Meaning of the Issan phrase "na" ??

So, I've often heard the term ( or phrase or word I'm not quite sure which) but the sound "na" being used at the end of various sentences and I was always under the impression that maybe something heard more from Thai people who come from the Issan area and may not be absolutely correct grammatically or may be even be slightly "low class" vocabulary ( not my words but someone else's who had previously mentioned it to me). So I've always (totally guessed ) that it's used in maybe the same way as an English speaking person might use the phrase "eh".... i.e. fancy going down to the pub then eh? " or "that's one lovely day today eh" ?? So, am I correct about that or does it mean perhaps both this and a lot of other things as well or am I totally away off on a tangent and wrong and it perhaps means something totally different altogether??

This is all as I'm talking to a guy from Issan quite a bit of late and he's bad enough with all his Kap's at the end of every sentence lol but now he's driving me nuts "Na"ing it all over the place too ! lol :-)

So, answers on a postcard please ...... :-) well ok on the board then will have to do I guess :-)

Many thanks in anticipation !

In my experience it's an Asian thing - and whilst many Thais use "na" as you've pointed out, you'll find that many Vietnamese, Chinese, and Malaysians end sentences with "la"

I agree that there seems to be no actual meaning to it, it's just something they tag on to the end of a sentence - a kind of phonetic punctuation almost!

:hello2:

[gerefan2]

Thought it denoted that the last sentence was a question.

[llz]

Nothing especially isaan about this particle.
This is the definition given by the thai-language.com website (another great website for learning and improving thai) :
[word added to the end of a sentence to soften it, make it polite, indicate pleading, disagreement, ordering, surprise or emphasis]

Many examples at :
http://www.thai-language.com/id/131414

[vnman]

Thought it denoted that the last sentence was a question.

Yes, something like "not" or "no"

They often use it after an English sentence too: "I go with you, na?"

[martin911]

I think its used by somebody as a form of closeness if you know what i mean

I really only hear it from people i know pretty well

It sounds nice and looks cute when wrote INMHO

[cdnmatt]

There's actually two na's. Well, there's probably more, but I only know of two. The one you're probably hearing is used to soften a sentence. Think of it as a gesture of politeness. For example, if you're at a store, there's a chance you'll hear "bpaaep neung na krap". That's "just a moment", but with the "na" it's meant in more of a polite, friendly way. In other words, your new friend is being more friendly and informal with you now.

Then there's the other "na", which is kinda like adding an exclamation mark to your sentence. For example, "boi na" means "let go!" (eg. let go of my arm!). I don't know which tone is what, as I still haven't bothered screwing around too much with tones.

PS. Oh, and "na" isn't Issan. It's Thai.

PPS. If you're talking to someone from Issan, there's a 98% chance he's not going talk to you in Issan. He'll more than likely be talking to you in Thai. Issan is viewed as a poor man's language, so they're not going to use it when talking to a farang.

[vnman]

PPS. If you're talking to someone from Issan, there's a 98% chance he's not going talk to you in Issan. He'll more than likely be talking to you in Thai. Issan is viewed as a poor man's language, so they're not going to use it when talking to a farang.

Well, they can have their pick. the poor man's language or the "normal" version. My response will always be the same: :dontknow: duh!

Oh, and "na" isn't Issan. It's Thai. If you're talking to someone from Issan, there's a 98% chance he's not going talk to you in Issan. He'll more than likely be talking to you in Thai. Issan is viewed as a poor man's language, so they're not going to use it when talking to a farang.

Ah I see, thanks Matt ( and everyone else) although I was always very aware that I'd always heard it MUCH MUCH more in Pattaya and out in the sticks more so than in Bkk for example which is why I thought it was more of a country thing - but perhaps as you say it's just that it's probably country more so than city people I'm talking to in these areas and so they are be definition just inclined to be a bit less formal and a bit more friendly and relaxed perhaps then ?

Although I do recall some BKK Thai friends looking down on some Issan people who ended up out with me one evening where they were "na'ing" it all over the place and my Bkk friends did take a view that they were quite "low class" but I guess this couldn't have been about a hundred other things that I wasn't even aware of and the "na" thing was just the only difference that was obvious to ME perhaps.

So, basically then it's either a politeness "just a moment na" OR a slight angry threat " I'm going to break your arm if you don't let go of my arm na" - GREAT, that's not confusing at all then ! ha ha :-) No, I think I get it, like everything it's all abut context I guess.

