray) as the word things or something in an abstract meaning. Looks at the examples below.
For example
1.
– ฉันชอบอะไรอย่างนี้
– chán chɔ̂ɔp ʔaray yàaŋ-níi
– I like something like this.
2.
– มันเป็นอะไรที่คุณจะไม่เข้าใจ
– man pen ʔaray thîi khun ca mây khâw-cay
– It is something that you will not understand.
3.
– เวลาว่างผมจะทำอะไรที่ชอบ
– weelaa wâaŋ phǒm ca tham ʔaray thîi chɔ̂ɔp
– When I’m free I will do things that I like.
4.
– เขาชอบพูดอะไรไร้สาระ
– kháw chɔ̂ɔp phûut ʔaray ráy sǎará
– He likes saying something which is nonsense.
อะไร (ʔaray)… ก็ (kɔ̂ɔ) = whatever
อะไร (ʔaray) can be used as the word whatever as well. See examples below.
For example
1.
– คุณอยากทำอะไรก็ทำ
– khun yàak tham ʔaray kɔ̂ɔ tham
– You do whatever you want.
2.
– ผมกินอะไรก็ได้
– phǒm kin ʔaray kɔ̂ɔ dâay
– I can eat whatever.
3.
– ผมทำอะไรก็ผิด
– phǒm tham ʔaray kɔ̂ɔ phìt
– Whatever I do is (always) wrong.
4.
– ฉันแนะนำอะไรเขาก็ไม่เห็นด้วย
– chán nǽnam ʔaray kháw kɔ̂ɔ mây hěn-dûay
– Whatever I suggest, he does not agree.
I hope these examples might help you to understand more about the word อะไร (ʔaray) when it does not mean a question word what.
