มี
there is
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 there is、there are、exist、happen、take place
- 2 have、own、possess、have (time, money, a quality)
- 3 rich、wealthy、well-off
มี expresses that something exists within someone’s possession, a place, a situation, or a set. It covers both “have” and “there is/are,” and is one of the most basic Thai verbs.
there is、there are、exist、happen、take place
This sense presents the existence of a person, thing, event, or situation. It often corresponds to “there is/are,” and can also describe events happening or being scheduled.
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ในห้องมีคนเยอะ nay hɔ̂ŋ mii khon yə́ There are many people in the room. ในห้องมีคนเยอะ details
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พรุ่งนี้มีประชุม phrûŋníi mii prachum There is a meeting tomorrow. พรุ่งนี้มีประชุม details
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มีอะไรไหม mii aray mǎy Is there anything? มีอะไรไหม details
have、own、possess、have (time, money, a quality)
This sense means that someone or something has, owns, or is provided with something, including concrete things, time, money, rights, qualities, or feelings.
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ฉันมีรถ chǎn mii rót I have a car. ฉันมีรถ details
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คุณมีเวลาไหม khun mii weelaa mǎy Do you have time? คุณมีเวลาไหม details
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เขามีความสุข khǎw mii khwaam sùk He is happy. เขามีความสุข details
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ไม่มีเงิน mây mii ŋən I don’t have money. ไม่มีเงิน details
rich、wealthy、well-off
As an adjective-like word, มี can mean wealthy or well-off, especially in expressions referring to people who have money or status.
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เขาเป็นคนมี khǎw pen khon mii He is a well-off person. เขาเป็นคนมี details
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ครอบครัวเขามีฐานะ khrɔ̂ɔpkhrua khǎw mii thǎaná His family is well-off. ครอบครัวเขามีฐานะ details
Learning notes
Explanation
มี is a core Thai word that connects possession and existence. In ฉันมีรถ, the car exists within the speaker’s possession, so it means “I have a car.” In ในห้องมีคน, people exist in the room, so it means “There are people in the room.” It is also very common with abstract nouns: มีเวลา “have time,” มีปัญหา “have a problem,” มีโอกาส “have a chance,” and มีความสุข “be happy.” The usual negative form is ไม่มี, meaning “do not have,” “there is not,” or “there are no.”
Usage
มี is used almost everywhere: daily conversation, shopping, asking about schedules, giving directions, work, and explanations. Common patterns include มี...ไหม? for “Do you have...?” or “Is there...?”, ไม่มี... for “don’t have” or “there is no...,” and มีอะไรไหม? for “Is there anything?” or “What’s wrong?”
Caution
Do not translate มี mechanically as “have” every time. มีประชุม means “there is a meeting,” not “have a meeting” in a literal possession sense. For a specific person’s location, อยู่ is often the better verb: เขาอยู่ในห้อง means “He is in the room,” while ในห้องมีคน means “There are people in the room.”
Differences from similar words
1 there is synonyms
2 have synonyms
3 rich synonyms
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ร่ำรวย suggests being very wealthy. มี can simply indicate being well-off, often through fixed expressions.