ไม่ใช่

Explanation

ไม่ใช่ consists of ไม่, the general negative marker, and ใช่, meaning “yes,” “correct,” or “to be the case.” Its central idea is that a proposed identification or judgment is incorrect. With a noun predicate, the basic pattern is “A + ไม่ใช่ + B.” For example, the affirmative เขาเป็นหมอ means “He is a doctor,” while เขาไม่ใช่หมอ means “He is not a doctor.” The pattern “ไม่ใช่ A แต่เป็น B” corrects one identification with another: “not A, but B.” The construction ไม่ใช่ว่า… means “it’s not that…” and is useful for correcting a misunderstanding about someone’s reason or intention. It can also stand alone as “No, that’s not right.” Adding ครับ or ค่ะ makes the reply polite, while นะ can soften a correction depending on tone and context.

Usage

It is widely used to deny a profession, nationality, relationship, ownership, date, or type of object. It also appears in negative replies, corrections of mistaken information or orders, contrasts between alternatives, and explanations that clear up misunderstandings about reasons or intentions.

Caution

Do not normally use ไม่ใช่ to make a simple verb or adjective negative. Use ไม่ directly before the verb or adjective: ไม่ไป means “not go,” and ไม่แพง means “not expensive.” For “there isn’t” or “do not have,” use ไม่มี. Reserve ไม่ใช่ mainly for rejecting an identity, category, or proposed interpretation.

1 be not synonyms

• ไม่ได้

  mây dâay did not

  ไม่ได้ commonly negates having done something, being able to do it, or the statement that follows. ไม่ใช่ mainly rejects an identity, category, or judgment as incorrect.

2 no synonyms

• เปล่า

  plàaw no

  เปล่า is a common negative reply, especially when denying that an action took place. ไม่ใช่ more specifically corrects an identification, classification, or assumption as wrong.