If a Thai person said "Are you happy" in English?

[jauggy]

I have a Thai friend who said to me "Are you happy?" in English to me. Do they actually mean to ask this question? How does this translate back to Thai?

Were they intending to say "How are you?"

While "Are you happy?" is grammatically correct English, it is not a common phrase to use in English. Usually we might say something like "Are you happy with blah blah". When we want to know someone's well being we ask "How are you?" or "Are you doing alright?"

"Are you happy?" by itself sounds a bit strange in English. I wonder if something got lost in translation.

Edited March 4, 2015 by jauggy

[HeijoshinCool]

Means more like, are you well/relaxed/enjoying life? as opposed to, are you happy?

[jdinasia]

Just clap your hands and smile.

[KhunBENQ]

Maybe a simple translation from Thai, where sabai (สบาย) (also) means "to be happy".

sabai: [is] happy; comfortable; content; fine; well; cool; o.k.; good; nice

But surely the very popular phrases "sabai di mai" (สบายดีไหม) or "sabai di rue" (สบายดีหรือ) are not much more than "how are you?".

http://www.thai-language.com/id/212425 and others

[Boycie]

I have Thai lady friends say this to me all the time when i'm on my own ........i was thinking it's because they know Marlene (Mrs Boycie) really well and maybe could lend a helping hand

[Gecko123]

I have actually always taken this inquiry lliterally.

Most of the times I have been asked this question, I have sensed an element of concern or genuine interest whether I am happy or not.

I have never treated this as a euphemism or pleasantry for "how's it going, how have you been, etc."

I believe when Thais ask this they genuinely want to know if you feel happy in Thailand.

[Neeranam]

II am often asked :dee jai mai" so makes perfect sense to me to be asked "are you happy", meaning exactly that.

[Gecko123]

II am often asked :dee jai mai" so makes perfect sense to me to be asked "are you happy", meaning exactly that.

Not sure if I follow your logic here; asking if you're glad isn't the same as asking if you're happy.

[Baa_Mango]

I think for a lot of Thais it may be direct translation of สบายดีมั้ย which is a kinda rhetorical greeting..where the deeper kinda question (from Thai side) would be ดีใจมั้ย.. would consider the context of the conversation and the person asking