Ha ha I'll really confuse the Thai's on my next trip and I'll start using it in the Northern Ireland context i.e. " Na, you go on without me I'm staying here" or "my friend said it's going to rain but I said na, no chance" lol - that'll really give them something to think about ! ha ha

[cdnmatt]

Ah I see, thanks Matt ( and everyone else) although I was always very aware that I'd always heard it MUCH MUCH more in Pattaya and out in the sticks more so than in Bkk for example

Ummm, not sure, but I can guarantee it's Thai, and not Issan.


Although I do recall some BKK Thai friends looking down on some Issan people who ended up out with me one evening where they were "na'ing" it all over the place and my Bkk friends did take a view that they were quite "low class" but I guess this couldn't have been about a hundred other things that I wasn't even aware of and the "na" thing was just the only difference that was obvious to ME perhaps.

Yeah, probably 100s of other things. Just think of your home country, putting a bunch of country hicks together with a bunch of city dwelling professionals. It's going to be pretty obvious who's who, right? Same thing here. Same shit, different pile. :-)

That, and if a bunch of Issan and BKK guys are out for the night together, you're not going to hear anyone talking Issan. They just wouldn't do that in front of a bunch of Bangkok city boys, or at least I'd be pretty surprised if they did. Maybe if a couple of them go off for a drink, or outside for a cigarette, they'll probably talk Issan together, but probably not in front of everyone like that.


So, basically then it's either a politeness "just a moment na" OR a slight angry threat " I'm going to break your arm if you don't let go of my arm na" - GREAT, that's not confusing at all then ! ha ha :-) No, I think I get it, like everything it's all abut context I guess.

Yeah, there's two of them. They each have a different tone, but I don't know which tone goes to what. You'll have to ask a Thai that one. :)

Yeah, there's two of them. They each have a different tone, but I don't know which tone goes to what. You'll have to ask a Thai that one. :)

Hmm yes I get all that now thanks - although somethings just occured to me re Thai etc - what if you're genuinely tone deaf etc ??? Does this mean that you'll never be able to learn a tonal language ???? And I know not many people are "actually" properly tone deaf in the medical / musical sense but there are some ( I used to play in a cabaret band and I can vouch for that fact after having to stand and "back" some of the most tone deaf buggers this side of Siberia !!! lol

[cdnmatt]

heh, no idea, and I think you can include me in the tone deaf category. :-)

Bloody tones aggravate the hell out of me. "No, it's not 'dtua', it's 'dtuA'".

Oh, fuck off... lol

No.........get it right it's not fuck off but Fuck OFF there's a difference you know! My god I don't know HOW you manage there at all sometimes !!! lol

[lukylok]

I have found this "tip" in the excellent thai2english.com dictionnary :

Using 'Na'

The particle р╕Щр╕░ n├б is extremely common in spoken and informal Thai, at least as much so as any of the polite particles. It's used to make a sentence sound gentler, softer or more persuasive, when expressing opinions or making statements looking for approval or agreement, when making compliments or encouraging statements, and to make commands, requests, criticisms and warnings seem less abrupt. n├б can be considered almost mandatory in requests and warnings, unless you want to sound particularly forceful.

Given it's wide range of uses, you'll almost never go wrong including n├б in a sentence if it seems appropriate to do so. Be a bit wary of over-usage though, as if you say it every other sentence it will make your speech quite repetitive sounding.

Tha├п2english.com


Hope this help

[gaymandenmark]

First time I heard it was when I said goodbuy to my ex-bf, before I went to the airport.
He liked to drink, just as me, but he said: Don't drink to much, na.
I understood it like "Don't drink to much, okay?"

[colmx]

I was always under the impression that the na at the end of a sentence was a bit of a gay thing!

Certainly you hear it more from katooey/toot boys than you would hear it from straight boys

Whenever my BF is taking off a camp person or pretending to be a complete mary he will always append Na to the end of his sentences

[fedssocr]

I was always under the impression that the na at the end of a sentence was a bit of a gay thing!

Certainly you hear it more from katooey/toot boys than you would hear it from straight boys

Whenever my BF is taking off a camp person or pretending to be a complete mary he will always append Na to the end of his sentences


Katooeys and gay boys use the feminine "ka" ending to their sentences rather than the masculine "khrap" (or it's many variable pronunciations), but I have never noticed any extra "na's" compared to the general population. I listen to Thai radio almost every day via the internet. Plenty of "na khrap" going on there.

