We think it’s safe to say that everyone has been guilty of spending hours upon hours on YouTube, going from one video to the next. Video is the most popular content format nowadays, and it’s so easy to become addicted…
So why not learn the Thai language on YouTube? If you’re like many people, you simply don’t know where to start—or if it’s even possible.
We’re here to tell you that you can actually learn Thai online for free on YouTube. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top Thai YouTube channels for learners, so you’ll know exactly where to start. We’ve provided some great channels in a variety of categories, so that you’ll definitely be able to find something you’re interested in.
One of the best options is the ThaiPod101 YouTube channel, and we’ll give you more details about this later. But first, here are our top Thai YouTube picks!
Pailin is a Thai woman living in Canada and working as a professional chef. On her Thai cooking YouTube channel, she shares a lot of videos on how to cook a variety of traditional dishes. She speaks mostly in English, but she also teaches Thai vocabulary about food. Her videos make it easy for new learners to pick up simple vocabulary, as well as learn about Thai food and culture.
Our only warning: Don’t watch her channel late at night, because you’ll get hungry!
For the foodies and culture vultures, here’s another wonderful channel on YouTube. Thai food, travel, and cultural insight all make an appearance in Mark’s videos. To give you some context, Mark Wiens is an American who loves Thai food, and eventually married a Thai woman and moved to Thailand.
His vlog videos are recorded in English, and they show his journey of trying Thai street food and exploring Thai culture. This channel is a good place for beginners to learn the Thai language, as you’ll hear some Thai conversations between Mark and local Thai people.
ดนตรีไม่มีพรมแดน (don-dtrii-mâi-mii-phrom-daaen) is a Thai saying that means: “You can enjoy the music without really understanding the language.”
While this is true, we think that you’ll enjoy Thai music more if you understand what the lyrics mean. This is why we recommend checking out GMM Grammy, one of the biggest Thai record labels. Currently, it has a special channel for international fans.
On its Thai YouTube music channel, there are many music videos with subtitles available in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Of course, Thai learners can take advantage of this and use the channel to learn Thai while enjoying some great music. Songs can be especially helpful for learning new vocabulary and becoming familiar with Thai pronunciation.
This is another great channel for Thai music lovers.
VoBrain aims to teach English to Thai people through songs and educational videos, so it uploads many Thai songs with English subtitles.
Despite not being made directly for Thai language learners, these Thai YouTube videos contain great content that you can use to learn Thai as well. However, the downside of this channel is that you can only learn the meaning of Thai words, and not their pronunciation.
This is one of the most popular channels among Thai teenagers.
Peachii is a Thai business woman who lives in London and married a British man, known as Stephen Oppa. She is one of the owners of the Gouni business, which helps Thai people study abroad. She does vlogging and posts videos to capture the different moments of her life, teach English to Thai people, and promote her business.
Her videos are recorded using a mix of Thai and English. This means that, while her videos are aimed at teaching English, you can still watch this channel to pick up some new Thai words. Because Peachii is a native Thai, you’ll also be able to familiarize yourself with the Thai accent and culture.
One of the strengths of learning Thai online with her YouTube channel is the interesting content. Her videos are so varied that you’ll never get bored!
If you were to ask Thai students about the most popular English teachers, Loukgolf would absolutely come up a lot. He is a passionate teacher who understands and gets along with students and teenagers well.
Apart from owning an English school, he also did educational TV shows. He would invite Thai celebrities and talk to them in English, as a way to encourage young Thai people to learn and speak English. The show is done in about 70% English and 30% Thai with English subtitles.
Despite being geared toward English learners, Thai learners can also benefit from these shows. You can learn new vocabulary and get familiar with how Thai people speak in daily life. Moreover, this show is very fun—if you love Thai celebrities, don’t miss this channel!
This channel is perfect for Thai learners who love traveling.
This show features both Thai and English speech, as well as subtitles in both languages. Actually, this channel aims to teach English to Thai people through videos about trips to various places. The host speaks in English and then translates what he just said into Thai.
If you’ve been learning Thai for a while and understand at least the basics, you can practice your Thai listening skills by watching these videos.
If you want to enjoy watching a good TV drama, not understanding the language can be a problem. In order to completely understand what’s being said in a Thai TV drama, your Thai skills have to be pretty good.
But if your Thai isn’t at that level yet, you can still enjoy Thai TV dramas and learn the language at the same time. GMM TV uploads many TV dramas with English subtitles, so you can improve your Thai skills with little to no effort. 😉
ครูโอ๋ (khruu-ǒo) is a Thai teacher who uploads many educational videos for Thai children. His channel name means “Teacher Oh – education media.”
He believes that good and fun video content helps children learn better, and his channel mainly targets young Thai children. All of the lessons are in Thai, but Thai learners can still benefit from these Thai language lessons. For example, you can learn how to read and write the Thai alphabet.
