If you’re interested in learning the Thai language but haven’t started yet, you may be wondering: “Is Thai difficult to learn?” We’re here to tell you that learning Thai may not be as hard as you think it is!
There are certain things that make the Thai language hard to learn, and for these, you’ll need to spend some time studying and practicing. But there are also many other aspects that are pretty simple and straightforward! You may feel a little doubtful about this, as the Thai alphabet, grammar, pronunciation, and so on, are new to you. But you’ll get familiar with these things in no time once you start learning with ThaiPod101.com.
There are many foreigners who can speak and understand Thai so well, after just a few years, that even native speakers are surprised. So with some time, practice, and the right tools, anyone can learn to speak Thai. Yes, that includes you!
In the following sections, we’ll cover the easiest aspect of Thai first, and then the hardest! Let’s go.
What Makes Thai Easy?
Many language-learners dread the grammar aspect of their studies, and for good reasons! As such, you’ve probably been wondering: “Is Thai grammar hard?”
Good news: It’s not difficult at all! It’s probably the easiest part of learning Thai.
This is because there are no tenses or conjugations in Thai, so there’s a lot less to understand and remember. You don’t have to learn how to change verb forms or swap around the sentence structure from one situation to another. For example:
ฉันกำลังกินอาหารไทย
chǎn-gam-lang-gin-aa-hǎan-thai “I am having Thai food.”
Adding กำลัง (gam-lang), which is like “ing” in English, shows that you’re in the process of doing the action.
Past simple tense:
เมื่อวานฉันกินอาหารไทย
mûuea-waan-chǎn-gin-aa-hǎan-thai “Yesterday, I had Thai food.”
Adding เมื่อวาน (mûuea-waan), which means “yesterday” in Thai, shows that the action happened in the past.
Future simple tense:
วันพรุ่งนี้ฉันจะกินอาหารไทย
wan-phrûng-níi-chǎn-jà-gin-aa-hǎan-thai “Tomorrow, I will have Thai food.”
Adding วันพรุ่งนี้ (wan-phrûng-níi), which means “tomorrow” in Thai, shows that this is a plan for the future. Adding จะ (jà) shows that you will do it.
You can see that there’s not much difference between the four sentences above. That just goes to show how difficult it is to learn Thai language grammar. (Not at all, right? ^^)
For foreigners who have just started learning Thai, it can be hard to differentiate between the words ป้า (phâa), ปลา (phla), and ป่า (phàa).
So, is it hard to learn to speak Thai? It certainly can be, but it’s still very achievable!
Learning how to pronounce the Thai alphabet and tones correctly will help a lot, as it will create a strong foundation for your future studies. And by listening to plenty of Thai content, you’ll become more familiar with Thai pronunciation, making this portion of your studies a bit simpler.
2. I Want to Learn Thai. Where Should I Start?
When you start learning Thai, you should start with the most basic units, which are the พยัญชนะ (phá-yan-chá-ná) or “consonants,” and สระ (sà-rà) or “vowels.” Learning how to pronounce and write the Thai alphabet will enable you to read and write Thai with little problem, and make your conversations a lot smoother.
If you’ve been studying and practicing with the Thai alphabet for a while, and still struggle with reading, writing, or pronunciation, you may need to practice some more. Mastering the Thai alphabet right from the start will make the rest of your language-learning journey so much easier.
At the same time, you should also start practicing basic conversational phrases and learn easy Thai words. Learning new words along with the conversational phrases will make the words easier to remember. Not to mention how useful basic phrases can be in daily life!
3. Advice for a New Thai Learner
Learning a new language is not an easy thing to do. Here are a few tips for you.
1 – Listen to lots of Thai content
Whether it’s a Thai song, TV series, news station, or drama film, listen to your target language as much as possible. Even if you don’t understand anything you’re hearing, you’ll start to become more familiar with Thai pronunciation and tones. And it’s even better with subtitles! This will allow you to more easily learn vocabulary and sentence structures while enjoying yourself!
2 – Find something you like about Thai
Learning any language takes time, and this is especially true for a language very different from your own, like Thai. You can’t master Thai in just a few days!
That said, it’s easier to do something for a long time if that thing interests you. You should find something you like about Thai so that you can develop a passion for learning the language.
For example, if you like a certain Thai actor, you’ll enjoy watching that actor in a movie or TV drama—and you’ll be able to learn Thai at the same time! You’ll also want to understand what he said in an interview or behind the scenes, which will motivate you to learn the language.
It doesn’t have to be a person, though. There are many other Thai-related topics that may interest you: TV shows, culture, food, desserts, or even ghost stories. You just need to look for it, because we guarantee you’ll find something!
3 – Be patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
As mentioned earlier, you can’t master any new language in only a few days, so you have to be patient when learning Thai.
You may find it a bit tough and not very enjoyable at first because everything is new and there’s a lot to take in. There are a lot of letters to remember, several pronunciation rules you need to memorize, and the tones are driving you crazy. But that’s just because you’re not familiar with the Thai language yet. As you start to understand Thai, you’ll feel very satisfied with yourself and your language skills.
There’s a saying in Thai: ความพยายามอยู่ที่ไหน ความสำเร็จอยู่ที่นั้น (khwaam-phá-yaa-yaam- yùu-thîi-nǎikhwaam-sǎm-rèt-yùu-thîi-nân). It means that if you keep trying, you’ll be successful. In other words: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” So next time you feel like giving up, just remember these words.
4 – Choose the right learning tools
Have you ever seen chefs in five-star restaurants using dull knives? No, they use high-quality knives and keep them sharp. Their cooking may not depend on the knife they use, but having a good sharp one will make the job a lot easier!
The same is true for learning Thai. If you’ve been learning Thai for a while, and still find it very difficult, you may be using the wrong tool.
Good books used to be enough, but nowadays, everything you need to learn Thai is at your fingertips when you use ThaiPod101.com. ThaiPod101.com is like a knowledgeable teacher, a friend who gets you interested in Thai culture, and an encouraging mentor all wrapped up into one person. So don’t hesitate to visit and learn more about us!
4. Why is ThaiPod101.com Great for Learning Thai?
ThaiPod101.com is a fast, fun, and easy way to learn Thai. Below, we’ll give you just a few reasons to give us a try:
We also have audio lessons so that you can hear how Thai people speak, improve your listening skills, and practice your pronunciation. And don’t forget our handy vocabulary lists, categorized by topic. Examples include Talking About YouTube and Useful Words and Phrases for Going to the Movies. You’ll also find a grammar bank on our website (which contains almost 400 grammar topics you can learn) and printable PDF lesson notes for you to review after lessons.
And by upgrading to a Premium PLUS account, you’ll be able to communicate one-on-one with your own personal teacher. Your teacher will be more than happy to help with your Thai learning and provide you with the tools and encouragement you need to succeed.
With these abundant materials, ThaiPod101.com is the best and easiest way to learn Thai!
2 – Learn Thai 24/7
You don’t need to meet your teacher face-to-face to learn Thai. With internet access and a mobile phone, tablet, or PC, you can access all of our Thai lessons through ThaiPod101.com—anytime, wherever you are.
3 – Flexible learning plans for individuals
ThaiPod101.com provides the most flexible Thai class you can join. If you don’t know where to start, we can provide you with guidance and suggestions, tailored to your current level and your goals. But you can also plan your lessons based on your interests, strengths, and weaknesses. In addition, you can always repeat a lesson if you forgot something or didn’t quite understand the topic. Learn at your own pace, your way!
4 – Pronunciation practice
Learning Thai pronunciation is the hardest part of learning the language. As such, you may be concerned that learning Thai online will take away from your ability to practice pronunciation. Don’t worry! ThaiPod101.com has a pronunciation and accent review function for you to practice with. You can keep practicing until you get it right.
5 – Assignments, quizzes, and tests
Don’t leave yet! Even though assignments, quizzes, and tests are typically boring and unwelcome, you can’t deny that completing assignments and quizzes improves our understanding and shows us where we need to do better. And don’t worry: there’s not much pressure when completing them, like there would be in a traditional classroom.
6 – Daily learning encouragement
If you’re a student, we know that you probably have tons of homework to do, tests to prepare for, and recreational activities to attend to stay sane. If you’re a full-time worker, finding time to learn a new language can be an issue when there are work responsibilities and other things you need to do. We understand and will encourage you to learn Thai little by little with us. There are even short lessons you can complete daily—we’ll even remind you to do them. 😉
7 – Cultural knowledge
ThaiPod101.com also provides information about Thai culture: how Thai people live, act, and think in daily life. These lessons are interesting for both Thai learners and foreigners who are living in Thailand.
5. Conclusion
At this point, we hope that if someone asks you whether the Thai language is easy or hard, you’ll let them know it’s not that bad.
It will take some time, but anyone can learn Thai.
The best way to get started is to visit ThaiPod101.com and explore our many lessons and learning tools. We recommend starting with our Thai Alphabet Made Easy lessons.
Before you go, let us know in the comments if you feel ready to start learning Thai! If not, we’d love to hear your questions or concerns as well.
In Thai, there’s a saying, ผิดเป็นครู (phìt-bpen-khruu), which means “learning from your mistakes.”
Still, making mistakes can sometimes be embarrassing, so it’s better if you can avoid them in the first place. Hence, this comprehensive guide on typical Thai language mistakes from ThaiPod101.com.
You’ll learn about mistakes in Thai grammar, vocabulary, word choice, and the appropriate use of Thai phrases. By the end of this article, you should be able to decrease the number of common Thai-English mistakes you make, or avoid them altogether!
A frequent mistake in Thai language-learning is that of confusing similar-sounding consonants. In Thai, there are many consonants that have similar sounds, and pronouncing them incorrectly can completely change the meaning of a word. Below are some examples.
1 – ข (kh) and ค (kh)
Despite having the same romanization, these two consonants have different sounds. ข (kh) sounds deeper than ค (kh), and if you use the wrong sound, this could happen:
Correct pronunciation meaning: “The cymbal is a Thai musical instrument.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Running away is a Thai musical instrument.”
Here’s another tip for avoiding typical Thai mistakes like this one: If there’s romanization, pay attention to the tone of the word. You may notice that, despite both words having the same tone mark, the tones are not the same.
3 – ถ (th) and ท (th)
The last pair of consonants is ถ (th) and ท (th). Here’s what a mistake in Thai might look like if you confuse them:
Correct pronunciation meaning: “Stir it thoroughly.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Stir it nut.”
Explanation:
ทั่ว (thûua) means “thoroughly” in Thai.
ถั่ว (thùua) means “nut” in Thai.
Hopefully the examples and tips above will help you avoid these common mistakes English-speakers make in Thai!
2. Short and Long Vowel Sounds
Another common pronunciation mistake is to pronounce Thai vowels too short or too long. As there are many pairs of short and long vowels in Thai, it’s important that you pay close attention here. Pronouncing a word too short or too long can change its meaning.
1 – ุ (u) and ู (tuu)
Pronouncing ุ (u) and ู (tuu) incorrectly can lead to this weird situation:
Correct pronunciation meaning: “Today is Monday.”
Incorrect pronunciation meaning: “Today is Dish day.”
Explanation:
จันทร์ (jan) means “moon,” or if it’s after วัน (wan), it means “Monday” in Thai.
จาน (jaan) means “dish” in Thai.
3. A Note on Tone Marks
Despite having the same name, you can’t use tone marks to define the tone of words. This is a common mistake in spoken Thai. There are many factors, other than tone marks, that affect the tone of a word. For example, initial consonants and vowel sounds.
Example 1: ขา (khǎa), which means “leg” in Thai, has a rising tone despite having no tone mark.
Example 2: ซ้ำ (sám), which means “repeat,” in Thai, has a high tone despite having a falling tone mark.
Example 3: ฆ่า (khâa), which means “kill” in Thai, has a falling tone despite having a low tone mark.
4. The Correct Tone for คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khâ)
In Thai, to be polite, females add คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khà) to the end of sentences. However, many people use these incorrectly. This is the most common mistake in Thai, for both native Thai people and foreigners. Below are examples of how to use คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khà) correctly.
1 – คะ (khá)
คะ (khá) is used in two conditions:
After questions
After sentences that end with นะ (ná)
Example 1:
กระดาษอยู่ที่ไหนคะ
grà-dàat-yùu-thîi-nǎi-khá “Where is the paper?”
Example 2:
อย่าทำแบบนี้อีกนะคะ
yàa-tham-bàaep-níi-ìik-ná-khá “Don’t do this again.”
2 – ค่ะ (khâ)
ค่ะ (khâ) is used after affirmative and negative sentences.
ฉันจะไปทะเลตอนสงกรานต์ค่ะ
chǎn-jà-bpai-thá-lee-dtaawn-sǒng-graan-khâ “I will go to the sea during Songkran.”
5. False Friends
For those who can speak English, don’t be so happy to see or hear English words in Thai. The meanings may be very different!
1 – Fit
ฟิต (fít) is “too tight” in Thai, while in English, it means “not too tight or too loose.”
กางเกงตัวนี้ใส่แล้วฟิตมาก
gaang-geeng-dtuua-níi-sài-láaeo-fít-mâak “These pants are too tight for me.”
2 – Over
โอเวอร์ (oo-vôoe) is “exaggerate” in Thai, while in English, it means “end.”
เรื่องที่เธอเล่ามันโอเวอร์มาก
rûueang-thîi-thooe-lâo-man-oo-vôoe-mâak “The story you told is exaggerated.”
6. ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu) is for Male Animals
Another Thai word mistake you should know has to do with ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu). This word is used for male animals in Thai.
When you start learning the language, you may learn that เมีย (miia) is “wife” in informal Thai and ผัว (phǔua) is “husband.” However, when it comes to animals, Thai people put ตัวเมีย (dtuua-miia) after the animal’s name to specify that the animal is female. You may see this, and think that you should use ตัวผัว (dtuua-phǔua) to specify that the animal is male, but this is incorrect! Instead, you should put ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu).
Example:
สิงโตตัวผู้ (sǐng-dtoo-dtuua-phûu) is “male lion” in Thai.
สิงโตตัวเมีย (sǐng-dtoo-dtuua-miia) is “female lion” in Thai.
7. Word Order: Nouns and Adjectives
Now, let’s talk about common Thai grammar mistakes that foreigners often make.
In English, adjectives are put in front of nouns; in Thai, it’s the other way around.
Example 1:
ดอกไม้สีขาวมีกลิ่นหอม
dâawk-mái-sǐi-khǎao-mii-glìn-hǎawm “The white flowers smell nice.”
Example 2:
แม่ชอบผลไม้เปรี้ยว ๆ มากกว่าผลไม้หวาน ๆ mâae-châawp-phǒn-lá-mái-bprîiao-bprîiao-mâak-gwàa-phǒn-lá-mái-wǎan-wǎan “Mom likes sour fruit more than sweet fruit.”
8. Politeness Level
Politeness level is the source of many common Thai-English mistakes. In Thai, there are many words that mean the same thing but have different levels of politeness, which you may know already if you’ve studied Thai pronouns. Thus, it’s important to use the right words in the right situations. Using the wrong words can be both inappropriate and funny.
Example 1:
คุณครูกินข้าวเที่ยงรึยังคะ
khun-khruu-gin-khâao-thîiang-rúe-yang-khá “Have you had lunch yet?” (Talking to a teacher)
Explanation:
The situation here is that a student is talking to a teacher. Thus, the student should ask the teacher this question in a polite manner. The student has already put คะ (khá) after the question, which is good. However, instead of using กิน (gin), it would have been better to use รับประทาน (ráp-bprà-thaan). And instead of using ข้าวเที่ยง (khâao-thîiang), the student should have used อาหารกลางวัน (aa-hǎan-glaang-wan).
Appropriate Thai sentence:
คุณครูรับประทานอาหารกลางวันรึยังคะ
khun-khruu-thaan-aa-hǎan-glaang-wan-rúe-yang-khá “Have you had lunch yet?” (Talking to a teacher)
Example 2:
เธอมีบุตรกี่คน
thooe-mii-bùt-gìi-khon “How many sons and daughters do you have?”
Explanation:
Here, two friends are having a conversation. The speaker must be close to the other party, as there’s no ครับ (khráp) or คะ (khá) at the end of the sentence. In this case, using บุตร (bùt), which means “son” or “daughter,” is too polite. Instead, the speaker should have used ลูก (lûuk), which has the same meaning but sounds better.
