Skip to main content
Thai GrammarThai VerbsThai Vocabulary

Learn Thai Vocabulary |เคย – Used to do or be | Have ever done or been

How to say have ever done | been or used to be in Thai

Have you ever Thai language - เคย

The word เคย /kəəi/ means used to do/be or have ever done/been.

The pattern “เคย /kəəi/+ Verb (Phrase)” is used to describe an action that (a) has occurred on at least one occasion in the past, or (b) that has occurred habitually in the past. It can occur withแล้ว /lɛ́ɛo/for added emphasis. When preceded by the negative word ไม่ /mâi/it means ‘never’ and often occurs in the pattern “ไม่เคย /mâi kəəi/ …… มาก่อน /maa gɔ̀ɔn/” (never …… before).

For example:

ผมเคยไป(เที่ยว)เชียงใหม่ /pǒm kəəi bpai (tîao) chiang-mài/

= I have been to Chiang Mai.

 

ฉันไม่เคยกินอาหารญี่ปุ่นมาก่อน /chán mâi kəəi gin aa-hǎan yîi-bpùnmaa gɔ̀ɔn/

= I have never eaten Japanese food before.

 

คุณเคยไป(เที่ยว)หัวหินไหม /kun kəəi bpai (tîao) hǔa-hǐn mái/

= Have you ever been to Hua Hin?

 

When เคย /kəəi/occurs in the questions, it means ‘Have you ever ……?’. A ‘yes’ answer is เคย /kəəi/ (+ Verb)” and a ‘no’ answer is “ไม่เคย /mâi kəəi/ (+ Verb)”.

For example:

Q: คุณเคยไปเที่ยวหัวหินไหม /kun kəəi bpai (tîao) hǔa-hǐn mái/

     = Have you ever been to Hua Hin?

A: เคย(ไป) /kəəi (bpai)/ = Yes, I have.              ไม่เคย(ไป) /mâi kəəi (bpai)/ = No, I haven’t.

I hope you have learnt something new and that you have enjoyed this blog.

If you would like to learn more  Thai you are welcome to look at our other blog lessons, or see our videos YouTube site or follow us in Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook or Google+ – links at the top of our page.

By Prae
Thai Language Teacher