There are many channels you can visit if you want to learn Thai through YouTube videos. But you probably noticed that many of them aren’t actually designed to teach Thai to foreigners.
If you want to learn Thai online in the most effective way possible, visit the ThaiPod101 YouTube channel today. We provide all kinds of good Thai language lessons for you, from the Thai alphabet to Thai pronunciation and grammar. In addition, you’ll find plenty of native Thai dialogues and language-learning tips. Plus, ThaiPod101 uploads videos regularly to ensure you always have tons of videos to choose from. We hope to see you around!
I learn Thai at ThaiPod channel.
11. Conclusion
There are many different channels that can serve as effective supplements to your normal language learning routine, but ThaiPod101 is the best! See for yourself, and start speaking real Thai today.
Are there any other YouTube channels you use to learn Thai? Please share with us in the comments! ^^
After spending some time on your favorite Thai learning YouTube channels, visit ThaiPod101.com and explore all that we have to boost your studies. For example:
Teachers are valued in every country around the world, but few nations show teachers their due respect like Thailand does. This is reflected in Thai Teachers’ Day, celebrated each year to encourage the humility of students before their teachers.
In this article, you’ll learn all about Teachers’ Day in Thailand, from its recent beginnings to how it’s celebrated. Let’s get started!
1. What is Teachers’ Day?
National Teachers’ Day is a Thai holiday celebrated each year on January 16. On this day, students go out of their way to show their teachers ความเคารพ (khwaam khao-róp), or “respect.”
It was General Phiboonsongkram who first suggested the creation of Teachers’ Day in Thailand. He spoke on the topic with teachers, the mass media got involved in promoting the holiday’s implementation, and the National Cabinet made it an official holiday in 1956. The first celebration took place the next year in 1957.
This holiday is rooted in the belief that teachers are some of the most valuable contributors to society, and as such, deserve to be recognized and appreciated for their devotion. This extends not only to school teachers, but to teachers in any field of life.
Thai people often associate the profession of teaching with that of the taxi-boat profession. The taxi-boat service was once a crucial element of Thai society because Thai people traveled largely by river in the past. Just as a taxi-boat driver takes passengers to their destination and goes back for more passengers, so do teachers bring students to their destinations and continue to do so for students over the years. Teachers are seen as a path to the future.
In Thailand, Teachers’ Day celebrations begin the day before.
Every โรงเรียน (roong-riian), or “school,” in the nation hosts special events honoring teachers. The first activity is for teachers and students to make merit by offering food to the monks. Afterward, students honor their teachers by bringing them a พานไหว้ครู (phaan wâai khruu), or “flower tray with candles and incense,” and bowing at their feet. In addition, there are competitions to see which student can create the best Teachers’ Day slogan; the winner receives a small scholarship.
In some high schools, students may give speeches on this day to reflect on the influence of teachers in their lives. Teachers themselves are encouraged to think back on their own teachers.
Teachers’ Day celebrations in Thailand involve a lot of symbolism. There are four symbols that are particularly important:
ดอกเข็ม (dàawk khĕm), or “Ixora,” flowers.
Ixora flowers have sharp petals, which represent a sharp mind.
Eggplant flowers.
Eggplant flowers grow downward, which represents the humility of students toward their teachers and their willingness to เรียน (riian), or “study.”
Cynodon grass.
Cynodon grass grows easily, which represents the growth of students’ knowledge.
Tok rice.
Tok rice is a white rice that has been roasted and popped, representing the ability of students to flourish and shine brightly with enough discipline.
Visit our ‘Plants’ Culture Class lesson to learn about five other plants that are common in Thailand.
3. The Wai Kru Ceremony
การศึกษา (gaan sùek-sǎa), or “education,” is taken very seriously in Thailand, as is the art of teaching. So it should come as no surprise that there is another special day for teachers in Thailand: Wai Kru, or Teacher Appreciation Day. This ceremony takes place near the beginning of the Thai school year (normally mid-May), and involves students showing respect and humility toward their new teachers.
The most important activities for this day include saying a Buddhist prayer, reciting a chant, offering gifts to teachers, and engaging in special performances. Sometimes, the head teacher of a school will give a speech and present awards to certain students.
Wai Kru in Thailand is also performed outside of the formal education system. For example, it is popular in the arts.
4. Essential Vocabulary for Teachers’ Day in Thailand
Now let’s review some of the words from this article, plus a few more!
สอน (sǎawn) – “teach” [v]
โรงเรียน (roong-riian) – “school” [n]
การศึกษา (gaan sùek-sǎa) – “education” [n]
ครู (khrŭu) – “teacher” [n]
นักเรียน (nák-riian) – “student” [n]
เรียน (riian) – “study” [v]
กตัญญู (gà-dtan-yuu) – “grateful” [adj.]