Tone deaf or not, those of us who didn't grow up hearing the different tones have an almost impossible task in my opinion hearing the differences in the first place and then learning how to say them in the second place.

[christianpfc]

Wide range of possible translations/meanings, similar to "OK".

I think there was a thread on Thaivisa about Na, from which I remember this blog entry:

http://alif-shinobi.blogspot.fr/2011/07 ... -okay.html (http://alif-shinobi.blogspot.fr/2011/07/thai-particles-mom-took-my-iphone-okay.html)

(Excellent explanation, and by the way, I think the boy is cute.)

[gaymandenmark]

Of cource "na" is not the same as "kha", when I hear it, it is almost like "nah"
But I think it is getting more popular in the last few years to use it. Like "okay" or "understand" with a ? behind.
In that way I think it is more used in a intimate or friendly conversation.

[gaymandenmark]

Wide range of possible translations/meanings, similar to "OK".

I think there was a thread on Thaivisa about Na, from which I remember this blog entry:

http://alif-shinobi.blogspot.fr/2011/07 ... -okay.html (http://alif-shinobi.blogspot.fr/2011/07/thai-particles-mom-took-my-iphone-okay.html)

(Excellent explanation, and by the way, I think the boy is cute.)

Thank you for the link, and sure he is cute ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''',-) wink wink

[fedssocr]

he talks fast. And I couldn't tell the difference between his tones. He seems to think he is straight judging by his examples, but I am unconvinced. Nice lesson though.

[PeterUK]

I'm not confident enough in my spoken Thai to use particles like na very much. The one time I always use it is when saying 'arai na?' - what did you say? I use it - and hear it - a lot. ;)

[cdnmatt]

Just for you NIrish Guy.

[youtube:qsliytjm]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwSL-IUym08[/youtube:qsliytjm]

Apparently, you can't beat the Irish.

HA HA Ah matt that was excellent !! made me laugh and smile so much :-)) Even though a) I'm not a football supporter per se and couldn't care less about that sort of things except going to the pub to watch a match which is really just an excuse to drink beer perhaps and b) also my being from the "other side" of the whole Irish end of things etc ( but we'll not get in to that here as it would take WAY too long to explain and wouldn't make any sense to anyone - including me anyway lol) but that was excellent, those kids could DEFINITELY become honorary Irish Supporters at ANY match - so uplifting just to see kids having a good time and having a laugh.

Although whilst I know very little about football etc I do know even from what I've read in the press etc that there seems to be an issue with violence in Poland both in terms of racism and just plain badness from polish ( I won't say fans as the people fighting I'm sure aren't truly sports fans) but it's been on the news that it's being directed at other countries a lot so I'm not sure a national song entitled "You'll never beat the Irish" was the best choice of title as it sounds more like a challenge rather than a sporting statement - and knowing the Irish mentality with a few kegs of Guinness in them if riled that could be go either way - actually I just read to day that some Irish and English fans banned together and kicked the shit out of polish trouble makers who tried to start something in one of the irish / English supporters bars ! So, go poland, you've managed to Unite the Irish and English in one fell swoop, something that we couldn't do ourselves in 300 years !! ha ha - so well done :-)

I haven't gone to the website yet ( but I will) but I can only assume it's an Irish guy involved in their charity who has organised this to get the charity some PR and if so that was a very smart move as I think that video will go down a storm in Ireland, so thanks, that made me laugh - literally out loud - or as I know smiles likes it SO much just my standard "lol" will do instead perhaps :-)

oh wow - after going to that Charity's website ( www.goodchildfoundation.com (http://www.goodchildfoundation.com) ) what a great charity they are, well worth support, so much for my thoughts about it being one guy, they are SO much more than that ( even if those poor kids have ended up as Celtic supporters !! ) - (joking :-)

The Celtic Football Club connection is not to be joked about - it is most recently connected to one of the Good Child Foundation's volunteer workers - Celtic supporter Raemonn Gormley (19) - being stabbed to death in his home town of Blantyre in 2011, on his way home from watching a Celtic match in his local pub.

The 23yo murdererer (on bail at the time) received a minimum jail term of 19yrs.

As a result there is now a memorial to Raemonn in Thailand erected by the GCF and funded by CFC, and an ongoing conection between Celtic Football Club and the Good Child Foundation. Only a month or so ago CFC paid for many of the kids to come over to visit Scotland.

Not a simple football matter.