Appropriate Thai sentence:
เธอมีลูกกี่คน
thooe-mii-lûuk-gìi-khon “How many sons and daughters do you have?”
9. Special Words for Monks
In Thai language, we have special words for monks which include pronouns and verbs. This is a part of คำราชาศัพท์ (kham-raa-chaa-sàp). Don’t be confused if you hear some words you are not familiar with when the topic involves monks in Thai. Also, it is a good idea to learn basic words related to monks so that you won’t make common Thai mistakes.
Example 1:
พระกำลังสวดมนต์อยู่
phrá-gam-lang-sùuat-mon-yùu “The monks are praying.”
Explanation:
สวดมนต์ (sùuat-mon) is “pray” in Thai, but it should be used with normal people. For monks, instead of using สวดมนต์ (sùuat-mon), Thai people use ทำวัตร (tham-wát).
Appropriate Thai sentence:
พระกำลังทำวัตรอยู่
phrá-gam-lang-tham-wát-yùu “The monks are praying.”
Example 2:
พระไม่กินอาหารเย็น
phrá-mâi-gin-aa-hǎan-yen “The monk didn’t have dinner.”
Explanation:
กิน (gin) is “eat” in Thai, but it should be used with normal people. For monks, instead of using กิน (gin), Thai people use ฉัน (chǎn).
Appropriate Thai sentence:
พระไม่ฉันอาหารเย็น
phrá-mâi-chǎn-aa-hǎan-yen “The monk didn’t have dinner.”
10. Being Too Afraid to Speak
The biggest mistake in learning Thai is being too afraid to speak with natives.
Don’t be afraid to speak, even if Thai people don’t seem to understand what you’re saying. Thai pronunciation is hard and Thai people know this. Actually, most Thai people find it cute when they hear foreigners trying to speak Thai, and they’ll try their best to understand.
11. Conclusion
After finishing this lesson, we hope you can avoid making these common Thai mistakes. Have you ever made one of these Thai mistakes before? What did you feel? Let us know in the comments!
Do you already know what you’re going to study next in your Thai learning? If you’re not sure, here are some suggestions:
As a new Thai language-learner, do you find it hard to make conversation with native speakers? Because speaking Thai as often as possible is a great way to acquire the language, knowing the most common questions and answers in Thai conversations will be very helpful for you.
In this lesson, you’ll learn about asking questions in Thai and how you can answer them yourself. Knowing these common Thai questions and answers will give you the confidence you need to practice speaking more often!
However, before we start our list of the top ten questions in Thai, there are a few things you need to know first.
When going over the topic of Thai questions, many learners wonder “Are there question marks in Thai?” The answer is yes, there are question marks in the Thai language.
In Thai, question marks are called ปรัศนี (bpràt-sà-nii) and เครื่องหมายคำถาม (khrùueng-mǎai-kham-thǎam). In normal conversations, people usually use เครื่องหมายคำถาม (khrùueng-mǎai-kham-thǎam). ปรัศนี (bpràt-sà-nii) is rarely used in daily conversation; it’s only used in academic contexts.
That said, there’s no rule about asking questions in Thai grammar that requires you to put a question mark after your question. Thai people really only put question marks after a question to show that they’re really in doubt and want to know the answer.
2 – Pronouns Used in Thai Questions and Answers
When you ask or answer questions in Thai, you can use both names and pronouns, so you’ll find it easier if you know some Thai pronouns. Below are some examples of pronouns often used in Thai questions and answers.
Thai pronouns for “you“:
คุณ (khun) is used in formal or business situations. It can be used with both males and females.
นาย (naai) is used in casual situations. It can be used with males only.
เธอ (thooe) is used in casual situations. It can be used with females only.
Thai pronouns for “I“:
ฉัน (chǎn) is used when the speaker is female.
ผม (phǒm) is used when the speaker is male.
You’ll find throughout this lesson that Thai people often omit the subject from the sentence, so don’t be surprised if you don’t hear any name or pronoun when speaking with natives.
3 – Making Questions and Answers Formal
To make a sentence formal in Thai, put the word ครับ (khráp) or ค่ะ (khâ) at the end of a sentence when speaking. ครับ (khráp) is used when the speaker is male, while ค่ะ (khâ) is used when the speaker is female.
Keep in mind that there’s a special rule when it comes to questions: for females, instead of using ค่ะ (khâ), you put คะ (khá) after questions.
Now, let’s start learning ten common Thai phrases and questions.
2. Our Thai Questions and Answers List
1. What’s your name?
The first question you should learn is how to ask for someone’s name. This is an easy question to ask in Thai, and it’s a great way to start a conversation with someone you don’t know.
1 – Thai question
Question pattern:
pronoun for “you” / noun + ชื่ออะไร
pronoun for “you” / noun + chûue-à-rai “What is your name?”
2 – Thai answers
Answer pattern 1:
pronoun for “I” + ชื่อ + ___
pronoun for “I” + chûue + ___
“My name is ___.”
Answer pattern 2:
ชื่อ + ___
chûue + ___
“My name is ___.”
Answer pattern 3:
Just say your name.
Additional Note:
Patterns 2 and 3 are short versions of pattern 1, which is the full answer. Of the three patterns, pattern 1 is the most formal, followed by pattern 2, with pattern 3 being the most casual.
3 – Examples
Example 1
Thai question:
ลูกค้าชื่ออะไรคะ
lûuk-khaa-chûue-à-rai-khá “What is the customer’s name?” (You are talking to the customer.)
Thai answer:
ผมชื่อป้องศักดิ์ครับ
phǒm-chûue-bpâawng-sàk-khráp “My name is Pongsak.”
Example 2
Thai question:
เธอชื่ออะไร
thooe-chûue-à-rai “What is your name?”
Thai answer:
กิ๊ฟ
gíp “Gip.”
2. Where are you from?
To learn more about someone, one of the best Thai language questions to ask is “Where are you from?” There are a few ways to ask this question, shown below.
1 – Thai questions
Question pattern 1:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + มาจากที่ไหน
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + maa-jàak-thîi-nǎi “Where are you from?”
Question pattern 2:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เป็นคนจังหวัดอะไร
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + bpen-khon-jang-wàt-à-rai “Which province are you from?”
Question pattern 3:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เป็นคนประเทศอะไร
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + bpen-khon-bprà-thêet-à-rai “Which country are you from?”
Additional Note:
When Thai people are asked where they come from, they often answer with the name of the province they grew up in. Thus, you can use pattern 2 specifically with a Thai person. Pattern 3, as you can guess, is used with foreigners.
2 – Thai answers
Answer pattern 1:
pronoun for “I” + มาจาก + ___
pronoun for “I” + maa-jàak + ___
“I come from ___.”
Answer pattern 2:
มาจาก + ___
maa-jàak + ___
“I come from ___.”
Answer pattern 3:
Just say the name of your hometown or country.
Additional Note:
Patterns 1 through 3 can be used to answer all of the questions above. Patterns 2 and 3 are the short versions of pattern 1, which is the full answer. Pattern 1 is the most formal, followed by pattern 2, with pattern 3 being the most casual.
Answer pattern 4:
pronoun for “I” + เป็นคน + name of province or country
pronoun for “I” + bpen-khon + ___
“I come from ___.”
Answer pattern 5:
คน + name of province or country
khon + ___
“I am ___.”
Additional Note:
Patterns 4 and 5 are used to answer question patterns 2 and 3 only. As you can see, pattern 5 is the short version of pattern 4.
3 – Examples
Example 1
Thai question:
เดวิดมาจากที่ไหน
dee-vìt-maa-jàak-thîi-nǎi “Where are you from?” (You are talking to David.)
Thai answer:
มาจากออสเตเรียครับ
maa-jàak-áawt-dtee-riia “I come from Australia.”
Example 2
Thai question:
นักเรียนเป็นคนจังหวัดอะไร
nák-riian-bpen-khon-jang-wàt-à-rai “Which province are you from?” (You are talking to a student.)
Thai answer:
คนลพบุรีค่ะ
khon lóp-bù-rii khà “I come from Lopburi.”
3. Do you speak ___?
This is one of the best Thai questions for foreigners. Knowing the language skills of other parties makes it easier to communicate, in case you can speak the same language. ^^
1 – Thai question
Question pattern:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + พูดภาษา___ได้มั้ย
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + phûut-phaa-sǎa-___-dâi-mái “Do you speak ___?”
2 – Thai answers
Answer pattern 1:
ได้
dâi “Yes.”
Answer pattern 2:
ได้นิดหน่อย
dâi-nit-nàauy “Yes, a little bit.”
Thai answer:
ได้ หนูเคยไปเรียนที่อเมริกา 3 ปี
dai nǔu-khooei-bpai-riian-thii-a-mee-ri-gaa-saam-bpii “Yes, I do. I have studied in the United States for three years.”
4. How long have you been studying ___?
To continue the conversation, you can ask this question in Thai.
1 – Thai questions
Question pattern 1:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เรียนภาษา___มานานเท่าไหร่แล้ว
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + riian-phaa-sǎa-___-maa-naan-thâo-rài-láaeo “How long have you been studying ___?”
Question pattern 2:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เรียนภาษา___มากี่ปีแล้ว
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + riian-phaa-sǎa-___-maa-gìi-bpii-láaeo “How many years have you been studying ___?”
2 – Thai answers
Answer pattern 1:
pronoun for “I” + เรียนมา ___ ปี / เดือน
pronoun for “I” + riian-maa-___-bpii / duuean “I have studied for ___ years / months.”
Answer pattern 2:
เรียนมา ___ ปี / เดือน
riian-maa-___-bpii / duuean “I have studied for ___ years / months.”
Answer pattern 3:
pronoun for “I” + เรียนมาตั้งแต่อายุ ___ ปีแล้ว
pronoun for “I” + riian-maa-dtâng-dtàae-aa-yú-___-bpii-lâaeo “I have studied since I was ___ years old.”
Answer pattern 4:
เรียนมาตั้งแต่อายุ ___ ขวบ / ปีแล้ว
Riian-maa-dtâng-dtàae-aa-yú-___-khùuap / bpii-lâaeo “I have studied since I was ___ years old.”
Pattern 2 is the short version of pattern 1, and pattern 4 is the short version of pattern 3. The subject of the sentence is omitted as Thai people assume you already know who you’re talking about.
ขวบ (khùuap) and ปี (bpii) are both numeric classifiers of age. ขวบ (khùuap) is used for ages under thirteen years old, while ปี (bpii) is used for ages thirteen years old and above.
Thai answer:
เรียนมา 2 ปีแล้ว
riian-maa-sǎawng-bpii-láaeo-khà “I have studied Thai for two years now.”
Example 2
Thai question:
คุณเรียนภาษาอังกฤษมานานเท่าไหร่แล้วครับ
khun-riian-phaa-sǎa-ang-grìt-maa-naan-thâo-rài-láaeo-khráp “How long have you studied English?”
Thai answer:
ฉันเรียนภาษาอังกฤษมาตั้งแต่อายุ 3 ขวบค่ะ
chǎn-riian-phaa-sǎa-ang-grìt-maa-dtâng-dtàae-aa-yú-sǎam-khûuap-khà “I have studied English since I was three years old.”
5. Have you been to ___?
This is another conversational Thai question you should know, and you’re likely to hear it from travel enthusiasts!
1 – Thai question
Question pattern:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + เคยไปประเทศ___มั้ย
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + khooei-bpai-bprà-thêet-___-mái “Have you been to ___?”
2 – Thai answers
Answer pattern 1:
เคย
khooei “Yes, I have.”
Answer pattern 2:
ไม่เคย
mâi-khooei “No, I haven’t.”
3 – Examples
Example 1
Thai question:
คุณป้าเคยไปประเทศญี่ปุ่นมั้ยคะ
khun-bpâa-khooei-bpai-bprà-thêet-yîi-bpùn-mái-khá “Have you been to Japan?” (You are talking to your aunt.)
Thai answer:
เคยจ๊ะ ปีที่แล้วป้าไปเที่ยวที่โตเกียวมา
khooei-já pbii-thîi-láaeo-bpâa-bpai-thîiao-thîi-dtoo-giiao-maa “Yes, I have. I traveled to Tokyo last year.”
Thai answer:
ไม่เคย แต่อยากไปมากนะ
mâi-khooei dtàae-yàak-bpai-mâak-ná “No, I haven’t. But I really want to go there.”
6. What do you do for work?
If you’re asking questions in Thai to get to know more about someone, asking about their occupation is a must. Good news: This conversational question in Thai is very easy.
1 – Thai question
Question pattern:
pronoun for “you” / name + ทำอาชีพอะไร
pronoun for “you” / name + tham-aa-chîip-à-rai “What do you do for work?”
2 – Thai answer
Answer pattern:
pronoun for “I” + เป็น ___
pronoun for “I” + bpen ___
“I am a(n) ___.”
3 – Examples
Example 1
Thai question:
คุณธัญญ์ทำอาชีพอะไรคะ
khun-than-tham-aa-chîip-à-rai-khá “What does Than do for work?” (You are talking to Than.)
Thai answer:
ผมเป็นวิศวกรครับ
khun-than-tham-aa-chîip-à-rai-khá “I am an engineer.”
Example 2
Thai question:
นายทำอาชีพอะไร
naai-tham-aa-chîip-à-rai “What do you do for work?”
Thai answer:
ผมเป็นครู
phǒm-bpen-khruu “I am a teacher.”
7. Do you like ___ food?
Asking someone about their food preferences is a fantastic way to get to know someone, and to find common ground.
1 – Thai question
Question pattern:
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + ชอบอาหาร___มั้ย
pronoun for “you” / noun / name + châawp-aa-hǎan-___-mái “Do you like ___ food?”
2 – Thai answers
Answer pattern 1:
ชอบ
châawp “Yes, I do.”
Answer pattern 2:
ไม่ชอบ
mâi-châawp “No, I don’t.”
Additional note:
Pattern 2 is the short version of pattern 1. The subject of the sentence is omitted as Thai people assume you already know who you’re talking about.
3 – Examples
Example 1
Thai question:
นักเรียนทำอะไรอยู่คะ
nák-riian-tham-à-rai-yùu-kha “What are you doing?” (You are talking to a student.)
Thai answer:
หนูกำลังทำการบ้านอยู่ค่ะ
nǔu-gam-lang-tham-gaan-bâan-yùu-khà “I am doing homework now.”
Example 2
Thai question:
แม่ทำอะไรอยู่
mâae-tham-à-rai-yùu “Mom, what are you doing?”
You’ve just finished learning the basics about how to ask questions in Thai. If you can remember all of these common questions and answers, you have all you need to practice your Thai speaking and listening skills through conversations with Thai people. We hope this article has been very helpful for you!
Now that you’ve finished this lesson, you may be curious about related topics such as question words in Thai, which you can learn on ThaiPod101.com as well. Of course, there are other interesting lessons for you to study, such as Thai Girl’s Dream Job and Thai Jokes. Don’t forget to visit ThaiPod101.com and check out new lessons as they become available.
Before you go, practice writing some of these Thai questions and answers in the comments section, and answer the questions about yourself. We look forward to hearing from you!
When you learn any language, knowing its basic sentence patterns helps you get a grip of the language as a whole, and allows you to communicate more effectively. So if you’re a Thai learner and don’t know how to form sentences in Thai yet, knowing certain Thai sentence structures and patterns is like a shortcut to creating your own sentences.
In this lesson, we’ll teach you common Thai sentence patterns that you can use in daily life. While there are various types of sentence patterns in the Thai language, we’ll focus on just ten patterns with examples. Also keep in mind that we won’t be focusing on the tenses today.
The first simple Thai sentence pattern you should know is “A is B,” which is used for linking two nouns. Below are some examples of this Thai sentence structure.
Sentence structure:
A + เป็น (bpen) + B
A + คือ (khuue) + B
Explanation:
เป็น (bpen), อยู่ (yùu), and คือ (khuue) are used for the verb “to be” in Thai. While they all refer to the same verb, เป็น (bpen), อยู่ (yùu), and คือ (khuue) have different meanings, are used in different situations, and can’t substitute one another.
เป็น (bpen) is used to explain what A is. The information used to explain A can include things such as a person’s job or marital status.
อยู่ (yùu) is used to explain where A is. So in this case, B is the place.
คือ (khuue) is used to explain what A is. The information used to explain A is either a fact/status that doesn’t change, or information that other parties don’t know.
