Breakdown of ทำไม ลูก โดน ตี ครับ
ครับ
polite particle (male)
ลูก
child (offspring)
ทำไม
why
โดน
to be subjected to
ตี
to hit
Questions & Answers about ทำไม ลูก โดน ตี ครับ
How does โดน work in this sentence?
In Thai, โดน (doon) is used to create a passive sentence, specifically for negative or unpleasant experiences. By putting โดน right before the verb ตี (tii - to hit), it changes the meaning from "the child hits" to the passive "the child is hit".
Could I use ถูก instead of โดน here?
Yes! Both ถูก (thuuk) and โดน (doon) are used for negative passive actions, like being hit or scolded. โดน is more casual and commonly used in everyday spoken Thai, while ถูก is slightly more formal. Saying ลูกถูกตี means the exact same thing.
Does ลูก mean any child in general?
Not exactly. ลูก (luuk) specifically means someone's offspring (a son or daughter). If you were talking about a random child on the street, you would usually use เด็ก (dek). In this sentence, the speaker is asking why a specific person's son or daughter was hit.
Why is the question word ทำไม at the beginning of the sentence?
While most Thai question words (like who, what, or where) must go at the end of the sentence, ทำไม (tham-mai - why) is flexible. It can go at the beginning or the end. You could also say ลูกโดนตีทำไมครับ, but putting it at the beginning is very common and sounds completely natural.
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