Log inSign up

มี　ต้นไม้　ใหญ่　ใกล้　บ้าน　ไหม　คะ

มี　ต้นไม้　ใหญ่　ใกล้　บ้าน　ไหม　คะ
Is there a big tree near the house?
From Lesson 23:There is / there are (มี)·Thai

Questions & Answers about มี　ต้นไม้　ใหญ่　ใกล้　บ้าน　ไหม　คะ

I thought มี means 'to have.' Why does it translate to 'Is there' in this sentence?
You are right that มี usually means 'to have.' However, when you put มี at the very beginning of a sentence or clause, it changes meaning to 'there is' or 'there are.' Adding the question word ไหม at the end turns it into 'Is there?'
Why is the word for 'big' (ใหญ่) placed after the word for 'tree' (ต้นไม้)?
In Thai, adjectives always come directly after the noun they describe. Instead of saying 'big tree,' you literally say 'tree big' (ต้นไม้ ใหญ่).
There are no words for 'a' or 'the' in the Thai sentence. How do we know it means 'a big tree'?
Thai does not use articles like 'a,' 'an,' or 'the.' You just say the noun itself, and the listener understands from the context whether you mean a specific tree or just any tree.
I always mix up the Thai words for 'near' and 'far.' Which one is ใกล้ in this sentence?
This sentence uses ใกล้, which means 'near' and is spoken with a falling tone. The word for 'far' is ไกล, which is spelled slightly differently and spoken with a mid (flat) tone. The tone is the key difference when speaking!
How should I reply to this question if there is indeed a big tree near my house?
To answer a yes/no question in Thai, you normally repeat the main verb. Since the sentence starts with มี (there is), you would simply reply มี (Yes, there is) or มี ค่ะ / มี ครับ to be polite.

Learn มี　ต้นไม้　ใหญ่　ใกล้　บ้าน　ไหม　คะ and more in Thai

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Thai →