Because เป็น (bpen) and คือ (khuue) seem pretty similar, it can be difficult to decide which one to use in a given scenario. Even Thai people find this hard; they can use it correctly, but can’t explain why. Let’s look at some Thai example sentences to help you understand better.
Example 1:
แม่เป็นครู
mâae-bpen-khruu “Mom is a teacher.”
Mom is a teacher.
Example 2:
แก้วเป็นสาวโสด
gâaew-bpen-sǎao-sòot “Kaew is a single lady.”
Example 3:
ฤทธิเป็นคนที่ไม่เก่งเลขเลย
rít-bpen-khon-thîi-mâi-gèng-lêek-looei “Rit is a person who is not good at math.”
Example 4:
ตอนนี้รัตน์อยู่ที่นี่
dtaawn-níi-rát-yùu-thîi-nîi “Rat is here now.”
Example 5:
กระเป๋าอยู่บนโต๊ะทานอาหาร
grà-bpǎo-yùu-bon-dtó-thaan-aa-hǎan “The bag is on the dining table.”
Example 6:
หมีแพนด้าอยู่ในสวนสัตว์ที่เชียงใหม่
mǐi-phaaen-dâa-yùu-nai-sǔuan-sàt-thîi-chiiang-mài “Pandas are in the zoo at Chaingmai.”
Example 7:
ที่นี่คือโรงพยาบาลที่ใหญ่ที่สุดในจังหวัด
thîi-nîi-khuue-roong-phá-yaa-baan-thîi-yài-thîi-sùt-nai-jang-wàt “Here is the largest hospital in the province.”
Here is the largest hospital in the province.
Example 8:
ลัดดาคือเพื่อนที่ดีที่สุดของฉัน
lát-daa-khuue-phûuean-thîi-dii-thîi-sùt-khǎawng-chǎn “Ladda is my best friend.”
Example 9:
ผลไม้ที่พ่อชอบกินที่สุดคือแตงโม
phǒn-lá-mái-thîi-phâaw-châawp-gin-thîi-sùt-khuue-dtaaeng-moo “Dad’s favorite fruit is watermelon.”
2. Describing Nouns: A is [Adjective]
Another Thai sentence construction you should know is “A is [Adjective].” This is a very easy Thai sentence pattern, used to describe nouns with adjectives. Let’s take a look.
Sentence structure:
Noun + Adjective
Explanation:
If you want to describe a noun, all you have to do is put the adjective after that noun.
Example 1:
กานดาสูงและผอม
gaan-daa-sǔung-láe-phǎawm “Ganda is tall and slim.”
Example 2:
เก้าอี้ไม้ตัวนั้นราคาแพงมาก
gâo-îi-mái-dtuua-nán-raa-khaa-phaaeng-mâak “That wooden chair is very expensive.”
Example 3:
มะระสีเขียวและมีรสขม
má-rá-mii-sǐi-khǐiao-láe-mii-rót-khǒm “Bitter melon is green and bitter.”
Additional note:
มะระ (má-rá) is “bitter melon” in Thai. It’s one of the fruits that Thai people like to eat.
3. [Subject] Wants / Needs
Some of the most useful Thai phrases are those for expressing “want” and “need.” There are a few different Thai sentence patterns you should remember for this.
ต้องการ (dtâawng-gaan), อยาก (yàak), and อยากได้ (yàak-dâi) mean both “want” and “need” in Thai, and can substitute one another.
However, ต้องการ (dtâawng-gaan) sounds more formal than อยาก (yàak) and อยากได้ (yàak-dâi). Thai people often use ต้องการ (dtâawng-gaan) in formal situations, and อยาก (yàak) and อยากได้ (yàak-dâi) in casual conversations.
To express your wants and needs, you can use any of the structures above. Here are a few Thai sentence examples for you.
Example 1:
คุณครูต้องการคอมพิวเตอร์เครื่องใหม่
khun-khruu-dtâawng-gaan-khaawm-phíu-dtôoe-khrûueng-mài “The teachers want a new computer.”
Example 2:
โรงพยาบาลต้องการจ้างนางพยาบาลเพิ่ม
roong-phá-yaa-baan-dtâawng-gaan-jâang-naang-phá-yaa-baan-phôoem “The hospital wants to hire more nurses.”
Example 3:
เธอต้องการอะไรเพิ่มมั๊ย
thooe-dtâawng-gaan-à-rai-phôoem-mái “Do you want anything more?”
Example 4:
น้ำตาลอยากไปเที่ยวหัวหิน
nám-dtaan-yàak-bpai-thîiao-hǔua-hǐn “Namtan wants to go to Huahin.”
Example 5:
แม่อยากลองทำเค้กสูตรใหม่
mâae-yàak-laawng-tham-khéek-sùut-mài “Mom wants to try a new cake recipe.”
Mom wants to try a new cake recipe.
Example 6:
มินท์อยากแต่งงานก่อนอายุ 30 ปี
mín-yàak-dtàaeng-ngaan-gàawn-aa-yú-sǎam-sìp “Mint wants to get married before she is 30 years old.”
Example 7:
ฉันอยากได้รองเท้าคู่ใหม่
chǎn-yàak-dâi-raawng-tháo-khûu-mài “I want a new pair of shoes.”
Example 8:
รพีไม่อยากได้งานเพิ่ม
rá-phii-mâi-yàak-dâi-ngaan-phôoem “Rapee doesn’t want more jobs.”
Example 9:
มีใครอยากได้ชาเพิ่มมั๊ย
mii-khrai-yàak-dâi-chaa-phôoem-mái “Anyone want more tea?”
4. [Subject] has to [Verb]
Another basic Thai sentence pattern you should know is “I have …”. You can use this Thai sentence pattern to express what you have to do.
Sentence structure:
Subject + ต้อง (dtâawng) + Verb
Explanation:
This type of sentence in Thai is pretty easy and straightforward. You just put the subject, followed by ต้อง (dtâawng), which means “must” or “have to” in Thai, and then the verb.
Example 1:
เธอต้องออกจากบ้านเดี๋ยวนี้ ไม่งั้นจะสาย
thooe-dtâawng-àawk-jàak-bâan-dǐiao-níi mâi-ngán-jà-sǎai “You have to leave now or else you will be late.”
Example 2:
ยายต้องกินยาก่อนนอนทุกวัน
yaai-dtâawng-gin-yaa-gàawn-naawn-thúuk-wan “Grandma has to take medicine before bed every day.”
Example 3:
วรรณาต้องไปเชียงรายพรุ่งนี้
wan-naa-dtâawng-bpai-chiiang-raai-phrûng-níi “Wanna has to go to Chiangrai tomorrow.”
5. [Subject] Likes [Noun/Verb]
Another common Thai language sentence structure is that for expressing likes and preferences. It’s one of the most basic Thai sentence patterns you can use to talk about your favorite things and activities.
Sentence structure:
Subject + ชอบ (châawp) + Noun / Verb
Explanation:
ชอบ (châawp) is “like” in Thai. To use this sentence pattern, you put the subject, followed by ชอบ (châawp), and then the noun or verb.
Example 1:
แม่ชอบกินแก้วมังกร
mâae-châawp-gin-gâaeo-mang-gaawn “Mom likes to eat dragon fruits.”
Example 2:
นภาชอบสีชมพู ná-phaa-châawp-sǐi-chom-phuu “Napa likes pink.”
Napa likes pink.
Example 3:
ตุ้มไม่ชอบดูหนังผี
dtûm-mâi-châawp-duu-nǎng-phǐi “Tum doesn’t like scary movies.”
6. Please…
The next basic Thai sentence structure we’ll show you is used to politely ask someone to do something. There are two Thai sentence patterns you need to know.
Thai people use กรุณา (gà-rú-naa) and ช่วย (chûuai) when they want to ask others to do something. กรุณา (gà-rú-naa) and ช่วย (chûuai) are pretty much the same, except กรุณา (gà-rú-naa) is used in formal situations while ช่วย (chûuai) is more often used in casual conversations.
Example 1:
กรุณาถอดรองเท้าก่อนเข้าห้อง
gà-rú-naa-thàawt-raawng-tháo-gàawn-khâo-hâawng “Please take off your shoes before entering the room.”
Example 2:
กรุณาอย่าส่งเสียงดัง
gà-rú-naa-yàa-sòng-sǐiang-dang “Please don’t make loud noises.”
Example 3:
กรุณาให้ความร่วมมือกับเจ้าหน้าที่
gà-rú-naa-hâi-khwaam-rûuam-muue-gàp-jâo-nâa-thîi “Please cooperate with our staff.”
Example 4:
ช่วยฉันทำความสะอาดห้องหน่อย
chûuai-chǎn-tham-khaawm-sà-àat-hâawng-nàauy “Please help me clean the room.”
Example 5:
ช่วยเงียบหน่อย
chûuai-ngîiap-nàauy “Please be quiet.”
Please be quiet.
Example 6:
ช่วยเดินเร็ว ๆ หน่อย
chûuai-dooen-reo-reo-nòi “Please walk faster.”
7. May I? / Can I?
This sentence pattern in Thai is used to ask for permission. However, this is considered an imperfect sentence because Thai people leave the word “may” or “can” out.
Sentence structure:
ขอ (khǎaw) + Verb + ได้มั้ย (dâi-mái)
Explanation:
This Thai sentence pattern is quite different from its English counterpart. This is because there is no ฉัน (chǎn), which is “I” in Thai, in the sentence.
You start the sentence with ขอ (khǎaw), which means “ask.” Next, you put the verb, followed by ได้มั้ย (dâi-mái), which is used to make a permission question in Thai.
Example 1:
ขอเข้าไปได้มั้ย
khǎaw-khâo-bpai-dâi-mái “May I come in?”
Example 2:
ขอยืมหนังสือเล่มนั้นได้มั้ย
khǎaw-yuuem-nǎng-sǔue-lêm-nán-dâi-mái “Can I borrow that book?”
Can I borrow that book?
Example 3:
ขอไปดูหนังกับเพื่อนวันเสาร์นี้ได้มั้ย
khǎaw-bpai-duu-nǎng-gàp-phûuen-wan-sǎo-níi-dâi-mái “Can I go see the movie with my friend this Saturday?”
8. What is…?
Another useful Thai sentence pattern you should learn is “What is…?” You can use this sentence pattern in Thai to ask for information about something.
Sentence structure:
… + คือ (khuue) + อะไร (à-rai)
Explanation:
As mentioned earlier, คือ (khuue) is one of the words for the verb “to be” in Thai. Also note that อะไร (à-rai) is “what.”
You may notice that Thai people use คือ (khuue), not เป็น (bpen), in this sentence structure. This is because you’re asking for information you don’t know.
Example 1:
นี่คืออะไร nîi-khuue-à-rai “What is this?”
Example 2:
อาหารที่เราสั่งครั้งที่แล้วคืออะไร aa-hǎan-thîi-rao-sàng-khráng-thîi-láaeo-khuue-à-rai “What is the food we ordered last time?”
Example 3:
เครื่องดื่มที่คุณชอบคืออะไร khrûueng-dùuem-thîi-khun-châawp-khuue-à-rai “What is your favorite drink?”
9. When is…?
Now that you’ve learned the “What is …?” sentence structure, it makes sense to learn the “When is…?” structure as well. With this structure, you can make Thai phrases for asking about the time.
Sentence structure:
… + เมื่อไหร่ (mûuea-rài)
Explanation:
เมื่อไหร่ (mûuea-rài) is “when” in Thai. You put the event that you want to know the time of, followed by เมื่อไหร่ (mûue-rài).
Example 1:
ประชุมเมื่อไหร่ bprà-chum-mûuea-rài “When is the meeting?”
Example 2:
เธอจะเริ่มทำงานเมื่อไหร่ thooe-jà-rôoem-tham-ngan-mûuea-rài “When will you start working?”
Example 3:
ตาลจะมาถึงเมื่อไหร่ dtaan-jà-ma-thǔeng-mûuea-rài “When will Tarn arrive?”
10. Where is…?
You can now ask for more information and about the time. In this section, we’ll also teach you how to ask about location. This is one of those basic Thai phrases you’ll use all the time!
Sentence structure:
Place + อยู่ที่ไหน (yùu-thîi-nǎi)
Place + ไปทางไหน (bpai-thaang-nǎi)
Explanation:
Both of the structures above are pretty similar to each other, and are used to ask about location. The first one is the Thai translation sentence pattern of “Where is …?” The other is closer to: “How to go to …?”
Example 2:
บ้านของเธออยู่ที่ไหน bâan-khǎawng-thooe-yùu-thîi-nǎi “Where is your house?”
Example 3:
ภูเขาที่สูงที่สุดในไทยอยู่ที่ไหน phuu-khǎo-thîi-sǔung-thîi-sùt-nai-thai-yùu-thîi-nǎi “Where is the highest mountain in Thailand?”
Example 4:
จุดชมวิวไปทางไหน jùt-chom-wiu-bpai-thaang-nǎi “How to go to the viewpoint?”
Example 5:
สถานีตำรวจที่ใกล้ที่สุดไปทางไหน sà-thǎa-nii-dtam-rùuat-thîi-glâi-thîi-sùt-bpai-thaang-nǎi “How to go to the nearest police station?”
Example 6:
ประชาสัมพันธ์ไปทางไหน bprà-chaa-sǎm-phan-bpai-thaang-nǎi “How to go to the information center?”
11. Conclusion
The lesson has finally come to an end, and you’ve already learned ten useful Thai sentence patterns for everyday use! We hope they’re not too hard for you, but remember that it may take a while to memorize all of them. Using a variety of Thai sentence patterns in daily conversations will help you get familiar with them; eventually, you’ll be able to use them with great fluency.
Are there any specific topics you want to learn about in future articles? Leave us a comment to let us know! If you have no clue what you want to learn next, we have a list of fun lessons for you at ThaiPod101.com, so don’t forget to check it out.
If you want to know more about sentence structure in Thai, our word order article is a great place to expand your knowledge. However, if that’s too serious a lesson for you, what about listening to a conversation about Thai tea and a date? Our lesson about ordering food at restaurants is also an interesting choice.
How many actions do you think you do in a day? That number reflects the importance of knowing a language’s verbs for effective communication.
In this article, you’ll learn 100 Thai verbs that every beginner needs to know. Further, we’ll teach you a little bit about the grammar and usage of these verbs through examples. We believe you’ll be very happy to hear that this is a simple and easy topic!
Is there subject-verb agreement in Thai? What about Thai verb conjugation? The answer to both is a resounding “No!” Thai people use the same form of verbs regardless of the subject.
Are there Thai verb tenses for present, future, and past? The answer is no. Thai people use the same verb forms regardless of the time.
So you can see now that this lesson will mainly focus on vocabulary. Basically all you need to worry about is memorizing our Thai verbs list! We’ll start this lesson with basic information about Thai verbs, followed by our list of the most useful Thai verbs for beginners. Then, you’ll also get to learn about auxiliary verbs in Thai, and other verbs that are important to know for easy communication.
คำกริยา (kham-gà-rí-yaa) is “verb” in Thai. Before we present to you our list of Thai verbs, we thought it would be nice to give you an explanation about verb types in the Thai language, as well as how to use verbs in a sentence.
1- Verb Types
There are four types of verbs in the Thai language, listed below. A detailed explanation of each type will be explained in the following sections.
As mentioned above, there’s no change in Thai verb form, so you don’t have to learn about Thai verb conjugation. Still, we’ll give you a basic idea of how verbs are used in Thai sentence structure.
Negative sentence: subject + ไม่ (mâi) which is “no” in Thai + verb + object (if any)
Question: Add a question word to the sentence; no change in verb.
In the following sections, we present to you the most essential Thai verbs with examples.
2. Intransitive Verbs
อกรรมกริยา (à-gam-gà-rí-yaa) is “intransitive verbs” in Thai. These are verbs that are able to make a sentence complete without the use of an object. Below is a list of Thai intransitive verbs that are often used in daily life.
“My grandpa is quite old. If he sits for a long time, his back hurts.”
5- Jump
กระโดด (gra-doot)
Example:
พี่ชายฉันขายาว เลยกระโดดได้ไกล
phîi-chaai-chǎn-khǎa-yaao looei-grà-dòot-dâi-glai
“My older brother can jump far because of his long legs.”
6- Fly
บิน (bin)
Example:
ทำไมนกตัวนั้นบินไม่ได้
tham-mai-nók-dtuua-nán-bin-mâi-dâi
“Why can’t that bird fly?”