ดอกเข็ม (dàawk khĕm) – “Ixora” [pr. n]
เรียนรู้ (riian rúu) – “learn” [v]
ความเคารพ (khwaam khao-róp) – “respect” [n]
พานไหว้ครู (phaan wâai khruu) – “flower tray with candles and incense” [n]
Remember that you can hear the pronunciation of each word on our Teachers’ Day vocabulary list!
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed learning about this popular Thai holiday with us, and that you’re feeling inspired to keep studying. Is there a Teachers’ Day celebration in your country? Or maybe a particular teacher you are กตัญญู (gà-dtan-yuu), or “grateful,” to have had in your life? Let us know in the comments!
To learn even more about Thai culture and holidays, you can read the following blog posts from ThaiPod101.com:
And this is only a sample of what we have in store for you! Create your free lifetime account today to gain access to numerous learning resources, themed vocabulary lists, and fun audio and video lessons. We make learning Thai easy and enjoyable, so what are you waiting for?
In Thailand, there’s a saying we apply to our daily interactions with others: ไปมาลาไหว้ (bpai-maa-laa-wâi). In English, this means: “You should say hello and goodbye when you meet and part from each other.”
By using these popular Thai goodbye phrases, you’ll sound more like a native speaker and will more easily form long-lasting relationships with natives. As you study them, you’ll also gain more cultural insight about Thailand and her people!
What are you waiting for? Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only)
Keep in mind that the second word, ลาก่อน (laa-gàawn), is rarely used in day-to-day life.
Instead, the most common way to say goodbye in Thai is สวัสดี(sà-wàt-dii), which means “goodness,” “beauty,” “prosperity,” and “safety.” Due to its positive meanings, Thai people use this word for both greetings and farewells.
If you happen to be in Thailand (or meet Thai people elsewhere), and want to impress them, you can always end your conversation with สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii) and do an action called ไหว้ (wâi).
2. Specific Ways to Say Goodbye in the Thai Language
Apart from saying สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii), there are a couple of other phrases you can use to say goodbye.
1 – บ๊าย บาย
Thai pronunciation: báai-baai English translation: “Bye”
Explanation:
This Thai word for goodbye actually comes from English. Thai people often use this in casual situations, usually among friends or family. However, keep in mind that Thai people don’t ไหว้ (wâi) when saying this; instead, they just wave goodbye.
Example:
หนูไปหาเพื่อนก่อนนะแม่ บ๊ายบาย
nǔu-bpai-hǎa-phûuean-gàawn-ná-mâae báai-baai “I am going to meet my friend now. Bye.” [Talking to your mother]
I am going to meet my friend now. Bye.
2 – แค่นี้นะ
Thai pronunciation: khâae-níi-ná English translation: “Bye”
Example:
เดี๋ยวพรุ่งนี้เจอกัน แค่นี้นะ
dǐiao-phrûng-níi-jooe-gan khâae-níi-ná “See you tomorrow. Bye.”
3. Phrases to Accompany Your Goodbye
There are various phrases that Thai people say together with สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii). Some of these phrases are similar to their English counterparts, which should give you a healthy head-start!
1 – ขอตัวก่อน
Thai pronunciation: khǎaw-dtuua-gàawn English translation: “I have to go.”
Explanation:
You can use this phrase in formal situations, such as in business meetings or when you speak to elders. You should say this phrase before saying สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii).
Example:
หลังจากนี้ ผมมีนัดลูกค้าอีกท่านไว้ ต้องขอตัวก่อนครับ สวัสดีครับ
lǎng-jàak-níi phǒm-mii-nát-lûuk-kháa-ìik-thâan-wái dtâawng-khǎaw-dtuua-gàawn-khráp sà-wàt-dii- khráp “I have an appointment with another customer after this. I have to go now. Goodbye.”
I have an appointment with another customer after this. I have to go now. Goodbye.
2 – ขอตัวกลับก่อน / กลับแล้ว
Thai pronunciation: khǎaw-dtuua-glàp-gàawn / glàp-láaeo English translation: “I’m heading home.”
Explanation:
This phrase is suitable for specific situations, namely when you’re about to leave for home. You should say it before สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii) or บ๊าย บาย (báai-baai). The difference between the two phrases is that ขอตัวกลับก่อน (khǎaw-dtuua-glàp-gàawn) is used in formal situations, while กลับแล้ว (glàp-láaeo) is used in casual situations.
Example 1:
วันนี้ฉันรู้สึกไม่ค่อยดี ต้องขอตัวกลับก่อน สวัสดีค่ะ
wan-níi-chǎn-rúu-sùk-mâi-khâauy-dii dtâawng-khǎaw-dtuua-glàp-gâawn sà-wàt-dii-khà “I’m not feeling well today. I’m heading home. Goodbye.”
