ไม่เป็นอะไร

[madjbs]

In another thread people have pointed out how traditionally "ไม่เป็นไร" comes from "ไม่เป็นอะไร".

In peoples experience, do you often here the full version being spoken or not?

Personally, I never hear the full version being spoken with the"อะ", but, my Thai friends are all young and use a lot of slang and "teenage language" etc.., which could explain why I never recall it being spoken.

Another member is claiming via PM that "ไม่เป็นอะไร" means "something done badly"and is not to be confused with the commonly used "ไม่เป็นไร". Personally I believe that to be incorrect, but, has any members here heard it used in that way?

Over to the language gurus

[rgs2001uk]

Always hear the former, ไม่เป็นไร.

Dont think I have ever heard, ไม่เป็นอะไร.

Not something I have ever given much thought.

Not being a guru I could of course be wrong.

[withnail]

I think I've heard it but with different meaning, such as 'there's nothing wrong with me' or 'there's nothing between us/them' as เป็น can mean "being ill" or "being in a relationship".

I don't think I've heard it in place of ไม่เป็นไร though I assumed that's where it came from.

[meadish_sweetball]

I think I've heard it but with different meaning, such as 'there's nothing wrong with me'

Seconded.

[bhoydy]

I think I've heard it but with different meaning, such as 'there's nothing wrong with me'

Seconded.

I've heard it and used it as an answer to เป็นอะไร - what's wrong with you? ไม่เป็นอะไร - nothing's wrong

[Rikker]

I'm not sure if it's historically true that ไม่เป็นไร comes from ไม่เป็นอะไร, because ไร is a separate word, and อะไร probably comes from อันไร (note that the formal version of อะไร is อันใด -- ใด and ไร aren't the same word, of course, but that provides some support for the idea of อะไร coming from อันไร).

We also have เท่าไร and อย่างไร, and less commonly เพียงไร เช่นไร ทีไร สิ่งไร เหตุไร, etc. I'd guess that ทำไม derives from ทำไร, though I don't have support for that claim, other than that phonetic changes like this are very common, where one consonant assimilates to another one next to it.

So overall I'd say that ไม่เป็นไร is a fixed phrase not interchangeable with ไม่เป็นอะไร. But as pointed out ไม่เป็นอะไร can mean other things. It can also mean "insignificant". You might say, เวลาฉันมองขึ้นไปในท้องฟ้า อดนึกไม่ได้ถึงความไม่เป็นอะไรเลยของตัวเอง "When I look up at the sky I can't help but think of my utter insignificance."

[thamling]

How about if something really matters, can you say เป็นไร ?

[bhoydy]

How about if something really matters, can you say เป็นไร ?

If you are having a problem and someone says ไม่เป็นไร you could say เป็นซิ to impy that something matters or actually is a problem.

[In the Rai!]

I think I've heard it but with different meaning, such as 'there's nothing wrong with me'

Seconded.

I've heard it and used it as an answer to เป็นอะไร - what's wrong with you? ไม่เป็นอะไร - nothing's wrong

Hi all,

I would agree with Withnail. As far I understand they would be used like this:

ไม่เป็นอะไร - "There is nothing wrong with me" or "I am fine" is regarding a persons health & wellbeing.

ไม่เป็นไร - "no problem" or "nevermind" (referring to a situation)

cheers

In the Rai!