7- Kneel
คุกเข่า (khúk-khào)
Example:
เขาคุกเข่าขอแฟนแต่งงาน
Khǎo-khúk-khào-khǎaw-faaen-dtàaeng-ngaan
“He kneeled, then asked his girlfriend to marry him.”
8- Wake up
ตื่นนอน (dtùuen-naawn); ตื่น (dtùuen)
Example 1:
วันนี้เธอตื่นนอนกี่โมง
wan-níi-thooe-dtùuen-naawn-gìi-moong
“What time did you wake up today?”
Example 2:
วันนี้ฉันตื่นสาย
wan-níi-chǎn-dtùuen-sǎai
“Today, I woke up late.”
Additional Note: ตื่นนอน (dtùuen-naawn) and ตื่น (dtùuen) have exactly the same meaning. However, ตื่นนอน (dtùuen-naawn) is a bit more formal than ตื่น (dtùuen).
“My grandpa exercises everyday, so he is healthy.”
3. Transitive Verbs
สกรรมกริยา (sà-gam-gà-rí-yaa) is “transitive verbs” in Thai. These are verbs that can’t complete a sentence with their meaning alone; the sentence will require an object to be complete. Below is a list of Thai transitive verbs that are often used in everyday life.
“Yesterday, my mother ate Thai food in the evening.”
Additional Note: These three words have exactly the same meaning. However, among these three words, รับประทาน (ráp-bprà-thaan) is the most formal one, followed by ทาน (thaan) and กิน (gin), respectively.
“You have to wait for the oil to be hot before frying chicken.”
48- Stir fry
ผัด (phàt)
Example:
ผัดผักอย่างไร
phàt-phàk-yàang-rai
“How do you stir fry vegetables?”
49- Heat up
อุ่น (ùn)
Example:
ช่วยอุ่นนมให้หน่อย
chûuai-ùn-nom-hâi-nàauy
“Could you please heat up the milk?”
50- Chop
สับ (sàp)
Example:
สับช็อคโกแลตให้เป็นชิ้นเล็ก ๆ
sàp-cháawk-goo-láaet-hâi-bpen-chín-lék-lék
“Chop the chocolate into small pieces.”
51- Slice
หั่น (hàn)
Example:
แม่หั่นหมูได้บางมาก
mâae-hàn-mǔu-dâi-baang-mâak
“Mom slices pork very thinly.”
52- Peel
ปอก (bpàawk)
Example:
ช่วยปอกเปลือกแอปเปิ้ลให้หน่อยได้มั๊ย
chûui-bpàawk-plùueak-áap-bpôoen-hâi-nàauy-dâi-mái
“Can you peel the apple for me?”
53- Wash (dishes)
ล้าง (láang)
Example:
วันนี้ใครจะล้างจาน
wan-níi-khrai-jà-láang-jaan
“Who will wash the dishes today?”
54- Wash (cloth)
ซัก (sák)
Example:
แม่ซักผ้าปูเตียงเมื่อวาน
mâae-sák-phâa-bpuu-dtiiang-mûuea-waan
“Mom washed the bed sheet yesterday.”
55- Hang
ตาก (dtáak)
Example:
พ่อกำลังตากผ้า
phâaw-gam-lang-dtàak-phâa
“Dad is hanging clothes to dry now.”
56- Iron
รีด (riit)
Example:
เธอรีดผ้าเก่งมั๊ย
thooe-rîit-phâa-gèng-mái
“Are you good at ironing?”
57- Look
ดู (duu)
Example:
ดูนี่สิ สวยจัง
duu-nîi-sì sǔuai-jang
“Look at this, so beautiful.”
58- Read
อ่าน (àan)
Example:
พ่ออ่านหนังสือเร็วมาก
phâaw-àan-nǎng-sǔue-reo-mâak
“Dad reads books very fast.”
59- Write
เขียน (khǐian)
Example:
ครูเขียนภาษาญี่ปุ่นเก่ง
khruu-khǐian-phaa-sǎa-yîi-bpùn-khèng
“My teacher is good at writing Japanese.”
60- Type
พิมพ์ (phim)
Example:
ใครเป็นคนพิมพ์รายงานนี้
khrai-bpen-khon-phim-raai-ngaan-níi
“Who typed this report?”
61- Listen
ฟัง (fang)
Example:
มุกดาชอบฟังเพลงแจ็ส
múk-daa-châawp-fang-pleeng-jáaet
“Mukda likes listening to jazz music.”
62- Hit
ตี (dtii)
Example:
ครูไม่ควรตีนักเรียน
khruu-mâi-khuuan-dtii-nák-riian
“Teachers shouldn’t hit students.”
63- Kick
เตะ (dtè)
Example:
เขาเตะลูกบอลแรงมาก
khǎo-dte-lûuk-baawn-raaeng-mâak
“He hit the ball very hard.”
64- Shave
โกน (goon)
Example:
พระต้องโกนผม
phrá-dtâawng-goon-phǒm
“Monks have to shave their head.”
65- Blow
เป่า (bpào)
Example:
ซุปร้อนมาก ต้องเป่าก่อนกิน
súp-ráawn-mâak dtâawng-bpào-gàawn-gin
“The soup is very hot, so blow it before eating.”
66- Do
ทำ (tham)
Example:
อย่าลืมทำการบ้าน
yhàa-luuem-tham-gaan-bâan
“Don’t forget to do homework.”
67- Wear (clothing)
ใส่ (sài)
Example:
พรุ่งนี้เธอจะใส่อะไร
phrûng-níi-jà-sài-à-rai
“What do you want to wear tomorrow?”
68- Take off
ถอด (thàawt)
Example:
อย่าลืมถอดผ้ากันเปื้อนออก
yhàa-luuem-thàawt-phâa-gan-bpûuean-àawk
“Don’t forget to take off your apron.”
69- Ride
ขี่ (khìi)
Example:
ฉันขี่จักรยานไม่เป็น
chǎn-khìi-jàk-gà-yaan-mâi-bpen
“I can’t ride bicycles.”
70- Learn
เรียน (riian)
Example:
พี่เรียนภาษาจีนทุกวันอาทิตย์
phîi-riian-phaa-sǎa-jiin-thúk-wan-aa-thít
“My older sister learns Chinese every Sunday.”
71- Play
เล่น (lên)
Example:
ไปเล่นเกมส์กันเถอะ
bpai-lên-geem-gan-thòe
“Let’s play games.”
72- Buy
ซื้อ (súue)
Example:
แม่ซื้อผักจากตลาดเยอะมาก
mâae-súue-phàk-jàak-dtà-làat-yóe-mâak
“Mom bought a lot of vegetables from the market.”
73- Sell
ขาย (khǎai)
Example:
ฉันเพิ่งขายรถคันเก่าทิ้งไป
chǎn-phôoeng-khǎai-rót-khan-gào-thíng-bpai
“I just sold my old car.”
74- Teach
สอน (sǎawn)
Example:
เธอสอนฉันทำบราวนี่ได้มั๊ย
thooe-sǎawn-chǎn-tham-braao-nîi-dâi-mái
“Can you teach me how to make brownies?”
75- Open
เปิด (bpòoet)
Example:
เปิดหน้าต่างให้หน่อย
bpòoet-nâa-dtàang-hâi-nàauy
“Please open the window.”
76- Close
ปิด (bpìt)
Example:
อย่าลืมปิดประตู
yhàa-luuem-bpìt-bprà-dtuu
“Don’t forget to close the door.”
77- Turn on
เปิด (bpòoet)
Example:
เงียบจังเลย เปิดทีวีหน่อยได้มั๊ย
ngîiap-jang-looei bpòot-thii-vii-nàauy-dâi-mái
“It is so quiet. Can you please turn on the TV?”
78- Turn off
ปิด (bpìt)
Example:
หนาวจัง ปิดแอร์ได้มั๊ย
nǎao-jang bpìt-aae-dâi-mái
“I’m cold. Can I turn off the air conditioner?”
79- Send
ส่ง (sòng)
Example:
ฉันจะส่งเอกสารให้ทางอีเมลนะ
chǎn-jà-sòng-èek-gà-sǎan-hâi-thaang-ii-meeo-ná
“I will send documents to you via email.”
80- Receive
รับ (ráp)
Example:
เธอได้รับอีเมลจากฉันรึเปล่า
thooe-dâi-ráp-ii-meeo-jàak-chǎn-rúe-bplào
“Did you receive my email?”
81- Produce
ผลิต (phà-lìt)
Example:
บริษัทนี้ผลิตรถยนต์
baaw-rí-sàt-níi-phà-lìt-rót-yon
“This company produces cars.”
82- Cut
ตัด (dtàt)
Example:
ตัดกระดาษให้หน่อยได้มั๊ย
dtàt-grà-dàat-hâi-nàauy-dâi-mái
“Can you cut that paper for me?”
83- Kill
ฆ่า (khâa)
Example:
ใครฆ่าเด็กคนนั้น
khrai-khâa-dèk-khon-nán
“Who killed that child?”
84- Build
สร้าง (sâang)
Example:
ใครสร้างบ้านหลังนี้
khrai-sâang-bâan-lǎang-níi
“Who built this house?”
85- Lean
พิง (phing)
Example:
กรุณาอย่ายืนพิงกระจก
gà-rú-naa-yhàa-yuuen-phing-grà-jòk
“Please do not lean on this glass.”
86- Fold
พับ (pháp)
Example:
พับเสื้อแบบนั้นยังไง
pháp-sûuea-bàaep-nán-yang-ngai
“How do you fold a shirt like that?”
87- Choose
เลือก (lûueak)
Example:
เธอจะเลือกอันไหน
thooe-jà-lûueak-an-nǎi
“Which one will you choose?”
4. The Verb “To Be”
วิกตรรถกริยา (ví-gà-dtàt-thà-gà-rí-yaa) is the verb “to be” in Thai. To be more specific, it refers to verbs that convey the concept that A is B. Below is a list of Thai “to be” verbs and other verbs that are considered วิกตรรถกริยา (ví-gà-dtàt-thà-gà-rí-yaa).
88-90 – To be
Similar to English, there are three verbs for “to be” in Thai: เป็น (bpen), อยู่ (yhùu), and คือ (kuue).
เป็น (bpen) is used to explain the state or status of the subject, or what the subject is.
อยู่ (yhùu) is used to tell the location of the subject.
คือ (khuue) is used to explain the state or status of the subject. This is information that the listeners didn’t know before.
“That rat is so big, its size is almost equal to that of a puppy.”
94- As if
ราวกับ (raao-gàp)
Example:
เธอสวยราวกับนางฟ้า
thooe-sǔuay-raao-gàp-naang-fáa
“She is so beautiful, as if being an angel.”
5. Helping Verbs
กริยานุเคราะห์ (gà-rí-yaa-nú-kráw) is “helping verbs” or “auxiliary verbs” in Thai. Using these is very easy! To put a helping verb in a sentence, you don’t have to change the form of the verb or anything. You just put the helping verb in the right place and that’s it. Below is a list of Thai auxiliary verbs you should know.
95- Will
Thai word: จะ (jà)
How to use: จะ (jà) + verb for affirmative sentence; จะ (jà) + ไม่ (mâi) + verb for negative sentence
Additional Note: เคย (khooei) can also mean “marine shrimp” in Thai.
99- X-ing
Thai word: กำลัง (gam-lang)
How to use: กำลัง (gam-lang) + verb for affirmative sentence
Explanation: When you put กำลัง (gam-lang) in front of verbs, it’s like you’re changing the sentence from present simple tense to present continuous tense.
Example:
คุณครูกำลังตรวจการบ้านอยู่
khun-khruu-gam-lang-dtrùuat-gaan-bâan-yhùu
“The teacher is now grading homework.”
Additional Notes:
Thai people don’t use this helping verb in negative sentences.
กำลัง (gam-lang) can also mean “power” in Thai.
100- Passive form of a verb
Thai word: ถูก (thùuk)
How to use: ถูก (thùuk) + verb for affirmative sentence; ไม่ (mâi) + ถูก (thùuk) + verb for negative sentence
“My younger sister isn’t punished despite not behaving.”
Additional Note: In addition to being a helping verb, ถูก (thùuk) can also mean “correct” and “cheap” in Thai.
101- Already + verb
Thai word: แล้ว (láaeo)
How to use: verb + แล้ว (láaeo) for affirmative sentence
Example:
แม่ทำยำเสร็จแล้ว
mâae-tham-yam-sèt-láaeo
“Mom already finished making spicy salad.”
Additional Note: Thai people don’t use this helping verb in negative sentences.
6. Conclusion
We’re happy to tell you that at this point, you’ve already learned all about basic Thai verbs. What do you think about learning Thai verbs? Was this an easy topic as we told you at the beginning of the lesson, or harder than you expected? Tell us what you think in the comments section!
If you’re in Thailand or becoming more familiar with the Thai language, you’ll be able to memorize and start using these Thai verbs pretty quickly. There are a lot of lessons at ThaiPod101.com to help you master this lesson even faster, such as our Thai verbs page with audio.
And of course, don’t forget to start another new fun Thai lesson at ThaiPod101.com after you finish this one. If you want more information on the parts of speech in Thai, our Thai Nouns, Thai Adjectives, or Thai Pronouns articles may be a good place to start.
Ann is learning Thai. Ann wants to be able to speak Thai fluently. So Ann reads Thai books everyday.
Does this sound weird? That’s because these sentences lack pronouns. Yes, you guessed it correctly, this lesson will teach you about pronouns in the Thai language and how to use them.
The pronoun is another basic component of grammar you have to learn if you want to master any language. Thus, if you’re learning Thai, you’ll need to know Thai pronouns in order to speak like a native.
Before we start learning Thai pronouns, you should know what a pronoun is in the Thai language first. คำสรรพนาม (kham-sàp-phá-naam) is “pronoun” in Thai. Grammatically, Thai has six types of pronouns. Some of these have English equivalents, while some are totally different. Of course, we’ll be covering all of these Thai language pronouns.
In this article, you’ll get to learn Thai pronouns inside and out. We’ll cover everything you should know about Thai pronouns in each category. These include:
Thai personal pronouns
Thai possessive pronouns
Thai demonstrative pronouns
Thai interrogative pronouns
Thai indefinite pronouns
Thai relative pronouns
We’ve prepared a list of these Thai pronouns with examples, and will also cover the Thai pronoun system.
Let’s start with Thai personal pronouns, which are called บุรุษสรรพนาม (bù-rùt sàp-phá-naam) in Thai. This part isn’t very hard as the words here are very similar to those in English. The only difference is that in Thai, there are levels of formality, meaning that each English pronoun may have many equivalents in Thai.
1- Basic information about Thai personal pronouns
Thai subject pronouns and Thai object pronouns are the same. You must remember all of these as they’re part of the possessive and reflexive pronouns.
Unlike in the English language, there are some subject and object pronouns for “I” and “you” that are gender-specific.
For Thai possessive pronouns, the way to remember is: “ของ (khǎawng) + subject/object pronouns.” The usage of this is: “noun + possessive pronoun.”
For Thai reflexive pronouns, the way to remember is: “ตัว (dtuua) + subject/object pronouns.” The usage of this is: “ด้วย (dûuai) + reflexive pronoun + เอง (eeng).”
The table below shows the personal pronouns in English and Thai.
* The pronouns in the table above are listed by level of formality. The first/top pronoun in each list is the most formal one, while the last/lowest one is the most informal.
** The pronouns in orange are feminine pronouns in Thai.
*** The pronouns in green are masculine pronouns in Thai.
2- I / Me / My / Myself
ข้าพเจ้า (khâa-phá-jâo)
ข้าพเจ้า (khâa-phá-jâo) is the most formal singular pronoun that means “I” in Thai. It can be used for both males and females. For speaking, Thai people only use this word in very formal situations, such as taking an oath in an important ceremony. However, you can find it a lot in writing, especially in autobiographies.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of ข้าพเจ้า (khâa-phá-jâo), you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of ข้าพเจ้า (khâa-phá-jâo), you get a reflexive pronoun.
Example 1:
เมื่อข้าพเจ้ายังเป็นเด็ก ข้าพเจ้าพูดอย่างเด็ก
mûuea khâa-phá-jâo yang bpen dèk khâa-phá-jâo phûut yàang dèk
ดิฉัน (dì-chǎn) is another formal pronoun in Thai. However, it’s not as formal as ข้าพเจ้า (khâa-phá-jâo), and is only used for females. Thai people use this pronoun in formal daily conversations, such as in business-related situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of ดิฉัน (dì-chǎn), you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of ดิฉัน (dì-chǎn), you get a reflexive pronoun.