:occasion9:

[Sooty]

"na" is just the same as "um" in English isn't it?

yeah I noticed the guys memorial to that guy on their website, do you know Scots was that the catalyst that started the whole charity link then or what as I got the impression that the link up had maybe been going on for quite some time before that just based on the amount of support the charity had appeared to have received to date ?

And as for joking about them being Celtic supporters - well that's just the usual Celtic / Rangers banter as you well know coming from here and as I've already stated I've no "real" interest in football or the politics that unfortunately seem to go with it here so you can take it from me that that was level at which the humour was intended :-)

But fair play to the Celtic supporters ( is the club involved as well or just the supporters club I wonder ?) they seem to have made one hell of an impact to the schools daily life in a very positive way - except as I said all those poor kids ending up as Celtic supporters ! (JOKE !!!!) For the record I did go on and make a wee donation to the cause so to speak and also pasted the link onto my personal facebook page and I know at least three of my Ranger supporting mates coughed up as well ( even though it nearly choked them but they could see it was for a good cause) so it was a profitable wee post for the charity by Matt :-) Actually I didn't realise that the "Tiny Tims" where here in Belfast and Scotland only a month or two ago and rocked the place at every place they sang by the looks of it judging by all their videos on youtube, I'm sure the kids had an absolute ball and loved every minute of it here !


** Oh and sooty - based on all of the above posts, no I don't think it is the same as "um", there's a lot more to it than that it seems.

[Hmmm]

The explanation in terms of politness / softening in informal Thai speech is what I was taught in Thai language class.

But it's difficult to know when and how often to use it ... similar dificulty to if you're saying several phrases how many to put krap at the end of.

I don't think it's gay in any sense except that the gay boys possibly emphasize it a bit more in being overly sweet. Often used when a boy wants something .. "please nah ? .... honey nah ?".

My bf and his friends also got into often using the Singaporean "lah" at the end of (Thai) sentences for a while, but that thankfully seems to have died off.

He's from Isaan and I don't hear na when he speaks that (only with his family and friends when upcountry).

...My bf and his friends also got into often using the Singaporean "lah" at the end of (Thai) sentences for a while, but that thankfully seems to have died....

Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to in my previous post.
I get that from my bf too - who isn't Thai - I even get it in bloody SMS messages.
I formed the "impression" it was a camp thing - an affectation more than anything - and fucking annoying it is too.

:hello2:

[christianpfc]

"na" is just the same as "um" in English isn't it?
Not at all, as far as I can judge.

"Um" in English is "um" in romanized Thai, or (I forgot, but I recognize when I see it) in Thai.

[pong]

PPS. If you're talking to someone from Issan, there's a 98% chance he's not going talk to you in Issan. He'll more than likely be talking to you in Thai. Issan is viewed as a poor man's language, so they're not going to use it when talking to a farang.
UInless they are so badly educated that they do not know proper Thai-r ofeel too unsure about it. Seems to be very common among str8 bargirl chasers and even willing to learn some Thai-that they end up speaking the most awful lowly Isan dialects.

[martin911]

...My bf and his friends also got into often using the Singaporean "lah" at the end of (Thai) sentences for a while, but that thankfully seems to have died....

Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to in my previous post.
I get that from my bf too - who isn't Thai - I even get it in bloody SMS messages.
I formed the "impression" it was a camp thing - an affectation more than anything - and fucking annoying it is too.

:hello2:


Doesnt take a lot to annoy you so does it ??
Your "bf" is a lucky guy !!

....Your "bf" is a lucky guy !!

Bloody right about that!

But seriously - if every sentence uttered ended in a totally unnecessary "LA" it would get on most people's tits.

"No LA"
"Yes LA"
"I go to 7-11 LA"
...and the dreaded...... "UP TO YOU LA!"

:banghead:

[Neal]

Up to you pisses the hell out of me from them! :banghead:

AHHH :-) but it pisses the hell out of them even more once you learn to do it back - and keep doing it until they get the message and eventually they crack up and say "why you always say up to you, not up to me - up to you!!"" - and that conversation can go on for hours !!! :-)

[Sooty]

"na" is just the same as "um" in English isn't it?
Not at all, as far as I can judge.

"Um" in English is "um" in romanized Thai, or (I forgot, but I recognize when I see it) in Thai.What a literalist you are chris. I meant it performs the same function as "um", that is, it means nothing. If you left it out altogether it would not subtract from the meaning of what was being said

[christianpfc]

I meant it performs the same function as "um", that is, it means nothing. If you left it out altogether it would not subtract from the meaning of what was being said
Agreed.