Example 2:
กลับแล้วนะ จะรีบไปดูละคร บ๊าย บาย
glàp-láaeo-ná jà-rîip-bpai-duu-lá-khaawn báai-baai “I’m heading home now, as I want to get back in time for the TV drama. Bye.”
3 – ขอตัวไปก่อน / ไปแล้ว
Thai pronunciation: khǎaw-dtuua-bpai-gàawn / bpai-láaeo English translation: “I have to go.”
Explanation:
Despite having the same meaning as ขอตัวก่อน (khǎaw-dtuua-gàawn), these phrases are used in different situations. You should say them before สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii) when you’re leaving to go somewhere (but not to your place). The difference between the two phrases is that ขอตัวไปก่อน (khǎaw-dtuua-bpai-gàawn) is used in formal situations, while ไปแล้ว (bpai-láaeo) is used in casual situations.
Example 1:
ครูคะ หนูขอตัวไปก่อนนะคะ สวัสดีค่ะ
khruu-khá nǔu-khǎaw-dtuua-bpai-gâawn-ná-khá sà-wàt-dii-khà “I have to go. Goodbye.” [Talking to your teacher]
Example 2:
ไปแล้วนะ เดี๋ยวออกสายแล้วรถติด บ๊าย บาย
bpai-láaeo-ná dǐiao-àawk-sǎai-láaeo-rót-dtìt báai-baai “I have to go now or else the traffic will be really bad. Bye.”
4 – แล้วเจอกัน
Thai pronunciation: láaeo-jooe-gan English translation: “See you.”
Explanation:
You say this phrase before saying สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii) or บ๊าย บาย (báai-baai).
Example:
ต้องไปแล้วนะ แล้วเจอกันพรุ่งนี้ บ๊าย บาย
dtâawng-bpai-láaeo-ná láaeo-jooe-gan-phrûng-níi báai-baai “I have to go now. See you tomorrow. Bye.”
5 – แล้วจะมาใหม่
Thai pronunciation: láaeo-jà-maa-mài English translation: “I will come back again.”
Explanation:
You say this phrase before saying สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii) or บ๊าย บาย (báai-baai).
Example:
ยายขา หนูกลับแล้วนะคะ แล้วจะมาเยี่ยมใหม่ค่ะ สวัสดีค่ะ
yaai-khǎa nǔu-glap-láaeo-ná-khá láaeo-jà-maa-yîiam-mâi sà-wàt-dii-khà “I am going home now, but I will come back to visit you again. Goodbye.” [Talking to your grandmother]
6 – ขอลาไปก่อน / ขอลาไปแต่เพียงเท่านี้
Thai pronunciation: khǎaw-laa-bpai-gàawn / khǎaw-laa-bpai-dtàae-phiiang-thâo-níi English translation: “This is the end of the show.” (Not literal translation)
Explanation:
This phrase is used only in TV shows or news channels before the words สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii).
Example 1:
ช่วงนี้ฝนตก ท่านผู้ชมระวังรักษาสุขภาพด้วย ต้องขอลาไปแต่เพียงเท่านี้ สวัสดีครับ
chûuang-níi-fǒn-dtòk thâan-phûu-chom-rá-wang-rák-sǎa-sùk-khà-phâap-dûuai dtâawng-khǎaw-laa- bpai-dtàae-phiiang-thâo-níi sà-wàt-dii-khráp “It has been raining a lot recently, so please take care of your health. This is the end of the show. Goodbye.”
Example 2:
ขอขอบคุณแขกรับเชิญทุกท่าน ขอลาไปก่อน สวัสดีค่ะ
khǎaw-khàawp-khun-khàaek-ráp-chooen-thúk-thâan khǎaw-laa-bpai-gàawn sà-wàt-dii-khà “Thank you to all the guests today. This is the end of the show. Goodbye.”
Thank you to all the guests today. This is the end of the show. Goodbye.
7 – เดินทางปลอดภัย / เดินทางดี ๆ นะ
Thai pronunciation: dooen-thaang-bplàawt-phai / dooen-thaang-dii-dii-ná English translation: “Have a safe trip.”
Explanation:
Thai people often wish or bless other parties to have a safe trip when saying goodbye. The difference between the two phrases is that เดินทางปลอดภัย (dooen-thaang-bplàawt-phai) is used in formal situations, while เดินทางดี ๆ นะ (dooen-thaang-dii-dii-ná) is used in casual situations.
Example 1:
ดึกแล้ว เดินทางดี ๆ นะ บ๊าย บาย
dùek-láaeo dooen-thaang-dii-dii-ná báai-baai “It is late at night now, so I hope you have a safe trip. Bye.”