ฉัน (chǎn) is probably the pronoun that females use the most. It can be used in casual and not very formal daily conversations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of ฉัน (chǎn), you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of ฉัน (chǎn), you get a reflexive pronoun.
chǎn tham khà-nǒm wǎan dûuai dtuua khǎawng chǎn eeng
“I made this dessert by myself.”
ผม (phǒm)
ผม (phǒm) is a masculine pronoun, and it can be used in both formal situations and casual situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of ผม (phǒm), you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of ผม (phǒm), you get a reflexive pronoun.
Example 1:
ผมจะไปชะอำพรุ่งนี้
phǒm jà bpai chá-am phrûng-níi
“I will go to Chaam tomorrow.”
Example 2:
ทีวีของผมเพิ่งเสียไป
thii-wii khǎawng phǒm phôoeng sǐia bpai
“My TV just broke.”
Example 3:
ผมจะทำด้วยตัวผมเอง
phǒm jà tham dûuai dtuua phǒm eeng
“I will do it by myself.”
กู (guu)
กู (guu) is considered a rude pronoun to use, and you mustn’t use it in formal conversations. Close friends often use this pronoun when talking to each other. It can be used for both males and females.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of กู (guu), you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of กู (guu), you get a reflexive pronoun.
Example 1:
กูไม่ไป
guu mâi bpai
“I won’t go.”
Example 2:
นี่มันเรื่องของกู อย่ามายุ่ง
nîi man rûueang khǎawng guu yàa maa yûng
“This is my business. Don’t stick your nose in.”
Example 3:
รูปนั้นกูวาดด้วยตัวกูเอง สวยมั๊ย
rûup nán guu wâat dûuai dtuua guu eeng sǔuai mái
“I drew that picture by myself. Is it beautiful?”
3- You / Your / Yourself
ท่าน (thâan)
ท่าน (thâan) is used with people you respect. Thai people don’t use this pronoun very much in daily life.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of ท่าน (thâan),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of ท่าน (thâan), you get a reflexive pronoun.
คุณ (khun) is used often in daily life. Thai people use this pronoun in formal situations, especially those related to business.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of คุณ (khun),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of คุณ (khun), you get a reflexive pronoun.
เธอ (thooe) is used as a feminine pronoun only. It’s often used in casual conversations, or when older people are referring to a woman who’s younger than them.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of เธอ (thooe),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of เธอ (thooe), you get a reflexive pronoun.
thooe dtâawng tham gaan-baan dûuai dtuua thooe eeng ná
“You have to do homework by yourself.”
นาย (naai)
นาย (naai) is used as a masculine pronoun only. It’s often used in casual conversations, or when older people are referring to a man who’s younger than them.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of นาย (naai),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of นาย (naai), you get a reflexive pronoun.
มึง (mueng) is considered a rude pronoun to use, and you mustn’t use it in formal conversations. Close friends often use this pronoun when talking to each other. It can be used with both males and females.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of มึง (mueng),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of มึง (mueng), you get a reflexive pronoun.
เรา (rao) and พวกเรา (phûuak rao) are pronouns used to refer to a group of people. They can be used in both formal and informal situations. เรา (rao) and พวกเรา (phûuak rao) are pretty much the same and are completely interchangeable.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of เรา (rao) or พวกเรา (phûuak rao),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of เรา (rao) or พวกเรา (phûuak rao), you get a reflexive pronoun.
พวกกู (phûuak guu) is another pronoun that’s used to refer to a group of people. However, it’s considered to be impolite, and you mustn’t use this pronoun in formal situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of พวกกู (phûuak guu),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of พวกกู (phûuak guu), you get a reflexive pronoun.
พวกท่าน (phûuak thâan) is a pronoun that’s used to refer to a group of people whom you respect. Thai people normally use this pronoun in formal situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of พวกกู (phûuak thâan),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of พวกกู (phûuak thâan), you get a reflexive pronoun.
พวกเขา (phûuak khǎo) is a pronoun that can be used in situations that are casual or not very formal.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of พวกเขา (phûuak khǎo),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of พวกเขา (phûuak khǎo), you get a reflexive pronoun.
พวกมัน (phûuak man) is a pronoun that’s used to refer to animals and plants in Thai.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of พวกมัน (phûuak man),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of พวกมัน (phûuak man), you get a reflexive pronoun.
phûuak man hǎa aa-hǎan gin dûuai dtuua khǎawng man eeng mâi dâi
“They can’t find food by themselves.”
6- He / Him / His / Himself
เขา (khǎo)
เขา (khǎo) is a masculine Thai language pronoun. It can be used in both formal and informal situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of เขา (khǎo),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of เขา (khǎo), you get a reflexive pronoun.
Example 1:
เขาทำอาหารอร่อยมาก
khǎo tham aa-hǎan à-ràauy mâak
“He is very good at cooking.”
Example 2:
อาหารของเขามักมีสีสันสวยงาม
aa-hǎan khǎawng khǎo mák mii sǐi-sǎn sǔuai ngaam
“Their food is in that box.”
Example 3:
เขาสามารถทำอาหารด้วยตัวเขาเองภายใน 10 นาที
khǎo sǎa-mâat tham aa-hǎan dûuai dtuua eeng phaai nai sìp naa-thii
“He can cook by himself within ten minutes.”
7- She / Her / Herself
เธอ (thooe)
เธอ (thooe) is a common feminine pronoun, and it can be used in both formal and informal situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of เธอ (thooe),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of เธอ (thooe), you get a reflexive pronoun.
หล่อน (làawn) is another feminine pronoun in Thai. However, Thai people don’t use this word much nowadays; you’re more likely to hear this word in period dramas. Compared to เธอ (thooe), หล่อน (làawn) is more casual. Thus, this pronoun is used in informal situations.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of หล่อน (làawn),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of หล่อน (làawn), you get a reflexive pronoun.
“She raises her baby by herself with no help from others.”
8- It / Its / Itself
มัน (man)
มัน (man) is a pronoun that’s used to refer to animals or plants in Thai.
Once you put ของ (khǎawng) in front of มัน (man),you get a possessive pronoun. And once you put ตัว (dtuua) in front of มัน (man), you get a reflexive pronoun.
phráw man gàae mâak láaeo man looei tham à-rai dûuai dtuua man eeng mâi dâi
“Because it is very old, it can’t do much by itself.”
2. Thai Demonstrative Pronouns
Another type of pronoun in Thai is the demonstrative pronoun, which is called นิยมสรรพนาม (ní-yá-má-sàp-phá-naam). Demonstrative pronouns are especially helpful for those just starting to learn Thai. Understanding this aspect of Thai grammar will help you communicate effectively, even if you don’t know the names of certain objects.
1- This
Thai pronoun: นี่ (nîi)
Explanation: This pronoun is used to refer to a single noun that’s near the speaker.
Example:
นี่คือสินค้าตัวใหม่
nîi khuue sǐn-kháa dtuua mài
“This is a new product.”
2- That
Thai pronoun: นั่น (nân) / โน่น (nôon)
Explanation: นั่น (nan) is used to refer to a single noun that’s far from the speaker, but close to the listener. โน่น (nôon) is used to refer to a single noun that’s far from both the speaker and the listener.
Example 1:
นั่นคืออะไร
nân khuue à-rai
“What is that?”
Example 2:
โน่นคือเสื้อผ้าของแม่
nôon khuue sûuea-phâa khǎawng mâae
“That is Mother’s clothing.”
3- These
Thai pronoun: พวกนี้ (phûuak níi)
Explanation: This pronoun is used to refer to a plural noun that’s near the speaker.
Explanation: พวกนั้น (phûuak nán) is used to refer to a plural noun that’s far from the speaker, but close to the listener. พวกโน้น (phûuak nóon) is used to refer to a plural noun that’s far from both the speaker and the listener.
Explanation: ตรงนั้น (dtrong nán) is used to refer to an area that’s far from the speaker, but close to the listener. ตรงโน้น (dtrong nóon) is used to refer to an area that’s far from both the speaker and the listener.
Example 1:
ตรงนั้นเกิดอะไรขึ้น
dtrong nán gòoet à-rai khûen
“What is happening there?”
Example 2:
เธอกำลังซักผ้าอยู่ตรงโน้น
thooe gam-lang sák phâa yhùu dtrong nóon
“She is washing clothes over there.”
3. Thai Interrogative Pronouns
Thai interrogative pronouns, called ปฤจฉาสรรพนาม (phrùt-chǎa-sàp-phá-naam), are another pronoun type you have to learn about. These are also known as “question words” because they’re most often used when asking questions.
1- Who and Whom
Thai pronoun: ใคร (khrai)
Explanation: ใคร (khrai) is a pronoun that’s used to inquire about a person (or people). ใคร (khrai) can be both a subject and object pronoun.
Example:
ใครเป็นคนวาดรูปนี้
khrai bpen khon wâat rûup níi
“Who drew this picture?”
2- Whose
Thai pronoun: ของใคร (khǎawng khrai)
Explanation: ของใคร (khǎawng khrai) is a pronoun that inquires about the ownership of a certain noun.
Example:
กระเป๋าใบนี้เป็นของใคร
grà-bpǎo bai níi bpen khǎawng khrai
“Whose bag is this?”
3- What
Thai pronoun: อะไร (à-rai)
Explanation: อะไร (à-rai) is a pronoun that inquires about the name, definition, or description of an object.
Example:
นี่คืออะไร
nîi khuue à-rai
“What is this?”
4- Which
Thai pronoun: อันไหน (an nǎi) / คนไหน (khon nǎi)
Explanation: อันไหน (an nǎi) is a pronoun that’s used to ask another party to choose one object out of two or more available ones. คนไหน (khon nǎi) is a pronoun that’s used to ask another party to choose one person out of two or more people.
Example 1:
เธอจะเอาอันไหน
thooe jà ao an nǎi
“Which one do you want?”
Example 2:
คนไหนจะเป็นคนถูบ้าน เอหรือบี
khon nǎi jà bpen khon thǔu bâan ee rǔue bii
“Which person will mop the house? A or B?”
5- Where
Thai pronoun: ที่ไหน (thîi nǎi)
Explanation: ที่ไหน (thîi nǎi) is a pronoun that inquires about place or location.
Example:
บ้านของเธออยู่ที่ไหน
bâan khǎawng thooe yùu thîi nǎi
“Where is your house?”
6- When
Thai pronoun: เมื่อไหร่ (mûuea-rài)
Explanation: เมื่อไหร่ (mûuea-rài) is a pronoun that inquires about time.
Example:
เธอจะมาถึงเมื่อไหร่
thooe jà maa thǔeng mûuea-rài
“When will you arrive?”
7- Why
Thai pronoun: ทำไม (tham-mai)
Explanation: ทำไม (tham-mai) is a pronoun that’s used to inquire about a reason something happened.
“Why did you buy a new TV? Your old one is still fine.”
4. Thai Indefinite Pronouns
อนิยมสรรพนาม (à-ní-yá-má-sàp-phá-naam) is “indefinite pronoun” in Thai. You may notice that some of these pronouns are the same as Thai interrogative pronouns; however, the way to use them is different. These Thai indefinite pronouns are used in declarative sentences, not in questions.
1- Anyone and Anybody
Thai pronoun: ใคร (khrai)
Explanation: You can use this as both a subject and object pronoun. It’s used to refer to an unspecified person in a declarative sentence.
Example:
ใครก็ทำได้ ง่ายแค่นี้เอง
khrai gâaw tham dâi ngâai khâae níi eeng
“Anyone and anybody can do this, it is this easy.”
2- Anything
Thai pronoun: อะไร (à-rai)
Explanation: This pronoun is used to refer to an unspecified object in a declarative sentence.
Example:
ฉันกินอะไรก็ได้
chǎn gin à-rai gâaw dâi
“I can eat anything.”
3- Anywhere
Thai pronoun: ที่ไหน (thîi nǎi)
Explanation: It’s used to refer to an unspecified place in a declarative sentence.
ประพันธสรรพนาม (phra-phan-tha-sap-pha-naam) is “relative pronoun” in Thai. This type of pronoun is used to do two things in a sentence: 1) Replace the noun in the first sentence, and 2) Link two sentences together.
In English, relative pronouns are “which,” “where,” “who,” “whom,” and “whose,” depending on the noun. However, in the Thai language, ที่ (thîi) can be used for all types of nouns. Below are some examples:
ลูกน้องขยัน (lûuk-náawng khà-yǎn) = “Staff (members) are hardworking.”
Example 4:
น้องชอบนักร้องที่ฉันชอบเหมือนกัน
náawng châawp nák-ráawng thîi chǎn châawp mǔuean gan
“My sister likes a singer whom I also like.”
น้องชอบนักร้อง (náawng châawp nák-ráawng) = “My sister likes a singer.”
ฉันชอบนักร้อง (chǎn châawp nák-ráawng) = “I like a singer.”
Example 5:
เจ้านายเลือกผู้หญิงที่ลายมือสวยมาเป็นเลขา
jâo-naai lûueak phûu-yǐng thîi laai-muue sǔuai maa bpen lee-khǎa
“The boss chose a woman whose handwriting is good to be his secretary.”
เจ้านายเลือกผู้หญิงมาเป็นเลขา (jâao-naai lûueak phûu-yǐng maa bpen lee-khǎa) = “The boss chose a woman to be his secretary.”
ผู้หญิงลายมือสวย (phûu-yǐng laai-muue sǔuai) = “Woman has good handwriting.”
Actually, there are two other pronouns in this group, which are ซึ่ง (sûeng) and อัน (an). However, Thai people rarely use these words nowadays.
6. วิภาคสรรพนาม
วิภาคสรรพนาม (ví-phâak-sàp-phá-naam) is the last type of pronoun in Thai, and is actually unique to the Thai language. These pronouns are used to show that the individual components of one noun group do the same (or different) things as each other. This may sound a bit confusing now, but the explanations and examples below should clarify this for you.
1- ต่าง
Thai pronunciation: dtàang
How to use: This pronoun is used when people in the same group do different things. To use it, put ต่าง (dtàang) after the subject.
Example:
นักเรียนต่างทำงานในส่วนของตนเองอย่างขยัน
nák-riian dtàang tham ngaan nai sùuan khǎawng dton eeng yàang khà-yǎn
“Each of the students does their part of the work diligently.”
2- บ้าง
Thai pronunciation: bâang
How to use: This pronoun is used when people in the same group do a few different activities. To use it, put บ้าง (bâang) after the subject of the first sentence; for the following sentence, you use บ้าง (bâang) instead of the subject.
Congratulations on reaching the conclusion. That means you’ve already learned everything about Thai pronouns.
Did you find it hard, or are Thai pronouns similar to those in your language? What do you think about this lesson? Please leave a comment below to let us know!
You may find it difficult to remember everything in this Thai pronouns list. Still, since you’ve learned about these pronouns with their Thai pronunciation, you should go back and try to pronounce them throughout the lesson. Saying the words out loud often will help you remember them better. Anyway, we encourage you to keep practicing this lesson. Pronouns are a basic and important part of the Thai language, so you need to know them. Learning Thai pronouns can be hard, but don’t give up.
What should you learn next? Visit ThaiPod101.com to choose your next lesson. There are various lessons on interesting topics you can choose to explore. Since you’ve already learned about pronouns in this lesson, you may want to try 100 Adjectives and 100 Nouns.
Is Thai an SVO language like English? Or maybe an SOV language?
Yes, you guessed it correctly. This lesson is about sentence structure in Thai.
As a Thai learner, it’s important to know how to use proper Thai word order in sentences so that you can communicate like a native. Whether you’re a beginner or have been learning Thai for some time now, this is the perfect beginner guide to Thai sentence structure.
In this lesson, you’ll learn about word order in Thai and how to form sentences. We’ll start with basic information about how words are ordered, followed by four types of sentence structures in Thai grammar. You’ll also get to learn about Thai language word order with modifiers and how to transform sentences into yes-or-no questions. And at the end of this lesson, to ensure that you understand everything, we’ve included some word order practice for you.
Let’s start the lesson by learning about the very basics of Thai language word order. Basically, the pattern is subject + verb + object. However, there are also exceptions, and it would be easier to learn the four types of sentences.
