คะ

Polite Question Particle — Female Speaker

Level 1

คะ (khá) is a high-tone particle used in feminine polite speech, including questions and calls for attention. It adds a polite ending; the sentence and context supply the question.

How It Works

The particle คะ (khá) is used in feminine polite speech. It is characterized by a high tone and a short vowel sound. It is crucial to distinguish it from its counterpart ค่ะ (khâ), which has a falling tone and is used for statements.

Use คะ (khá) in these specific situations:

  • Questions: In the displayed questions, it follows question words like อะไร (what) or ที่ไหน (where). It supplies the polite ending; the question wording and context matter.
  • Vocative (Calling Attention): It is placed after a name or title to politely get someone's attention (e.g., 'Teacher?').
  • Responding: It can be a questioning 'Yes?' when someone calls your name.

In contrast, use ค่ะ (khâ) for greetings (like 'Sawatdee khâ'), answering 'yes', or ending a regular statement. The high-tone form combines with the softening particle to form นะคะ (ná khá), used here in a polite request. This combination can also occur in a statement; its interpretation depends on the sentence and setting. These endings are conventionally associated with feminine polite speech, but their use is not restricted by a speaker's biological sex. The corresponding masculine polite form is ครับ (khráp) used in both questions and statements.

Examples (5)

  1. คุณชื่ออะไรคะ?

    What is your name?

    Word by Word: You name what [polite question]?

    Here, the question word 'what' supplies the question, followed by 'khá' as a polite ending.

  2. ไปไหนคะ?

    Where are you going?

    Word by Word: Go where [polite question]?

    Here, the question asks where the listener is going and uses the high-tone particle as a polite ending. It may also serve as a greeting in context.

  3. พี่คะ สั่งอาหารหน่อยค่ะ

    Excuse me (older sibling), I'd like to order food.

    Word by Word: Older sibling [attention], order food a little [polite statement].

    Here, 'khá' is used to call for attention (vocative), while 'khâ' ends the actual statement.

  4. เข้าใจไหมคะ?

    Do you understand?

    Word by Word: Understand [yes/no question] [polite question]?

    Here, the yes/no question particle 'mai' is followed by the polite ending.

  5. รอสักครู่นะคะ

    Please wait a moment.

    Word by Word: Wait just a moment [softener] [polite].

    Here, 'ná khá' accompanies a polite request to wait. This combination does not make every sentence a question or guarantee the same social effect in every setting.

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing 'khá' (high tone) with 'khâ' (falling tone).

    สบายดีไหมค่ะ?
    สบายดีไหมคะ?

    This exercise asks for the high-tone polite ending in the displayed question. The falling-tone 'khâ' (ค่ะ) is not the requested ending; use the high-tone 'khá' (คะ). Thai questions do not all require a polite particle, and an ending alone does not make a sentence a statement.

  • Writing 'na-khâ' (นะค่ะ) instead of 'na-khá' (นะคะ).

    ขอบคุณนะค่ะ
    ขอบคุณนะคะ

    In the displayed polite combination, 'ná' is followed by the high-tone 'khá'. Writing 'นะค่ะ' gives the wrong spelling for that combination. This does not mean every use of the softening particle must include a polite ending.

  • Adding a tone mark to 'คะ'.

    ค๊ะ
    คะ

    For this written form, 'Kho Khwai' is a low-class consonant and the short-vowel syllable has a dead ending. Without a tone mark, it has a high tone under the spelling rule. Use the unmarked spelling for the requested particle; a short vowel alone does not determine every Thai syllable's tone.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

คะLevel 1Polite Question Particle — Female Speaker

Learn This First

To understand 'คะ', you first need to be familiar with the standard female polite particle 'ค่ะ' and how Thai uses sentence-final particles to convey politeness and social register. Since the distinction between the statement form and the question form is based entirely on tone, a basic grasp of Thai tone rules is also necessary.

Words in This Pattern