Example 2:
ขอบคุณที่ใช้บริการ ขอให้ทุกท่านเดินทางปลอดภัย สวัสดีค่ะ
khàawp-khun-thîi-chái-baaw-rí-gaan khǎaw-hâi-thúk-thâan-dooen-thanng-bplàawt-phai sà-wàt-dii- khà “Thank you for using our service. We hope you have a safe trip. Goodbye.”
8 – ขอบคุณสำหรับ…
Thai pronunciation: khàawp-khun-sǎm-ràp-wan-níi English translation: “Thanks for ___.”
Explanation:
Thai people say this phrase to show that they’re thankful for something the other party did or offered to do.
Example:
ขอบคุณสำหรับอาหารเย็นวันนี้ อร่อยมากค่ะ ตอนนี้ต้องขอตัวกลับก่อน สวัสดีค่ะ
khàawp-khun-sǎm-ràp-aa-hǎan-yen-wan-níi a-ràauy-mâak-khà dtaawn-níi-dtâawng-khǎaw-dtuua- glàp-gàawn sà-wàt-dii-khà “Thanks for the dinner today. It was delicious. Now, I have to go back home. Goodbye.”
9 – ดูแลตัวเองดี ๆ นะ
Thai pronunciation: duu-laae-dtuua-eeng-dii-dii-ná English translation: “Take good care of yourself.”
Explanation:
This is what Thai people say to show that they care about the other party.
Example:
พรุ่งนี้เดินทางไปญี่ปุ่นคนเดียว ดูแลตัวเองดี ๆ นะ บ๊าย บาย
phrûng-níi-dooen-thaang-bpai-yîi-bphùn-khon-diiao duu-laae-dtuua-eeng-dii-dii-ná báai-baai “Tomorrow, you have to go to Japan alone, so take good care of yourself. Bye.”
10 – ดูแลสุขภาพด้วย / รักษาสุขภาพด้วย
Thai pronunciation: duu-laae-sùk-khà-phâap-dûuai / rák-sǎa-sùk-khà-phâap-dûuai English translation: “Take good care of your health.”
Explanation:
Thai people use these two phrases with people they care about. There’s no difference between these two phrases, and they’re completely interchangeable.
Example 1:
ตอนนี้ไข้หวัดกำลังระบาด คุณตาดูแลสุขภาพด้วยนะคะ สวัสดีค่ะ
dtaawn-níi-khâi-whàt-gam-lang-rá-bàat khun-dtaa-duu-laae-sùk-khà-phâap-dûuai-ná-khá sà-wàt-dii- khà “This is the flu season, so you have to take good care of your health. Goodbye.” [Talking to your grandfather]
Example 2:
หน้าฝนแล้ว รักษาสุขภาพด้วย สวัสดีค่ะ
nâa-fǒn-láaeo rák-sǎa-sùk-khà-phâap-dûuai sà-wàt-dii-khà “It is the rainy season now, so take care of your health. Goodbye.”
11 – โชคดีนะ
Thai pronunciation: chôok-dii-ná English translation: “Good luck.”
Explanation:
This is another phrase to show you care.
Example:
ขอให้โชคดีในการสอบนะ บ๊าย บาย
khǎaw-hâi-chôok-dii-nai-gaan-sàawp-ná báai-baai “Good luck on your test. Bye.”
12 – หายเร็ว ๆ นะ
Thai pronunciation: hǎai-reo-reo-ná English translation: “Get well soon.”
Explanation:
Thai people usually say this phrase after visiting someone they know in the hospital.
Example:
ขอให้คุณน้าหายเร็ว ๆ นะคะ หนูขอตัวก่อน สวัสดีค่ะ
khǎaw-hâi-khun-náa-hǎai-reo-reo-ná-khá nǔu-khǎaw-dtuua-gàawn sà-wat-dii-khà “I hope you get well soon. I have to go now. Goodbye.”
4. Actions Thai People Do When Saying Goodbye
There are a few specific actions Thai people do when saying goodbye to someone. Here are the most popular ones:
1 – ไหว้ (wâi)
As mentioned earlier, a common action that Thai people normally do when saying goodbye is ไหว้ (wâi). This action can be done when saying hello or goodbye in a formal environment. If you’re going to live in Thailand, it’s good to learn how to ไหว้ (wâi), as you’ll want to use it pretty often.
สวัสดี [sà-wàt-dii]
2 – Hug
Thai people who are close to each other may also hug before saying goodbye.
3 – Wave
In informal situations, such as among friends, Thai people also wave while saying บ๊าย บาย (báai-baai).
See you tomorrow.
5. Conclusion
Now you know how to say goodbye in Thai! After reading this article, you should never be at a loss for words when it’s time to part ways.
How do you say goodbye in your country? Is there much difference? Let us know in the comments below.
And as usual, if you’re not sure where to go next on ThaiPod101.com, we have some suggestions:
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!
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.