1. ประโยคประธาน (bprà-yòok-bprà-thaan) — sentence that starts with the subject
2. ประโยคกริยา (bprà-yòok-gà-rí-yaa) — sentence that starts with the verb
3. ประโยคกรรม (bprà-yòok-gam) — sentence that starts with the object
4. ประโยคการิต (bprà-yòok-gaa-rít) — sentence with relative clause of the object
We’ll explain these Thai language sentence structure variations in more detail a little bit later.
2 – Difference Between Thai Word Order and English Word Order
Now we’ll discuss the difference between Thai language word order and that of English. There are a few key differences that you should know.
Word order in questions: For questions, you have to change the order of the subject and verb in English. However, the sentence structure for Thai questions is pretty much the same as that of affirmative sentences.
Auxiliary verb: In English sentence structure, an auxiliary verb is always put in front of the verb. But in Thai, the auxiliary verb can be put either before or after the verb.
Modifier: Modifiers in Thai are often put after the noun that’s modified.
Because of these differences, you can’t directly translate Thai to English or vice-versa.
2. ประโยคประธาน
Explanation: ประโยคประธาน (bprà-yòok-bprà-thaan) is the type of sentence that starts with the subject.
Compared to English: This type of sentence is the same as the active form of sentences in English.
Example 1:
น้องสาวของฉันเล่นเปียโนทุกวัน
náawng-sǎao-khǎawng-chǎn-lên-bpiia-noo-thúk-wan“My younger sister plays piano everyday.”
Subject
Verb
Object
พี่สาวของฉัน (phîi-sǎao-khǎawng-chǎn) My older sister
เล่น (lên) plays
เปียโน (bpiia-noo) piano
Example 2:
นักฟุตบอลคนนั้นวิ่งเร็วมาก
nák-fút-baawn-khon-nán-wîng-reo-mâak“That football player runs very fast.”
Subject
Verb
Object
นักฟุตบอล (nák-fút-baawn) Football player
วิ่ง (wîng) runs
–
Example 3:
คุณครูไม่ตรวจการบ้านตอนเช้า
khun-khruu-mâi-dtrùuat-gaan-bâan-dtaawn-cháo“The teacher doesn’t check the homework in the morning.”
Subject
Verb
Object
คุณครู (khun-khruu) Teacher
ไม่ตรวจ (mâi-dtrùuat) doesn’t check
การบ้าน (gaan-bâan) homework
3. ประโยคกริยา
Explanation: ประโยคกริยา (bprà-yòok-gà-rí-yaa) is the type of sentence that starts with the verb. In Thai, there are only three verbs that can be used to start a sentence. Those verbs are มี (mii), เกิด (gòoet), and ปรากฏ (bpraa-gòt), which mean “there is” or “there are” in Thai. However, nowadays, Thai people rarely use ปรากฎ (bpraa-gòt), and you’re likely to only see it in literature.
Compared to English: This type of sentence is the same as the passive form of sentences in English.
Example 1:
แก้วถูกดุที่ไม่อ่านหนังสือก่อนสอบ
kâaeo-thùuk-dù-thîi-mâi-àan-nǎng-sǔue-gàawn-sâawp“Kaew is scolded for not reading the book before the exam.”
Object
ถูก (thùuk)
Subject
Verb
แก้ว (kâaeo) Kaew
–
ดุ (dù) is scolded
Example 2:
ตฤณเกือบถูกรถชน
dtrin-gùueap-thùuk-rót-chon“Trin is almost hit by the car.”
Object
ถูก (thùuk)
Subject
Verb
ตฤณ (dtrin) Trin
รถ (rót) car
ชน (chon) is hit
Example 3:
เมื่อวานมีโจรขึ้นบ้าน แต่เงินไม่ถูกขโมยไป
mûuea-waan-mii-joon-khûen-bâan dtàae-ngooen-mâi-thùuk-khà-mooi“There is a thief who broke into my house yesterday, but my money was not stolen.”
Object
ไม่ถูก (mâi-thùuk)
Subject
Verb
เงิน (ngooen) money
–
ขโมย (khà-mooi) is not stolen
5. ประโยคการิต
Explanation: ประโยคการิต (bprà-yòok-gaa-rít) is the type of sentence with a relative clause of the object. It represents the word order in a complex Thai sentence. Basically, it’s like combining two ประโยคประธาน (bprà-yòok-bprà- thaan), where the object of the first sentence is the subject of the second sentence.
Thai affirmative sentence structure: subject + verb + object A + verb of object A + object (if any)
Thai negative sentence structure: subject + ไม่ (mâi) + verb + object A + verb of object A + object (if any)
Compared to English: This type of sentence is the same as sentences with relative clauses of an object in English.
Example 1:
แม่บอกให้พ่อหยิบหนังสือให้หน่อย
mâae-bàawk-hâi-phâaw-yìp-nǎng-sǔue-hâi-nhòi“Mom asked Dad to bring her a book.”
Subject
Verb
Object
แม่ (mâae) Mom
บอก (bàawk) asked
พ่อ (phâaw) dad
พ่อ (phâaw) dad
หยิบ (yìp) bring
หนังสือ (nǎng-sǔue) book
Example 2:
ฉันไม่ขอให้เธอช่วยฉัน
chǎn-mâi-khǎaw-hâi-thooe-chûuai-chǎn“I didn’t ask you to help me.”
Subject
Verb
Object
ฉัน (chǎn) I
ไม่ขอ (mâi-khǎaw) didn’t ask
เธอ (thooe) you
เธอ (thooe) you
ช่วย (chûuai) help
ฉัน (chǎn) I (me)
Example 3:
ย่าชวนฉันให้ไปตลาดเป็นเพื่อน
yâa-chuuan-chǎn-hâi-bpai-dtà-làat-bpen-phûuean“My grandma asked me to go to the market with her.”
Subject
Verb
Object
ย่า (yâa) Grandma
ชวน (chuuan) ask
ฉัน (chǎn) I
ฉัน (chǎn) I
ไป (bpai) go
ตลาด (dtà-làat) market
6. Word Order with Modifiers
To be able to communicate in more detail, you should learn about sentence structure with modifiers. ส่วนขยาย (sùuan-khà-yǎai) is “modifiers” in Thai.
So how do you form sentences in Thai using modifiers? Look at the examples below:
In Thai, if you want to change an affirmative sentence into a yes-no question, there’s no need to change the word order or anything. Keep reading to learn more.
1 – Changing Affirmative Sentences into Yes-No Questions
This is the easiest part of the lesson. To make a yes-no question, all you have to do is put ไหม (mǎi) or มั้ย (mái) at the end of a sentence (before ครับ [khráp] and ค่ะ [khà] if these words are present). ไหม (mǎi) and มั้ย (mái) have pretty much the same meaning and can substitute one another. However, ไหม (mǎi) sounds a little bit more formal, while มั้ย (mái) is used more in spoken language.
2 – Answering Yes-No Questions
There are two ways to answer yes-no questions, which we’ll explain below.
1. Long answer
To give a long answer, Thai people answer the question with an affirmative sentence for yes, and a negative sentence for no.
If you want to answer yes, you just cut ไหม (mǎi) or มั้ย (mái) out to turn the question into an affirmative answer.
If you want to answer no, you just cut ไหม (mǎi) or มั้ย (mái) out and then put ไม่ (mài) before the verb, adjective, or adverb that’s being asked to make a negative sentence.
2. Short answer
To give a short answer, Thai people answer yes-no questions with the verb, adjective, or adverb that’s being asked in the question.
If you want to answer yes, you just reply with the verb, adjective, or adverb that’s being asked about.
If you want to answer no, you just reply with ไม่ (mài) + the verb, adjective, or adverb that’s being asked.
Example 1:
Affirmative sentence:
ชนันต์ชอบว่ายน้ำ
chá-nan-châawp-wâai-nám
“Chanan likes to swim.”
Question:
ชนันต์ชอบว่ายน้ำมั้ย
chá-nan-châawp-wâai-nám-mái
“Does Chanan like to swim?”
Answer:
ชอบ
châawp
“Yes.”
Example 2:
Affirmative sentence:
จักรยานคันนี้ราคาแพง
jàk-grà-yaan-khan-níi-raa-khaa-phaaeng
“This bicycle is expensive.”
Question:
จักรยานคันนี้ราคาแพงไหม
jàk-grà-yaan-khan-níi-raa-khaa-phaaeng-mǎi
“Is this bicycle expensive?”
Answer:
จักรยานคันนี้ราคาไม่แพง
jàk-grà-yaan-khan-níi-raa-khaa-mâi-paaeng
“No, this bicycle is not expensive.”
8. Sentence Structure in Thai Tutorial
To finish learning about word order in Thai, we’ll give you a chance to practice. Let’s translate these sentences into Thai.
1 – Aunt buys fruits.
Aunt buys fruits.
Aunt buys fruits at the market.
Aunt didn’t buy fruits at the market.
Aunt will buy fruits at the market tomorrow.
Aunt is buying fruits at the market.
Will Aunt buy fruits at the market?
Can you translate all of the sentences above? Please try your best. And then, you can check whether you’re doing it correctly or not with the answers and explanations below.
English 1: Aunt buys fruits.
Thai 1: ป้าซื้อผลไม้ (bpâa-súue-phǒn-lá-mái)
Explanation 1: This is a ประโยคประธาน (bprà-yòok-bprà-thaan), the type of sentence that Thai people use often in daily life. This Thai sentence structure is “subject + verb + object (if any).”
Explanation 3: This is the negative sentence of ประโยคประธาน (bprà-yòok-bprà-thaan). To change an affirmative sentence into a negative sentence, you add ไม่ (mâi) in front of the verb.
English 4: Aunt will buy fruits at the market tomorrow.
Explanation 4: This is a sentence with a modifier. You simply add the modifier in front of the verb. จะ (jà) is “will” in Thai. In case you want to add time, you can add it either at the beginning or end of the sentence.
Explanation 6: This is a question with a modifier. You add the modifier in front of the verb, and then put มั้ย (mái) at the end of the sentence to make it a question.
2 – Prim plants flowers.
Prim plants flowers.
Prim plants orange flowers in the garden.
Prim can plant orange flowers in the garden.
There are no purple flowers in the garden.
Mom asks Prim to plant purple flowers in the garden.
Purple flowers are planted in the garden.
Like in the prior exercise, try to translate all of the sentences above. And then, you can check whether you’re doing it correctly or not with the answers and explanations below.
English 1: Prim grows flowers.
Thai 1: ปริมปลูกดอกไม้ (bprim-bplùuk-dàawk-mái)
Explanation 1: This is a ประโยคประธาน (bprà-yòok-bprà-thaan), the type of sentence that Thai people use often in daily life. This Thai sentence structure is “subject + verb + object (if any).”
English 2: Prim grows orange flowers in the garden.
Explanation 2: To convey more detail, you can add the place where the action happened after the object. In case you want to add adjectives, you put them after the noun you want to modify.
Explanation 5: This is a ประโยคการิต (bprà-yòok-gaa-rít). The structure of this Thai sentence is “subject + verb + object A + verb of object A + object (if any).”
English 6: Purple flowers are planted in the garden.
Explanation 6: This is a ประโยคกรรม (bprà-yòok-gam). The structure of this Thai sentence is “object + ถูก (thùuk) + subject (if any) + verb.”
9. Conclusion
And finally, you’ve finished our Thai word order lesson. Your Thai language skills will certainly be better for it!
Is this topic hard for you? Is Thai word order different from that in your native language? If so, how? Please let us know in the comments below.
This may be a little confusing, as word order in Thai may be different from that in your native language. However, if you keep practicing, you’ll become better at it. Reading a lot of Thai articles, stories, or books may also help, as you’ll become more familiar with Thai word order this way. Once you feel like you understand this lesson, don’t forget to check out other fun and interesting Thai lessons at ThaiPod101.com. Saving the earth seems to be in trend, so you should check out our lesson on this!
Time is an important part of our life. Thus, it makes sense for Thai learners to learn how to ask for and give the time in Thai. Knowing Thai time phrases enables you to plan your schedule, make appointments, and better understand Thai conversations.
Telling Thai time is pretty different from doing so in English. Most of the words and phrases we’re going to look at aren’t difficult to understand, but you will need some time to get used to using them. For example, you don’t have to worry about remembering a.m. or p.m. in Thai because there is none. And we can also assure you that the way Thai people tell time is pretty straightforward, so it’s not hard to remember.
In this lesson, we’ll teach you basic time-related vocabulary such as the hours, minutes, and seconds in Thai. You’ll also get to learn various ways of telling the time in the Thai language, grouped into formal and informal ways for easier understanding. Of course, you’ll get to see and practice with many examples. Moreover, this lesson also provides you with a list of adverbs of time in Thai for more fluent speech, as well as time-related proverbs.
Before learning how to tell time in Thailand, there’s some vocabulary to get out of the way first. Here’s a list of words you should know.
1- Time
Thai word: เวลา (wee-laa)
Example:
จะเริ่มประชุมเวลากี่โมง
Jà rôoem bprà-chum wee-laa gìi moong
“What time will the meeting start?”
2- Day time
Thai word: กลางวัน (glaang-wan)
Example:
ตอนกลางวัน ข้างนอกร้อนมาก
Dtaawn glaang-wan khâang nâawk ráawn mâak
“In the day time, it is very hot outside.”
Additional note:
There are three words that are often followed by กลางวัน (glaang-wan), listed below. The meaning of กลางวัน (glaang-wan) and these three words are pretty similar, so they can be used interchangeably.
“Don’t go out alone at night time, it is not safe.”
Additional note:
There are three words that are often followed by กลางคืน (glaang-khuuen), listed below. The meaning of กลางคืน (glaang-khuuen) and these three words are pretty similar, so they can be used interchangeably.
“Yesterday, the prime minister went to Japan at 10 o’clock.”
Example 2:
เธอจะถึงตอน 4 โมง
Thooe jà thǔeng dtaawn sìi moong
“She will arrive at 4 o’clock.”
Additional note:
There are two points you need to know about the words for “o’clock” in Thai.
One is the difference between นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa) and โมง (moong). นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa) is used in formal conversations, while โมง (moong) is used in informal conversations.
Another point you should know is that นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa) can also mean “clock” or “watch” in the Thai language.
5- Hour
Thai word: ชั่วโมง (chûua-moong)
Example:
1 ชั่วโมงในภาษาไทยคืออะไร
Nùeng chûua-moong nai phaa-sǎa thai khuue à-rai
“What is 1 hour in the Thai language?”
6- Minute
Thai word: นาที (naa-thii)
Example:
ขอเวลาอีกไม่กี่นาที
Khǎaw wee-laa ìik mâi gìi naa-thii
“I want a few more minutes.”
7- Second
Thai word: วินาที (wí-naa-thii)
Example:
1 นาทีมี 60 วินาที
Nùeng naa-thii mii hòk-sìp wí-naa-thii
“There are 60 seconds in 1 minute.”
Additional note:
In casual communication, Thai people often shorten the word วินาที (wí-naa-thii) to วิ (wí).
8. Clock
Thai word: นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa)
Example:
นาฬิกาของเธอสวยจัง
Naa-lí-gaa khǎawng thooe sǔuai jang
“Your clock is so beautiful.”
Additional note:
As mentioned above, นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa) has many meanings in the Thai language. It can mean “o’clock” or “watch.”
นาฬิกาข้อมือ (naa-lí-gaa khâaw muue) is the combination of two words: นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa) which means “clock” and ข้อมือ (khâaw muue) which is “wrist” in Thai. Combined, the word refers to a clock on your wrist, which is a “watch.”
As mentioned above, you can also use the word นาฬิกา (naa-lí-gaa) to refer to a “watch” in the Thai language. However, comparing the two words, นาฬิกาข้อมือ (naa-lí-gaa khâaw muue) conveys a more specific meaning.
2. Formal Way to Tell Time in Thai
In the Thai time system, there are two main ways of telling time: a formal way and an informal way. We’ll start with the formal way first. Thai people rarely use this in daily conversation, and you’re much more likely to hear this in the news or an announcement.
The basic thing you need to know about the Thai clock is that Thai people use the twenty-four-hour clock in formal situations. Fortunately, this part is pretty easy.
1- Formal Way to Tell Time in Thai – Full Version
Below is the pattern you need to remember. You may recognize these words from the vocabulary section above.
….. นาฬิกา +….. นาที
….. naa-lí-gaa + ….. naa-thii
….. o’clock + ….. minute
To tell the time, all you need to do is put the number in front of the unit. Just remember that Thai people use the twenty-four-hour format in formal situations. So from 1 p.m. to 12 a.m., don’t forget to change the number of the hour to 13-24 instead. For example:
3 a.m. in Thai is 3 นาฬิกา (sǎam naa-lí-gaa).
