แล้วคุณล่ะคะ

Meaning

This phrase directly translates to "And you?" It is used to return a question, typically after someone has asked how you are.

Usage and formality

This is a polite and common way to ask "And you?" in Thai. The particle คะ (ka) at the end indicates that the speaker is female and is asking a question in a polite manner. It is suitable for most social situations, from casual conversations with friends to more formal interactions.

Pronunciation

แล้วคุณล่ะคะ (laew kun la ka)

• แล้ว (laew): Falling tone.
• คุณ (kun): Mid tone.
• ล่ะ (la): High tone.
• คะ (ka): High tone. Note that this is a question particle and is pronounced with a high tone, distinct from the common polite particle ค่ะ (khâ) which has a falling tone.

Grammar

The structure is: Question word/phrase + Topic + Question particle.

• แล้ว (laew) means "then" or "and" in this context, connecting the question to the previous statement.
• คุณ (kun) means "you".
• ล่ะ (la) is a question particle that adds a sense of "what about...?" or "and...?"
• คะ (ka) is a polite question particle used by female speakers. A male speaker would typically use ครับ (khráp) or คร้าบ (khráp) for politeness.

Lookup card note

Ask this after answering 'how are you' to return the question.