Imagine that you’re pissed. The anger fills up your body. You’re annoyed, and you just feel like hitting something. Naturally, you want to let your anger out, and one way to do so is through words. In this lesson, you’ll learn about how to express that you’re angry in Thai.
Learning the most common angry Thai phrases is not only a great way to learn new sentence patterns and see Thai grammar at work, but it will also help you understand more about Thai people’s behavior when angry. Throughout this lesson, you’ll see that the way Thai people convey their anger through words is different from how people in other cultures do so.
In this lesson, we’ll first teach you basic Thai words for anger that you should know, and how Thai people express their anger. You’ll get to learn how to use the word “angry” in Thai sentences and study more anger-related vocabulary. In addition, we’ll provide the English translations of each phrase so you can know exactly what you’re saying!
Let’s start by learning how to say “anger” in Thai. Thai people often convey their emotions, especially anger, through their tone of voice. The sentences and phrases in the following sections are commonly used by native Thai speakers when angry, but keep in mind that they also use them when they’re not angry. It’s the tone, not the words, that really implies anger.
Another point you should know is that, naturally, when people are angry, they sometimes let emotions cloud their judgment and end up saying some rude words. If you’re in Thailand, don’t be surprised if you hear some of these rude Thai words from time to time.
Please note that just like people in some other countries, Thai people have a negative attitude toward people who swear or speak rudely. So you have to be careful in this regard. Still, as a language-learner, you need to understand not only the polite Thai words but also the not-so-polite ones. Thai people don’t always speak nicely and it would be weird if you only understood the nicer words.
1- Rude Thai Words
When Thai people become angry, they sometimes use different pronouns to refer to themselves or other parties:
กู (guu) is a rude version of the pronoun “I” in Thai. It can be used by both male and female speakers.
มึง (mueng) is a rude version of the pronoun “you” in Thai. It can be used for both males and females.
If you’ve been learning Thai for some time, you may recognize ค่ะ (khâ) and ครับ (khráap), which Thai people put at the end of sentences to make them sound polite. However, when Thai people become angry, they put วะ (wá) at the end of sentences instead. This word makes sentences sound impolite and can convey angry emotions in Thai.
Now that you know how Thai people express their anger, let’s see some anger-related Thai vocabulary. Below are some basic words and phrases you can use to express your anger.
Now that you’ve learned some Thai words for “angry,” let’s learn a few angry Thai phrases that you can use during a heated conversation.
1- Shut up.
Thai: เงียบ (ngîiap); หุบปาก (hùp-bpàak)
Example 1:
ช่วยเงียบ ๆ หน่อยได้มั้ย ประสาทจะกินแล้ว chûuay-ngîiap-ngîiap-nhòi-dâi-mái bprà-sàat-jà-gin-láaeo
“Would you shut up? I’m going crazy (because of your voice).”
Example 2:
หุบปาก อย่าพูดมาก น่ารำคาญ hùp-bpàak yhàa-phûut-mâak nâa-ram-khaan
“Shut up! Don’t talk, because it is annoying.”
Additional note: Despite conveying the same meaning, เงียบ (ngîiap) is more polite than หุบปาก (hùp-bpàak). Actually, the word เงียบ (ngîiap) itself doesn’t convey anger. So if you hear this word, you can judge whether the speaker is angry or not by the tone.
2- Stop.
Thai: หยุด (yhùt)
Example:
จะทำอะไรหนะ หยุดตรงนั้นเลยนะ jà-tham-à-rai-nà yhùt-dtrong-nán-looei-ná
“What are you doing? Stop right there!”
Additional note: Similar to เงียบ (ngîiap), the word หยุด (yhùt) itself doesn’t convey anger. So if you hear this word, you can judge whether the speaker is angry or not by the tone.
3- Cut it out.
Thai: หยุดเดี๋ยวนี้ (yhùt-dǐiao-níi)
Example:
หยุดเดี๋ยวนี้เลยนะ เธอกล้ารื้อของส่วนตัวฉันได้ยังไง yhùt-dǐiao-níi-looei-ná thooe-glâa-rúue-khǎawng-sùuan-dtuua-chǎn-dâi-yang-ngai
“Cut it out now. How dare you go through my personal things?”
4- Leave me alone.
Thai: อย่ามายุ่ง (yhàa-maa-yûng)
Example:
อย่ามายุ่ง เธอสร้างปัญหามากพอแล้ว yhàa-maa-yûng thooe-sâang-bpan-hǎa-mâak-phaaw-láaeo
“Leave me alone, you already caused me a lot of trouble.”
Additional note: ปล่อยฉันไว้คนเดียว (bplàauy-chǎn-wái-khon-diiao) literally means “leave me alone” in Thai. However, its literal meaning conveys sadness rather than anger, so using อย่ามายุ่ง (yhàa-maa-yûng) is better.