4 p.m. in Thai is 16 นาฬิกา (sìp-hòk naa-lí-gaa).
10:26 a.m. in Thai is 10 นาฬิกา 26 นาที (sìp naa-lí-gaa yîi-sìp-hòk naa-thii).
11:58 p.m. in Thai is 23 นาฬิกา 58 นาที (yîi-sìp-sǎam naa-lí-gaa hâa-sìp-bpàaet naa-thii).
2- Formal Way to Tell Time in Thai – Short Version
XX:YY น.
Thai people only use this shortened version in writing. You have to remember the pattern above. XX is the hour and YY is the minutes, so just put the numbers for the hour and minute where they belong. For example:
3 a.m. or 3 นาฬิกา (sǎam naa-lí-gaa) is 3:00 น.
4 p.m. or 16 นาฬิกา (sìp-hòk naa-lí-gaa) is 16:00 น.
10:26 a.m. or 10 นาฬิกา 26 นาที (sìp naa-lí-gaa yîi-sìp-hòk naa-thii) is 10:26 น.
11:58 p.m. or 23 นาฬิกา 58 นาที (yîi-sìp-sǎam naa-lí-gaa hâa-sìp-bpàaet naa-thii) is 23:58 น.
3- Common Formal Time-Related Sentences and Phrases
Now, let’s practice some sentences and phrases for telling time in Thai in formal situations.
You’ve already learned the formal way to tell the time. Now, let’s learn the informal way. Thai people use this a lot in daily communication, both for speaking and writing.
The first thing you need to know is the main difference between the formal and informal ways to tell time in Thai. For the formal way, Thai people use the twenty-four-hour clock; for the informal way, Thai people use the twelve-hour clock.
When Thai people tell time informally, they either give you the number specifically or tell you the general period of time. We’ll explain both below, respectively.
This is more difficult than the formal way of telling the time. Since the way you tell time is different for each period of the day, you have a bit to remember. For easy understanding, we’ve summarized what you need to remember in the table below.
Time
Thai word
Thai word
Example
1-5 a.m.
1-5 a.m.
dtii…..
ตีสาม (dtii sǎam) is “3 a.m.” in Thai.
6-11 a.m.
….. โมงเช้า
….. moong cháo
7 โมงเช้า (jèt moong cháo) is “7 a.m.” in Thai.
12 p.m.
เที่ยงวัน
thîiang wan
–
1-5 p.m.
บ่าย ….. โมง
bàai ….. moong
บ่ายสี่โมง (bàai sìi moong) is “4 p.m.” in Thai.
6 p.m.
หกโมงเย็น
hòk moong yen
–
The informal way of telling time from 7-11 p.m. is special. The way to say this is …ทุ่ม (…thûm). However, instead of saying the number on the clock, Thai people start counting 7 as 1, 8 as 2, and so on.
The informal way of giving someone the hour is quite hard as there’s a lot to remember. However, that’s probably the most difficult part of this lesson and you’ve already passed it. Another bit of good news is that the minute part is pretty easy. There are only three points you have to remember.
0 minute in Thai
Thai word: ตรง (dtrong)
How to use: In English, if it’s XX:00 a.m. or XX:00 p.m., such as 3 p.m. sharp, you ignore the minute part. However, Thai people put the word ตรง (dtrong) after the o’clock time.
Example:
ตอนนี้เวลา 9 โมงตรง
dtaawn-níi wee-laa gâo moong dtrong
“It is 9 a.m. now.”
30 minutes in Thai
Thai word: ครึ่ง (khrûeng)
How to use:
There are two ways to use this word in Thai.
The first is to just put ครึ่ง (khrûeng) after the o’clock time.
The second is, if you want to say thirty minutes as a period of time, you use ครึ่งชั่วโมง (khrûeng chûua-moong), which means “half an hour” in Thai.
Example 1:
เจอกันตอนสองทุ่มครึ่งนะ
Jooe gan dtaawn nùeng thûm khrûeng ná
“I will meet you at 7:30 p.m.”
Example 2:
แม่ใช้เวลาทำซุปครึ่งชั่วโมง
Mâae chái wee-laa tham súp khrûeng chûua-moong
“Mom spent thirty minutes cooking soup.”
….. minutes in Thai
Thai word: XX นาที (naa-thii)
How to use: Now that we’ve covered the 0-minute and 30-minute rules, the rest is very easy. It’s the same as the formal way to tell the time. You just put the number followed by นาที (naa-thii).
Now that you can tell the time, let’s learn the name of each time period Thai people use in daily life. Thai people use ตอน (dtaawn) followed by the names of each period, except midnight.
Now that you know how to tell time in Thai, it’s useful to know some time adverbs as well. They will enable you to include more detail and speak more like a native when telling the time in Thai. Here’s a list of time adverbs you should know:
ตอนนี้ (thaawn-níi) and เดี๋ยวนี้ (dǐiao-níi) are pretty much the same and can be used interchangeably. However, เดี๋ยวนี้ (dǐiao-níi) conveys a more immediate and urgent feeling.
When using หลัง (lǎang), the event that happens later always follows หลัง (lǎang). But the event that happens first can be both in front of and after หลัง (lǎang).
เมื่อไหร่ก็ได้ (mûuea-rài gâaw dâi) and ตอนไหนก็ได้ (dtaawn-nǎi gâaw dâi) are exactly the same and can substitute one another.
10- As soon as possible
Thai word: โดยเร็วที่สุด (dooi reo thîi sùt)
Example:
ฉันจะทำให้เสร็จโดยเร็วที่สุด
Chǎn jà tham hâi sèt dooi reo thîi sùt
“I will finish it as soon as possible.”
5. Time-Related Proverbs and Sayings in Thai
As you learn about Thai time, it’s a great idea to learn some proverbs and sayings about time in Thai. Below are five proverbs and sayings you should know!
Explanation: This proverb is used to explain a situation in which something is being postponed many times over. For example, A promises to finish his homework on Saturday at first, but then he tells his mom that he’ll finish it on Sunday instead. When Sunday comes, he tells her that he’ll finish on Monday. ผัดวันประกันพรุ่ง (phàt-wan-bprà-gan-prûng) can explain A’s behavior well.
Example:
ทำให้เสร็จเลย อย่าผัดวันประกันพรุ่ง
Tham hâi sèt looei yàa phàt-wan-bprà-gan-phrûng
“Finish it now, don’t keep postponing the deadline.”
Explanation: This Thai saying is used to say that time is valuable. It’s often used in situations when you’re made to wait for no good reason or your time is being wasted.
“My son will be twenty years old in a few days. Time flies.”
6. Conclusion
What do you think about our Thai time lesson? Did you find it easy or difficult? How does time-telling in Thai compare to telling time in your own language? Please comment below to let us know.
In our opinion, some parts of this lesson are easy while others are a bit more complicated. However, with some practice, you can master it in no time. Try practicing this a lot with your peers or other Thai people you know. If you practice a lot, you’ll find everything you learned here a lot easier to remember.
And once you’re good with this lesson, don’t forget to check out other interesting and fun lessons at ThaiPod101.com, such as Songkran Festival, Noodle in the Boat, or Wat Phra Kaew. In addition to learning more about the Thai language, you’ll also get to learn about Thai culture and traditions!
Where’s the bus stop? How do you get to this place?
Learning about Thai directions will make your travels in Thailand much easier. Further, knowing how to ask directions in Thai, and how to give them, is essential if you live or work in Thailand.
This article will help you successfully learn about directions in the Thai language. You’ll get to learn Thai vocabulary related to directions, such as “right” and “left” in Thai. In addition, you’ll be able to see how giving directions in Thai works through various sentences and phrases throughout this article. By the end of the lesson, you’ll be able to ask and give directions in Thai with ease.
The map is an important tool when it comes to asking and giving directions. Still, you should know that Thai people won’t tell you to go north or south when giving directions in Thai. ทิศ (thít), which is “direction” in Thai, is often used to tell the region of province in Thai conversations.
That said, here are the most basic words related to maps that you should know!
1- Region
Thai word: ภาค (phâak)
Usage: ภาค (phâak) is often followed by the direction.
Example:
ประเทศไทยมี 5 ภาค
Bprà-thêet-thai mii hâa phâak
“There are five regions in Thailand.”
2- Central
Thai word: กลาง (glaang)
Usage: As mentioned above, ภาค (phâak) is often followed by the direction. So Thai people use the word ภาคกลาง (phâak-glaang).
“The weather of the lower part of the north is getting hot now.”
2. On the Road
This part of the lesson will teach you vocabulary used when asking and giving directions in Thai, such as “left” and “right.” You should try your best to remember these words.
1- Left
Thai word: ซ้าย (sáai)
Usage: Sometimes, Thai people use the word มือ (muue), which means “hand” in Thai with the word ซ้าย (sáai): ซ้ายมือ (sáai muue).
Example:
ซ้ายมือด้านหน้ามีร้านสะดวกซื้ออยู่
Sáai muue dâan-nâa mii ráan sà-dùuak súue yùu
“There is a convenience store ahead on your left.”
2- Right
Thai word: ขวา (kwǎa)
Usage: Sometimes, Thai people use the word มือ (muue), which means “hand” in Thai with the word ขวา (khwǎa): ขวามือ (khwǎa muue).
Usage: A + อยู่ตรงข้าม (yùu dtrong-khâam) or อยู่ฝั่งตรงข้าม (yùu fàng dtrong-khâam) + B is how you use ตรงข้าม (dtrong-khâam) and ฝั่งตรงข้าม (fàng dtrong-khâam) in the Thai language. It means “A is next to or beside B.”
“I’m across from the information center, waiting for you.”
9- Away from
Thai word: ห่างจาก (hàang jàak)
Usage: ห่างจาก (hàang jàak) + A is how you use ห่างจาก (hàang jaak) in the Thai language. It means “away from A.”
Example:
อยู่ให้ห่างจากประตูรถเมล์นะ
Yùu hâi hàang jàak bprà-dtuu rót-mee ná
“Stay away from the bus’s door.”
10- By the intersection
Thai word: ตรงทางแยก (dtrong thaang-yâaek)
Usage: A+ อยู่ตรงทางแยก (yùu dtrong thaang-yâaek) is how you use ตรงทางแยก (dtrong thaang-yâaek) in the Thai language. It means “A is by the intersection.”
Example:
สถานีตำรวจอยู่ตรงทางแยก
Sà-thǎa-nii dtam-rùuat yùu dtrong thaang-yâaek
“The police station is by the intersection.”
11- Corner
Thai word: หัวมุม (hǔua-mum)
Usage: A+ อยู่ตรงหัวมุม (yùu dtrong hǔua-mum) is how you use หัวมุม (hǔua-mum) in the Thai language. It means “A is around the corner.”
Example:
พ่อซื้อของอยู่ตรงหัวมุมถนน
Phâaw súue khǎawng yùu dtrong hǔua-mum thà-nǒn
“Dad is around the corner of the road, shopping.”
3. Landmarks
To learn Thai directions, it’s also important to learn and remember some landmark vocabulary. Below are the most important ones that will be very useful for you when giving or asking directions in Thai.
1- In the city
Thai word: ในเมือง (nai muueang)
Usage: A+ อยู่ในเมือง (yùu nai muueang) is how you use ในเมือง (nai muueang) in the Thai language. It means “A is in the city.”
Additional Information: Thai people often call subways and subway stations “MRT,” which stands for Metropolitan Rapid Transit.
5- Sky train station
Thai word: สถานีรถไฟฟ้า (sà-thǎa-nii rót-fai-fáa)
Example:
ฉันกำลังจะไปสถานีรถไฟฟ้า
Chǎn gam-lang jà bpai sà-thǎa-nii rót-fai-fáa
“I’m about to go to a sky train station.”
Additional Information: Thai people often call sky trains and sky train stations “BTS,” which is the abbreviation of the name of the company that runs the sky train in Thailand.
6- Center of the city
Thai word: ใจกลางเมือง (jai glaang muueang)
Usage: A+ อยู่ใจกลางเมือง (yùu jai glaang muueng) is how you use ใจกลางเมือง (jai glaang muueang) in the Thai language. It means “A is in the center of the city.”
Example:
คอนโดที่อยู่ใจกลางเมืองราคาแพงมาก
Khaawn-doo thîi yùu jai glaang muueang raa-khaa phaaeng mâak
“The condo at the center of the city is very expensive.”
7- Hotel
Thai word: โรงแรม (roong-raaem)
Example:
เธอพักอยู่โรงแรมอะไร
Thooe phák yùu roong-raaem à-rai
“Which hotel are you staying at?”
8- Hospital
Thai word: โรงพยาบาล (roong-phá-yaa-baan)
Example:
แถวนี้มีโรงพยาบาลมั๊ย
thǎao níi mii roong-phá-ya-baan mái
“Is there a hospital around here?”
Additional Information: Sometimes, in informal conversations, Thai people shorten the word โรงพยาบาล (roong-phá-yaa-baan) to โรงบาล (roong-baan).
“The department store opens at ten in the morning.”
Additional Information: ห้างสรรพสินค้า (hâang sàp-phá-sǐn-kháa) is too long for Thai people, so they rarely use this word in daily conversation. They shorten it to ห้าง (hâang) instead. ห้างสรรพสินค้า (hâang sàp-phá-sǐn-kháa) is normally used in formal situations only.
13- Intersection
Thai word: ทางแยก (thaang-yâaek)
Example:
พอถึงทางแยกแล้วให้เลี้ยวซ้าย
Phaaw thǔeng thaang-yâaek láaeo hâi líiao sáai
“Turn left at the intersection.”
14- Cross road
Thai word: ทางม้าลาย (thaang máa-laai)
Usage: ข้ามถนน (khâam thà-nǒn) is often used with ทางม้าลาย (thaang máa-laai), and it means “cross the road” in Thai.
“Everybody should cross the road at the crossroad.”
Additional Information: Actually, the word ม้าลาย (máa-laai) in ทางม้าลาย (thaang máa-laai) refers to “zebra” in Thai. Thai people think crossroads look like the stripes of a zebra, so they use it as part of the name.
15- Alley
Thai word: ซอย (saauy)
Example:
กรุงเทพฯมีซอยเยอะมาก
Grung-thêep mii saauy yóe mâak
“There are a lot of alleys in Bangkok.”
Additional Information: Apart from “alley,” ซอย (saauy) can also mean “slice quickly” in Thai.
16- Restroom
Thai word: ห้องน้ำ (hâawng-nám)
Example:
ห้องน้ำสะอาดมั๊ย
Hâawng-nám sà-àat mái
“Is the restroom clean?”
Additional Information: Apart from “restroom,” ห้องน้ำ (hâawng-nám) also means “bathroom.”
Usage: Despite having the same meaning, there is a small difference between these two words. ลานจอดรถ (laan jàawt rót) is only used to refer to a wide area where you can park many cars. On the other hand, ที่จอดรถ (thîi jàawt rót) can be used to refer to both a wide area for parking and a small area where you can park only one car.
Example:
ที่จอดรถเต็มรึยัง
thîi jàawt rót dtem rúe yang
“Is the parking lot full?”
19- Information center
Thai word: ประชาสัมพันธ์ (bprà-chaa-sǎm-phan)
Example:
ประชาสัมพันธ์ของห้างนี้อยู่ชั้น G
Bprà-chaa-sǎm-phan khǎawng hâang níi yùu chán jii
“The information center of this department store is on the ground floor.”
20- Fire exit
Thai word: ทางหนีไฟ (thaang nǐi fai)
Example:
ทางหนีไฟอยู่ข้างห้องน้ำ
Thaang nǐi fai yùu khâang hâawng-nám
“The fire exit is next to the restroom.”
4. Basic Grammar for Conversations
Before we teach you how to give directions in Thai or ask for them with phrases and sentences, it will be easier to learn and remember if you know some basic Thai grammar used in conversations.
To make a sentence sound formal in Thai, Thai people put the words ครับ (khráp) and ค่ะ (khâ) at the end of a sentence. ครับ (khráp) is used when the speaker is male, while ค่ะ (khâ) is used when the speaker is female. Another point you should know is that for females, at the end of a question, Thai people use คะ (khâ).
5. Must-know Phrases and Sentences to Ask Directions in Thai
At this point of the lesson, you’ll learn useful phrases and sentences you can use to ask directions in Thai.
