What Does นะ "na" Mean?

[rgs2001uk]

how is it that น่ะ can be mid or falling tone?

Depends on the context its used, try the following link to Thai particles, you may have to scroll down to find the explanations for น่ะ

http://siamsmile.webs.com/thaiparticles/thaiparticles.html#NAf

[KunMatt]

This may be an incorrect observation, but I notice women tend to use this particle more often than men.

I think you're right, but I've also gotten into the habit of using นะ at the end of most of my sentences to make them sound lighthearted or if I am joking. I think I've somehow replace ครับ with นะ in everyday usage too. I need to get out of that habit.

[aitch]

how is it that น่ะ can be mid or falling tone?

Low Consonants - 'The use of the 1st marker with a short vowel in dead syllables occurs almost exclusively with particles, and these are few in number. In any other circumstances it is exetremely rare.' I found that in Mary Haas 'The Thai System of Writing', page 33 under Rare Tones. ค่ะ is used as an example.

I can't seem to sort out the mid tone น่ะ though.

[nalaknarak]

how is it that น่ะ can be mid or falling tone?

Low Consonants - 'The use of the 1st marker with a short vowel in dead syllables occurs almost exclusively with particles, and these are few in number. In any other circumstances it is exetremely rare.' I found that in Mary Haas 'The Thai System of Writing', page 33 under Rare Tones. ค่ะ is used as an example.

I can't seem to sort out the mid tone น่ะ though.

I believe na with the mid tone is a variant form of na with the high tone.

[konjianghai]

'noh' is more likely to be used in suggestion for an agreement. For example, today weather is good, don't you think so? Wan nee agaat dee, noh?

Yes, that was my understanding too as in ...'we're coming too, right?' but is it a 'northern thing'? or is it heard all over? (I've not had that much exposure to Thai in the rest of the country )

Same meaning but Noh is more Northern usage. Either you use any of them it is understood by all people. Just different accent and dialect.

[alvin80]

guy how about this nothern use of ก๋า..? [บ่อห่านก๋า]

similiar right?

[transam]

OP, means, ''it's OK''.

[Mole]

guy how about this nothern use of ก๋า..? [บ่อห่านก๋า]

similiar right?

No, ก๋า is a question word. If someone says ก๋า it means it's a question and means something like "right?"

in central dialect, this word would be เหรอ

[konjianghai]

guy how about this nothern use of ก๋า..? [บ่อห่านก๋า]

similiar right?

For all readers dont be confuse, this is not Standard Thai language, please skip it when you're not learning Northern Thai.

ก๋า = questioning = isnt?

กะ/ก่ะ = confirming = oh really

ก้า=wondering/thinking about something but not sure = i think/i guess/maybe

Examples :

บ่อห่านก๋า Dont you see it? <--- is asking you're not seeing it or something?

บ่อห่านกะ/ก่ะ Dont you see. <---not asking you but only confirm your action.

บ่อห่านก้า Dont think he/she see it. <---maybe/not sure he or she see it

ก้า can be as well as a question as well as not, depend on how someone is saying.

Another word people tend to use after ก้า is ห๋า to volume up and becomes like a question.

บ่อห่านก้าห๋า <---when these 2 are together is really a questioning either for the person who is saying (mostly wonder question for themself) or to other person (lesser).

Overall ก๋า-ก่ะ/กะ is similar to Japanese Desu Ka. Even with no question mark...it is a question.

Edited November 4, 2011 by konjianghai

[konjianghai]

For Standard Thai *นะ* beside OK it also mean Please.

ไปด้วยกันนะ นะ นะ นะ Please go together...please please please...

Beside นะ central Thai also have เนอะ.

Is different because เนอะ is more like a question/wondering particle.

[konjianghai]

guy how about this nothern use of ก๋า..? [บ่อห่านก๋า]

similiar right?

For all readers dont be confuse, this is not Standard Thai language, please skip it when you're not learning Northern Thai.

ก๋า = questioning = isnt?

กะ/ก่ะ = confirming = oh really

ก้า=wondering/thinking about something but not sure = i think/i guess/maybe

Examples :

บ่อห่านก๋า Dont you see it? <--- is asking you're not seeing it or something?

บ่อห่านกะ/ก่ะ Dont you see. <---not asking you but only confirm your action.

บ่อห่านก้า Dont think he/she see it. <---maybe/not sure he or she see it

ก้า can be as well as a question as well as not, depend on how someone is saying.

Another word people tend to use after ก้า is ห๋า to volume up and becomes like a question.

บ่อห่านก้าห๋า <---when these 2 are together is really a questioning either for the person who is saying (mostly wonder question for themself) or to other person (lesser).

Overall ก๋า-ก่ะ/กะ is similar to Japanese Desu Ka. Even with no question mark...it is a question.

Skip this standard Thai learners...this reply just for Northern Thai.

I forgot Northern Thai have ก่อ too is the same as ก่ะ/กะ/ก๋า. Question particle.

While central Thai have นะ and เนอะ. Northern Thai have similar but more.

Normal Tone นะ (central Thai) equal เน่อ (northern Thai) = ok

Higher Tone นะ (speak as น้า) equal เน้อ (northern Thai = ok/please

เนอะ (central Thai) equal เนาะ (nothern Thai) = isnt/Ok/right <---more as a question

Another word which i can find no similarity to central Thai is หน๋า in lower tone. หน๋า =please/question

Similar to หน๋า is หนะ. หนะ = really but more confirming then a question

แต้หน๋า = really really... something like จริงๆ in central Thai.

Keep in mind sometime you can mix it and it will be different, or depend on how someone is speaking to you.

Examples for those words/particle :

ขอหน๋า ใด้ก่อ ... = Can i have it please (?) Is it okay/possible (?)

อิดจั๋ยแต้หนะ = i'm really tired /fed up.

Nothern Thai is a very playful language. Beside these words people use อี้ as a question mark as well as refering to a person or talking about object.

Examples :

คนจะอี้ เป๋นคนจะได what kind of this person is like?

จะอี้ ดีก่อ Is it good/ok like this?

ของแต้อี้ For real? Really? It's true? (talking about an object or subject)

You can just use ก๋า-กะ/ก่ะ-ก้า-ก่อ-เนาะ-อี้ to answer or to ask a question.

Example to answer :

Your friend : หันคนเปิ้นว่า บ้านนิมีผี People said this house is haunted.

ํYou : ก๋า or กะ/ก่ะ or อี้ Really?

Example to ask a question :

You : เฮามาถูกตางกั๋นก่อ or กะ/ก่ะ or ก๋า or เนาะ or อี้ Are we going to the right direction?

Edited November 4, 2011 by konjianghai