i need a quick, short and sharp way to say "no comments" to use in situation where i do not wish to participate in a conversation. when people are gossiping and they ask me for my views, i used to just say "mai ru"...but i wanna get a stronger, firmer message across to them without sounding rude.

a friend told me to use "mai dtong phuut" but it doesn't quite sound right to me...any other suggestions?

thanks heaps!!

Normally Thai people would say it in English 'no comment'. But if you want a Thai phrase for it, then, it is 'ไม่มีความเห็น'. But if you want it stronger, you should say 'ไม่มีความเห็นใด ๆ ทั้งสิ้น' - no any comments at all.

THX!!!!!!

i need a quick, short and sharp way to say "no comments" to use in situation where i do not wish to participate in a conversation. when people are gossiping and they ask me for my views, i used to just say "mai ru"...but i wanna get a stronger, firmer message across to them without sounding rude.

a friend told me to use "mai dtong phuut" but it doesn't quite sound right to me...any other suggestions?

thanks heaps!!

You might want to use "mai phuut dii kwaa" or "mai yaak phuut" to imply you are not happy with the direction of the conversation.

Edited May 21, 200818 yr by Johpa

You can also use ไม่ขอตอบ, which roughly means 'I'd rather not answer that'. Politicians use it now and again, along with Yoot's suggested phrase. It probably sounds a bit too stuffy for an office conversation, though - much like 'no comment'.

all the best.

Good post

Wiley Coyote

thanks again everyone for your suggestions...i tried yoot's "mai mii kwaam hen"...worked a charm!! i'll keep the rest in my back pocket for when they get sick of my "mai mii kwaam hen"

My "Passa Thai" is quite limited so I am NOT criticizing anything here, just wondering... Wouldn't "mai phuut dii kwaa" mean something like "don't speak better", and "mai yaak phuut", "not difficult to speak"? Or am I taking something in the wrong tone? This is probably very likely! Thanks for any clarification.

i need a quick, short and sharp way to say "no comments" to use in situation where i do not wish to participate in a conversation. when people are gossiping and they ask me for my views, i used to just say "mai ru"...but i wanna get a stronger, firmer message across to them without sounding rude.

a friend told me to use "mai dtong phuut" but it doesn't quite sound right to me...any other suggestions?

thanks heaps!!

You might want to use "mai phuut dii kwaa" or "mai yaak phuut" to imply you are not happy with the direction of the conversation.

Mai puut de kwah - better (if I) don't speak

Mai yaak puut - don't want to speak

อยาก - want

ยาก - difficult

Totster

Mai puut de kwah - better (if I) don't speak

Mai yaak puut - don't want to speak

อยาก - want

ยาก - difficult

Totster

Oh I see, that make sense, "Not speak is better". I knew that yaak can mean "difficult" but I didn't know it could mean "want", obviously in another tone. Thank you for clarifying that. I need to do some more formal studying of the language. I have learned entirely just by asking questions and listening. I find that I have picked up a good collection of words that allows me to make small talk better than a friend that has studied a limited amount. He probably know more words and has a better understanding of some concepts but he doesn't know as many of the commonly used words, and has more trouble with the sentence structure. However, in the long run he will probably be better off. But as I said, I do need to take some classes etc.

If you want to be curt, and someone is pressing for a response, "mai bork" might suffice. Or "mai bork dee gwar" to soften it slightly.

(no thai character input on my PC)

Edited May 26, 200818 yr by sgtpeppers

Here a quick suggestion

A fast and easy way to type with thai fonts is the EngThaiCon. Is a stand alone executable program (only 2Mb) that allows you to type on a virtual keyboard and then copy&paste the entry where you need

If you want to be curt, and someone is pressing for a response, "mai bork" might suffice. Or "mai bork dee gwar" to soften it slightly.

(no thai character input on my PC)

That is not quite grammatical. The verb bork usually requires the addition of waa as in khao bork waa usually translated as "he said that".

Now there is a word in English, "that", which is as difficult to translate properly as "ko" in Thai.

That is not quite grammatical. The verb bork usually requires the addition of waa as in khao bork waa usually translated as "he said that".

Now there is a word in English, "that", which is as difficult to translate properly as "ko" in Thai.

Despite this I heared the expression ไม่บอก often from thai people who wouldn't answer a question.

Maybe it's uncorrect and an impolite way to speak, but often use as far as I know

Alternative responses to the original conundrum are :

1) 'Dtaahm jai' ตามใจ (please yourself)

2) Agree by saying 'Gor chai yang-ngai' ก็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็ใช่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่อย่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่างไง (yes; of course; I agree)

3) Disagree by saying 'Mai rock' ไม่่่่่หรอก (no; not at all), or just 'Mai' ไม่่่่่

4) I'm not interested : 'Mai son jai (leuy)' ไม่่่่่สนใจ(เลย)

5) Just smile or nod.

Don't always feel obliged to enter into dialogue as you might in English.

Edited May 27, 200818 yr by Trevor

If you want to be curt, and someone is pressing for a response, "mai bork" might suffice. Or "mai bork dee gwar" to soften it slightly.

(no thai character input on my PC)

That is not quite grammatical. The verb bork usually requires the addition of waa as in khao bork waa usually translated as "he said that".

Now there is a word in English, "that", which is as difficult to translate properly as "ko" in Thai.

Sorry but I have to disagree on this point. บอก can appear with or without an accompanying ว่า.

ฉันรู้แต่ฉันไม่อยากบอก

I know, but I don't want to say.

ไม่บอก

I'm not telling.

หมอบอกว่าไม่ต้องกลัวเรื่องไข้หวัดนก

The doc said there's no need to worry about bird flu.

ไม่เคยบอกใครเลย

I've never told a soul.

มีคนบอกว่าโปรแกรมเมอร์เงินดี

I've heard that programmers make good money.

etc.

Trevor, I never realised you can stack up tone markers like that! Now I try it, it's also possible to stack vowels too. Hmm...

all the best.

Alternative responses to the original conundrum are :

1) 'Dtaahm jai' ตามใจ (please yourself)

2) Agree by saying 'Gor chai yang-ngai' ก็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็ใช่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่อย่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่่างไง (yes; of course; I agree)

3) Disagree by saying 'Mai rock' ไม่่่่่หรอก (no; not at all), or just 'Mai' ไม่่่่่

4) I'm not interested : 'Mai son jai (leuy)' ไม่่่่่สนใจ(เลย)

5) Just smile or nod.

Don't always feel obliged to enter into dialogue as you might in English.

Great post, Trevor.

Number 2: maybe translates as "Yeah, whatever..."

Number 5: The classic Thai disagreement statement. Smile and silence. Universally understood here!

Among close friends, I sometimes reply to a statement I disagree with by using a long, drawn-out, high-pitched "Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Necessary sarcastic tone of voice does limit its use to the most informal situations, though. Not recommended when your boss tells you the copier's out of paper, for example!