Example 1:
ไปให้พ้น ฉันไม่อยากเห็นหน้าเธออีก bpai-hâi-phón chǎn-mâi-yàak-hěn-nhâa-thooe-ìik
“Get lost! I don’t want to see your face again.”
Example 2:
วัน ๆ สร้างแต่เรื่อง ไสหัวไปให้ไกล ๆ เลยนะ wan-wan-sâang-dtàae-rûueang sǎi-hǔua-bpai-hâi-glai-glai-looei-ná
“You cause nothing but trouble, just get lost!”
Additional note: Despite conveying the same meaning, ไปให้พ้น (bpai-hâi-phón) is more polite than ไสหัวไปไกล ๆ (sǎi-hǔua-bpai-glai-glai).
3. Angry Warnings
Let’s learn angry Thai phrases that are used as a warning. Use these Thai sentences to warn someone that you’re getting angry.
Example 1:
ทำงานตามที่บอกไป อย่ามาลองดีนะ tham-ngaan-dtaam-thîi-bàawk-bpai yhàa-maa-laawng-dii-ná
“Just do what you are told to do, don’t mess with me.”
Example 2:
ถอยไปไกล ๆ เลย อย่ามาแหยมนะ thǎauy-bpai-glai-glai-looei yhàa-maa-yhǎaem-ná
“Back off, don’t mess with me.”
Additional note: Despite conveying the same meaning, อย่ามาลองดีนะ (yhàa-maa-laawng-dii-ná) is more formal than อย่ามาแหยมนะ (yhàa-maa-yhǎaem-ná). อย่ามาแหยมนะ (yhàa-maa-yhǎaem-ná) is used in spoken language.
Example 1:
ทำตัวดี ๆ อย่าหาเรื่องนะ tham-dtuua-dii-dii yhàa-hǎa-rûueang-ná
“Behave, you are asking for trouble now.”
Example 2:
ใช่เรื่องนายรึเปล่า ถ้าไม่ใช่ก็อย่าแส่หาเรื่อง châi-rûueang-khǎawng-naai-rúe-bplào thâa-mâi-châi-gâaw-yhàa-sàae-hǎa-rûueang
“If it is not your business, then just back off. You’re asking for trouble now.”
Additional note: Actually, เธอกำลังหาปัญหาใส่ตัวอยู่ (thooe-gam-lang-hǎa-bpan-hǎa-sài-dtuaa-yhùu) is the literal meaning of “You’re asking for trouble.” However, Thai people don’t say that. We use อย่าหาเรื่องนะ (yhàa-hǎa-rûueang-ná) or อย่าแส่หาเรือง (yhàa-sàae-hǎa-rûueang), which literally mean “Don’t ask for trouble.” Comparing อย่าหาเรื่องนะ (yhàa-hǎa-rûueang-ná) and อย่าแส่หาเรื่อง (yhàa-sàae-hǎa-rûueang), the first one is more polite than the second one.
Example:
รู้ใช่มั้ยว่าถ้าผลการเรียนไม่ดีจะเป็นยังไง ทำตัวดี ๆ อย่าให้ต้องเตือนอีกนะ Rúu-châi-mái-wâa-thâa-phǒn-gaan-riian-mâi-dii-jà-bpen-yang-ngai tham-dtuua-dii-dii yhàa-hâi- dtâawng-dtuuean-ìik-ná
“You do know what would happen if your school report remains bad, right? So be a good student. Don’t make me say it again.”
Example:
เตือนครั้งสุดท้ายนะ ถ้ายังสอบตกอีกจะไม่ให้เล่นเกมส์แล้ว dtuuean-khráng-sùt-tháai-ná thâa-yang-sàawp-dtòk-ìik-jà-mâi-hâi-lên-geem-láaeo
“This is my last warning. If you fail another test, you will no longer be allowed to play games.”
Example:
ถ้ายืนยันจะทำแบบนี้ิ ก็อย่ามาให้เห็นหน้าอีกนะ thâa-yuuen-yan-jà-tham-bàaep-níi gâaw-yhàa-maa-hâi-hěn-nhâa-ìik-ná
“I don’t want to see you again if you insist on doing that.”
6- Don’t be silly.
Thai: อย่างี่เง่า (yhàa-ngîi-ngâo)
Example:
อย่างี่เง่านะ จะไม่โกรธอะไรกับเรื่องไม่เป็นเรื่อง yhàa-ngîi-ngâo-ná jà-maa-gròot-à-rai-gàp-rûueang-mâi-bpen-rûueang
“Don’t be silly, you are making a problem out of nothing.”
Example 1:
เหลือทนแล้วนะ วัน ๆ ไม่ทำอะไรให้มีประโยชน์เลย lǔuea-thon-láaeo-ná wan-wan-mâi-tham-à-rai-hâi-mii-bprà-yòot-looei
“I will not tolerate this. You don’t do anything useful at all.”
