There is / there are (มี)

Expressing Existence with มี (There is / There are)

You already know that the verb มี means "to have". However, when it is placed at the beginning of a sentence—or used without a specific owner—it translates to "there is" or "there are".

To ask if something exists in a general area, you will often use the phrase แถวนี้ (around here). You can place this location at the end of the sentence, or pull it to the very front to establish it as the main topic.

Prepositions of Place and Quantity

To specify exactly where things are, Thai uses prepositions like ที่ (at) and ใน (in). Just like in English, these sit directly in front of the location noun.

To express that "there are a lot" or "there are many" of something, add the word เยอะ at the very end of the phrase, usually after the location.

Core Subject Pronouns: ฉัน and คุณ

Thai often drops pronouns when the context is clear, but it is important to know the core pronouns to talk about yourself and others explicitly.

• ฉัน means "I" or "me". It is the standard pronoun for female speakers, though it is also used more broadly in writing and general contexts.
• คุณ means "you". It is a polite and neutral way to address anyone.

These pronouns function exactly like standard subjects in English.

Describing Your Surroundings

You can combine your new pronouns, "there is/are", and prepositions to describe what is located near you or someone else. Another highly useful preposition for this is ใกล้ (near).

Notice how everything stacks together sequentially: first stating what exists, then stating where it is located.