When listening to Thais, you will likely hear them say “na ka” or “na khrap”. Hence, you may be wondering what this phrase means in the English language. You may also want to know the right time to use this phrase.
As you might have known before, many aspects of Thai culture are centered on respect for one another. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the Thai language has lots of words that are used for showing some sort of respect to people. One of those words/phrases is “na ka”. In other words, “na ka” is a phrase used for respecting people or preventing rudeness in spoken words in the Thai language.
Simply put, the modern English language doesn’t have a direct translation of “na ka”. However, archaic English may have something similar such as “if you please”. Like its transliteration in English, “na ka” can have a wide range of uses in the Thai language. Nonetheless, everything is focused on showing respect while answering a question or requesting something from another person. It displays that your answer or request doesn’t have any form of disrespect to the listener.
With the aid of “na ka”, you have successfully ensured that a statement sounds less rude or abrupt. Hence, it is usually used when speaking to mates, seniors, or older people in Thailand.
What does each word in “na ka” mean?
Each word “na ka” has its meaning. Individually, “na” is a word that is used for modifying the way a listener will perceive a particular phrase or sentence. This is because the word adds some sort of politeness to any Thai phrase or sentence. For instance, “Roh sak khroo” can be roughly translated to “wait a bit” in English. However, it will sound rude to the listener if used this way. To avoid sounding rude, you need to add “na ka” or “na khrap” at the end of the sentence. This addition will go a long way in softening the tone of the whole sentence.
In addition to this, “na” can also be used to ask for approval politely and simply. It shows that you want to get approval for a specific opinion or statement. Apart from “na”, there are numerous other words that are used in the Thai language for similar roles.
Notably, “ka” or “khrap” performs the same role. It is an element of respect that is usually used in the Thai language.
Furthermore, you should note that “na ka” is from a female perspective whereas “na khrap” is from a male perspective. In other words, if you are female, you say “na ka”, but if you are male, you will rather say “na khrap”. Notably, both phrases mean the same thing as long as they are said by the appropriate gender.
Should you use “na ka” for everyone?
Considering the supposed meaning of “na ka” or “na khrap” in the English language, you may be pondering about the essence of using the phrase. Besides, you may be thinking about whether you should use it for everybody or not. This depends entirely on you, the person you are talking to, as well as the context. For instance, in some context, if you are requesting something from someone without using “na ka”, the sentence may be considered to be funny rather than being offensive. However, it can be quite difficult to know when it will be considered offensive or funny.
Also, in most cases, Thais do not use “na ka” or “na khrap” for people that are considered to be younger. That is, it is socially and culturally acceptable to talk to someone younger than you without using any of these phrases. Nevertheless, in many situations, you may have a difficult time deciding who is younger than you or not. So, it is more advisable to use “na ka”, “na khrap” or any equivalent when speaking to people. This is especially necessary if you are meeting the younger person for the first time to avoid being considered a rude person.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, “na ka” does not have any direct translation in the English language. However, it can be roughly translated as “if you please”, which is just for showing some respect to the other person. It is often used for elderly people, seniors at work and other places, mates, and even younger people that you have not known before. Its male equivalent is “na khrap”.