1- Excuse me
Thai word: ขอโทษ (khǎaw-thôot)
Usage: The way Thai people use this word is exactly the same as in English. Thai people say this word to get attention from another party before asking a question.
Usage: The meaning of ….. อยู่ที่ไหน (….. yùu thîi nǎi) and ….. อยู่ตรงไหน (….. yùu dtrong nǎi) are pretty much the same. You can substitute one for another.
Usage: Actually, the full sentence is ฉันจะไป…ได้ยังไง (chǎn jà bpai ….. dâi yang-ngai). But Thai people think it’s too long to say, so they shorten it to ไป…..ยังไง (bpai ….. yang-ngai).
Example:
ไปจตุจักรยังไงคะ
Bpai jà-dtù-jàk yang-ngai khá
“How do I get to Jathujak?”
4- Is ….. far from here?
Thai word: …..อยู่ไกลมั๊ย (….. yùu glai mái)
Usage: Actually, the full sentence is …..อยู่ไกลจากที่นี่มั๊ย (….. yùu glai jàak thîi nîi mái). But Thai people think it’s too long to say, so they shorten it to …..อยู่ไกลมั๊ย (….. yùu glai mái).
Usage: Comparing both phrases, there’s not much difference between them. If you say ตรงไปข้างหน้า (dtrong bpai khâang nâa), it’s like giving a direction in more detail.
Another thing you should know is that Thai people often put verbs that show movement in front of this phrase. Those verbs are เดิน (dooen), which means “walk,” วิ่ง (wîng), which means “run,” and ขับ (khàp), which means “drive.”
“Go straight ahead and then turn into the first alley on your left.”
2- Go back
Thai word: กลับไปทางเดิม (glàp bpai thaang dooem)
Usage: กลับไปทางเดิม (glàp bpai thaang dooem) literally means “go back to the same way.” If a Thai person said only กลับไป (glàp bpai), which means “go back,” its meaning would be too vague.
Usage: เลี้ยวซ้าย (líiao sáai) is “turn left” in Thai, while ไปทางซ้าย (bpai thaang sáai) is “go left.” Despite having different meanings in English, both words refer to the same action in Thai. They can be used interchangeably.
Usage: เลี้ยวขวา (líiao khwǎa) is “turn right” in Thai, while ไปทางขวา (bpai thaang khwǎa) is “go right.” Despite having different meanings in English, both words refer to the same action in Thai. They can be used interchangeably.
Usage: Thai people put verbs that show movement in front of this phrase. Those verbs are เดิน (dooen) which means “walk,” วิ่ง (wîng) which means “run,” and ขับ (khàp) which means “drive.”
Usage: Both เร็วหน่อย (reo nàauy) and เร็ว ๆ หน่อย (reo-reo nàauy) have the same meaning. The word เร็ว (reo) is “fast” in Thai. So when speaking, Thai people sometimes say the word เร็ว (reo) twice to emphasize that the other person needs to go faster.
Usage: Both ช้าหน่อย (cháa nàauy) and ช้า ๆ หน่อย (cháa-cháa nàauy) have the same meaning. The word ช้า (cháa) is “slow” in Thai. So when speaking, Thai people sometimes say the word ช้า (cháa) twice to emphasize that the other person should go slower.
Usage: There’s no difference between อยู่ฝั่งซ้าย (yùu fàng sáai) and อยู่ด้านซ้าย (yùu dâan sáai). Also, as mentioned earlier, Thai people sometimes use the word มือ (muue), which means “hand,” with the word ซ้าย (sáai): ซ้ายมือ (sáai muue). This applies here as well.
Usage: There’s no difference between อยู่ฝั่งขวา (yùu fàng khwǎa) and อยู่ด้านขวา (yùu dâan khwǎa). And as mentioned earlier, Thai people sometimes use the word มือ (muue), which means “hand,” with the word ขวา (khwǎa): ขวามือ (khwǎa muue). This applies here as well.
To help you better understand how to ask for and give directions in Thailand, and so you can practice, we’ll put everything we’ve gone over in this lesson together with real-life examples.
“I know a very beautiful hotel at Huahin. I will give you the phone number.”
A:
ขอบคุณครับ
khàawp-khun-khráp
“Thank you.”
8. Conclusion
Now that you’ve reached the conclusion, we believe you should have no problem asking and giving directions in Tha. Did you find this topic hard? Is the way that Thai people ask and give directions different from how it’s done in your language? Please comment below to let us know.
Please note that you may be confused with some phrases and sentences, but that’s normal. You’ll need some time to practice. To become more fluent, be sure to practice using these directions phrases whenever you can; practice makes perfect.
Everyone loves compliments. A compliment can make someone feel good, boost self-confidence, and improve the quality of relationships. So as a Thai learner, you should know a few basic Thai compliments to brighten someone’s day. In this lesson, you’ll learn about compliments in the Thai language and how to use them.
We’ll begin by covering the vocabulary aspect of common Thai compliments for beginners, and then we’ll show you how to apply them in various situations.
Before you learn how to compliment a Thai girl or how to compliment men in Thai, you should know the Thai etiquette for giving and receiving compliments.
First, some basic vocabulary. คำชมเชย (kham-chom-chooei) or คำชม (kham-chom) are the noun form of “compliment” in Thai, while ชม (chom) is the verb form of “compliment” or “praise.” There’s no difference in meaning between คำชมเชย (kham-chom-chooei) and คำชม (kham-chom), and คำชม (kham-chom) is just a shortened word for คำชมเชย (kham-chom-chooei).
1 – Give Sincere Compliments in Thai
How do Thai people give compliments? Like in most cultures, a compliment in Thai needs to be sincere. Here are a few tips for how to add sincerity to your compliment:
Use a sincere tone of voice. Thai people often speak sarcastically. So in conversation, it’s important to pay attention to both the message and the speaker’s tone of voice. To give sincere compliments in Thai, make sure that your tone of voice shows sincerity.
Smile. As you know, Thailand is the Land of Smiles. Smiling can add sincerity and depth to your words, and send positive feelings to the person you’re complimenting.
2 – What Thai People Do When Receiving Compliments
What can you expect after offering someone a compliment? How should you respond to compliments while in Thailand? Here are a few tips:
Wai. If the person who gave you the compliment is older than you, you should ไหว้ (wâi). This action is used to show that you’re thankful to the other party.
Give credit where it’s due. Some people aren’t used to receiving compliments or feel shy. If you fall into this category, in addition to saying “thank you,” you can also give credit to another party. For example, if someone compliments you for organizing a good event, you can thank them and give credit to your good team.
3 – Adverbs You Should Know
Now, let’s learn a little bit about grammar. When you give compliments in Thai, you can add the following adverbs to emphasize your compliments.
มาก (mâak) is “very” in Thai. You can add มาก (mâak) after a compliment in both formal and informal conversations.
เวอร์ (wôoe) is also “very” in Thai. However, you can only add เวอร์ (wôoe) after a compliment in informal conversations.
At this point, you should have basic knowledge about Thai compliments. In the following sections, you’ll learn some of the most common Thai compliments, important vocabulary, and more.
2. Thai Compliments on Someone’s Look
These may be the top Thai compliments that many people want to learn, especially those who want to know how to compliment a Thai girl. For easy understanding, we’ll teach you how to give compliments on someone’s look in formal situations first, and then informal situations. But the first thing you have to learn is the sentence structure:
subject / body part / look + adj = subject / body part / look is adj.
1 – Formal
To compliment someone’s look formally, here’s a list of adjectives and phrases you can use, with example sentences:
1. Look good
Thai compliment: ดูดี (duu-dii)
Example:
ชุดนี้ทำให้เธอดูดีมากเลย chút-níi-tham-hâi-thooe-duu-dii-mâak-looei
“This outfit makes you look really good.”
2. Beautiful
Thai compliment: สวย (sǔuai)
Example:
นางแบบคนนั้นขาสวย naang-bàaep-khon-nán-khǎa-sǔuai
“That model has beautiful legs.”
3. Handsome
Thai compliment: หล่อ (làaw)
Example:
ตอนหนุ่ม ๆ คุณพ่อของฉันหล่อมาก dtaawn-nùm-nùm-khun-phâaw-khǎawng-chǎn-làaw-mâak
“When he was young, my father was very handsome.”
4. Cute
Thai compliment: น่ารัก (nâa-rák)
Example:
ลูกชายของเธอน่ารักและมารยาทดี lûuk-chai-khǎawng-thooe-nâa-rák-láe-maa-rá-yâat-dii
“Your son is cute and has good manners.”
5. Smart
Thai compliment: ภูมิฐาน (phuum-thǎan)
Example:
คุณใส่สูทตัวนี้แล้วดูภูมิฐาน khun-sài-sùut-dtuua-níi-láaeo-duu-phuum-thǎan
“Wearing this suit makes you look smart.”
Example:
เขาไม่ได้หล่อ แต่บุคลิกดี khǎo-mâi-dâi-làaw dtàae-bùk-khà-lík-dii
“He isn’t handsome but has a good personality.”
2 – Informal
When you want to compliment someone in Thai in an informal situation, here are adjectives and phrases you can use, with example sentences.
1. Look good
Thai compliment: งานดี (ngaan-dii)
Literal meaning: “good work”
Example:
ดูหุ่นนักแสดงคนนั้นสิ งานดีมาก duu-hùn-nák-sà-daaeng-khon-nán-sì ngaan-dii-mâak
“Look at that actor’s body, it looks really good.”
2. Sexy / Hot
Thai compliment: แซบ (sâaep)
Literal meaning: “delicious” (Northeast dialect)
Example:
ตาลใส่ชุดเดรสสีแดงตัวนั้นแล้วแซบมาก dtaan-sài-chút-dréet-sǐi-daaeng-dtuua-nán-láaeo-sâaep-mâak
“Tarn looks really sexy, wearing that red dress.”
3. Classy
Thai compliment: ดูแพง (duu-phaaeng)
Literal meaning: “look expensive”
Example:
แป้งบุคลิกและหน้าตาดี ใส่อะไรก็ดูแพงไปหมด bpaaeng-bùk-khà-lík-láae-nâa-dtaa-dii sài-à-rai-gâaw-duu-phaaeng-bpai-mòt
“Pang has a good personality and pretty face. She looks classy regardless of her dress.”
4. Light skin tone
Thai compliment: ขาววิ้ง (khǎao-wíng)
Literal meaning: “sparkling white”
Example:
แนทผิวขาววิ้งมาก ใส่เสื้อผ้าสีสดใสแล้วดูดี náaet-phǐu-khǎao-wíng-mâk sài-sûuea-phâa-sǐi-sòt-sǎi-láaeo-duu-dii
“Nat has a really light skin tone. She looks really good when wearing colorful clothes.”
Additional note: Thai people think that a light skin tone is beautiful.
5. Look stunning
Thai compliment: มีออร่า (mii-aaw-râa)
Literal meaning: “has aura”
Example:
เมื่อคืนพินมีออร่ามาก เป็นเจ้าสาวที่สวยเวอร์ mûuea-khuuen-phin-mii-aaw-râa-mâak bpen-jâo-sǎao-thîi-sǔuai-wôoe
“Phin looked really stunning last night. She was a very beautiful bride.”
3. Thai Compliments on Someone’s Work
Compliments in the workplace are really important as they boost positive energy in the office and create a good working atmosphere. Thus, if you work with Thai people, you should know a few compliment words and phrases in Thai for the workplace.
1 – Good job
Thai compliment: ทำงานดี (tham-ngaan-dii)
Example:
ลูกค้าชอบพรีเซนท์ของคุณ ทำงานดีมาก lûk-kháa-châawp-phrii-sént-khǎawng-khun tham-ngaan-dii-mâak
“Customers like your presentation. Good job!”
2 – Neat
Thai compliment: เรียบร้อยดี (rîiap-ráauy-dii)
Example:
งบกระแสเงินสดเดือนนี้เรียบร้อยดี ดีมาก ngóp-grà-sǎae-ngen-sòt-duuan-níi-rîiap-ráauy-dii dii-mâak
“The cash flow report for this month is really neat. Well done.”
Additional note: This may sound a bit weird, but Thai people really do comment when the work is done in an organized manner and looks presentable.
3 – Good idea
Thai compliment: ไอเดียดี (ai-diia-dii)
Example:
ฉันชอบคอนเซปการตลาดอันนี้ ไอเดียดีมาก chǎn-châawp-khaawn-sèp-gaan-dtà-làat-an-níi ai-diia-dii-mâak
“I like this marketing concept, very good idea.”
Example:
คุณทำงานดีและมีความรับผิดชอบ ผมจะเลื่อนตำแหน่งให้ khun-tham-ngaan-dii-láae-mii-khwaam-ráp-phìt-châawp phǒm-jà-lûuean-dtam-nàaeng-hâi
“You work well and are responsible. I will promote you.”
Example:
เมื่อวานคุณแก้ปัญหาได้ดีมาก mûuea-waan-khun-gâae-bpan-hǎa-dâi-dii-mâak
“You solved the problem very well yesterday.”
6 – Awesome
Thai compliment: ยอดเยี่ยม (yâawt-yîiam)
Example:
การออกแบบของคุณยอดเยี่ยมมาก gaan-àawk-bàap-khǎawng-khun-yâawt-yîiam-mâak
“Your design is awesome.”
4. Thai Compliments on Someone’s Skill
In addition to compliments for looks and work, another type of compliment you should know are those about someone’s skill. Below are some compliments you can use in various situations.
Example:
น้ำเดินทางเก่งมาก ให้ไปไหนก็ไปได้ nám-dooen-thaang-gèeng-mâak hâi-bpai-nǎi-gâaw-bpai-dâi
“Nam is very good at traveling. She can go anywhere.”
Additional note: This compliment is used to praise someone who can travel to various places without many problems. Some people can’t do this because they tire quickly, get lost easily, etc.
Example:
ทรายร้องเพลงเพราะเหมือนนักร้อง saai-ráawng-pleeng-phráw-mǔuean-nák-ráawng
“Sai sings well like a singer.”
6 – Good at speaking
Thai compliment: พูดเก่ง (phûut-gèeng)
Example:
ถึงจะอายุยังน้อย แต่มินท์เป็นเด็กที่พูดเก่งมาก thǔng-jà-aa-yú-yang-náauy dtàae-mín-bpen-dèk-thîi-phûut-gèeng-mâak
“Despite her young age, Mint is good at speaking.”
7 – Draws pictures beautifully
Thai compliment: วาดรูปสวย (wâat-rûup-sǔuai)
Example:
แนนวาดรูปสวยมาก เหมือนจิตรกรเลย naaen-wâat-rûup-sǔuai-mâak-mǔuean-jìt-dtrà-khaawn-looei
“Nan draws pictures beautifully like an artist.”
8 – Dances well
Thai compliment: เต้นเก่ง (dtên-gèeng)
Example:
นอกจากจะร้องเพลงเก่งแล้ว เบิร์ดยังเต้นเก่งด้วย nâawk-jàak-jà-ráawng-phleeng-gèeng-láaeo bóoet-yang-dtên-gèeng-dûuai
“Apart from singing well, Bird also dances well.”
Example:
นักเรียนทุกคนชอบครูฝัน เพราะ ครูใจดีและสอนหนังสือดี nák-riian-thúk-khon-châawp-khruu-fǎn phráw-khruu-sǎawn-nǎng-sǔue-dii
“Every student likes Teacher Fhun because she is kind and good at teaching.”
12 – Good at ___
Thai compliment: … เก่ง (…-gèeng)
Explanation: Put a verb before เก่ง (gèeng) to show that someone is good at that action.
Example 1:
ยิ้มออกแบบเสื้อผ้าเก่ง Yím-àawk-bàap-sûuea-phâa-gèeng
“Yim is good at designing clothes.”
Example 2:
อนันต์พรีเซ็นต์งานเก่งมาก ลูกค้าประทับใจ à-nan-phrii-sént-ngaan-gèeng-mâak lûuk-kháa-bprà-tháp-jai
“Anan is very good at presentations. Customers like it.”
5. Conclusion
At this point, you should be able to give basic compliments in Thai. As mentioned before, learning how to give compliments is very important and can be very useful. So keep practicing.
Also, we would like to know whether you found this lesson hard or easy. Is giving compliments in Thai different from how it’s done in your native language? Leave us a comment below to let us know!
And don’t forget to check out our other fun lessons at ThaiPod101.com. We recommend our lessons on Loy Krathong Day and Thai Sweets if you want to learn more about Thai culture.