r/learnthai • u/Budget-Gold-5287 • Feb 12 '26
Grammar/ไวยากรณ์ translating ไหน in the beginning of a sentence
I recently saw a post on Instagram saying ไหนพี่ดินลองยิ้มดูสิคะ but I'm having a little struggle translating it. I know the meaning of every word (ไหน - where, ลองดู - try, ยิ้ม - smile) but I genuinely don't know how to put it in a sentence, does ไหน serve another function here?
I have another question which is only a little bit related, when you want to say "try" do you always have to say ลอง...ดู or is it possible to only say ลอง?
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u/sky-skyhistory Feb 12 '26
ไหน is not always translate to where though, more general term for it is "which"
ไหน in this context is not question particle but set phrase word, using to call attention of one being addressed.
ลองดู can just used as only ลอง but ลองดู is used especially when talking to obe who being addressed directly, ลอง suggest indirect imperative, but ลองดู suggest direct imperatives so that ลองดู is more appropriate in this context
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u/Kienose Native Speaker Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26
ไหน functions similarly to “Now,…” or “Now then,..”
“Now, Din, try smiling..”
It’s possible to say ลอง only. ลองยิ้มสิคะ is perfectly fine in this situation. In my opinion, ลองดู has the connotation of “try and find out”.