Saying no
ไม่, ไม่ได้, ยังไม่, ไม่เคย. Four negatives that look similar and mean totally different things.
They all start with ไม่. They all mean something different.
English covers no / don't / didn't / haven't / can't / never with different verb shapes and helpers. Thai does it with four short phrases and word order. Learn these four and you can refuse, correct, deny, and reminisce.
Negates a verb or adjective in general.
Default negation.
Past negation, ability negation, or contradicting a statement. Placed before the verb.
Use when someone thinks you did something and you want to deny it.
Something hasn't happened but is expected to.
Implies you're still waiting.
Lifetime negation — the experience has never happened.
The strongest form. Flat no-for-all-time.
ไม่ไป (mâi bpai) = "not going". Present/future statement of fact.
ไม่ได้ไป (mâi dâai bpai) = "didn't go". Past. Also used when someone accuses you of going and you're denying it.
Rule of thumb: if you're talking about something that already should have happened, you want ไม่ได้.
A flat ไม่ can feel blunt. Soften with ไม่ครับ / ไม่ค่ะ or ไม่เป็นไร (it's okay / no thanks).