Example 2:
ทำไมเธอถึงซกมกได้ขนาดนี้ ฉันทนไม่ไหวแล้ว tham-mai-thooe-thǔng-sók-mók-dâi-khà-nàat-níi chǎn-thon-mâi-wǎi-láaeo
“How can you be this messy? I will no longer tolerate this.”
8- It is none of your business.
Thai: อย่าเสือก (yhàa-sùueak)
Example:
นี่มันเรื่องในครอบครัวของฉัน อย่าเสือก nîi-man-rûueang-nai-khrâawp-khruua-khǎawng-chǎn yhàa-sùueak
“This is my family’s issue. It is none of your business.”
Additional note: This word is viewed as a bit rude.
4. Angry Blames
This section will teach you another type of angry phrase in Thai: the angry blame. Below is a list of phrases you can use.
1- What were you thinking?
Thai: คิดบ้าอะไรอยู่ (khít-bâa-à-rai-yhùu)
Example:
ซื้อของแพงขนาดนี้มาได้ยังไง คิดบ้าอะไรอยู่ súue-khǎawng-phaaeng-khà-nàat-níi-maa-dâi-yang-ngai khít-bâa-à-rai-yhùu
“How could you buy such an expensive thing? What were you thinking?”
Example:
อยู่ ๆ จะมาสั่งนู่นสั่งนี่ได้ยังไง คิดว่าตัวเองเป็นใครกัน yhùu-yhùu-ja-maa-sàng-nûun-sàng-nîi-dâi-yang-ngai khít-wâa-dtuaa-eeng-bpen-khrai-gan
“How can you go bossing people around? Who do you think you are?”
3- Are you out of your mind?
Thai: บ้าไปแล้วรึไง (bâa-bpai-láaeo-rúe-ngai)
Example:
บ้าไปแล้วรึไง เราแทบจะไม่มีอะไรกินอยู่แล้วยังเอาเงินไปเล่นพนันอีก bâa-bpai-láaeo-rúe-ngai rao-thâaep-jà-mâi-mii-à-rai-gin-yhùu-láaew-yang-ao-ngooen-bpai-lên-phá-nan-ìik
“Are you out of your mind? We almost have nothing to eat, but you still use our money for gambling.”
4- What’s wrong with you?
Thai: เป็นบ้าอะไรเนี่ย (bpen-bâa-à-rai-nîia)
Example:
เป็นบ้าอะไรเนี่ย มาถึงก็โวยวายเสียงดัง bpen-bâa-à-rai-nîia maa-thǔeng-gâaw-wooi-waai-sǐiang-dang
“What’s wrong with you? You were frantic as soon as you arrived.”
Example:
ความผิดเธอนั่นแหละที่คืนนี้พวกเราไม่มีที่ซุกหัวนอน khwaam-phìt-thooe-nân-lhàae-thîi-khuuen-níi-rao-mâi-mii-thîi-súk-hǔa-naawn
“It’s all your fault we have no place to sleep tonight.”
Additional note: You use เธอ (thooe) if the other party is female, and นาย (naai) if the other party is male.
Example:
เธอช่างเรื่องเยอะ ใครทำอะไรก็ไม่ถูกใจ thooe-chaang-ruueang-yóe khrai-tham-à-rai-gaaw-mai-thuuk-jai
“You’re impossible. No one can please you.”
Additional note: You use เธอ (thooe) if the other party is female, and นาย (naai) if the other party is male.
Another way you can express your anger is to tell others how you feel. For example, knowing how to say “I am angry” in Thai will be immensely helpful. You can use the sentences below to convey your anger, or other negative emotions, in Thai.
Example:
เธอไม่ฟังที่ฉันบอกเลย ฉันอารมณ์เสียแล้วนะ thooe-mâi-fang-thîi-chǎn-bàawk-looei chǎn-aa-rom-sǐia-láaeo-ná
“You’re not even listening to what I’m saying. I’m very upset.”
Additional note: Female speakers use ฉัน (chǎn) and male speakers use ผม (phǒm).
2- I’m fed up with it.
Thai: เหลือจะทนแล้วนะ (lǔuea-jà-thon-láaeo-ná)
Example:
เธอพูดจาดูถูกฉันมาตลอด เหลือจะทนแล้วนะ thooe-phûut-jaa-duu-thùuk-chǎn-maa-dtà-làawt lǔuea-jà-thon-láaeo-ná
“You always insult me. I’m fed up with it.”
3- I hate it.
Thai: ฉัน / ผมเกลียดมัน (chǎn / phǒm-glìiat-man)
Example:
เพื่อนคนนั้นแกล้งผมบ่อยมาก ผมเกลียดมัน phûuean-khon-nán-glâaeng-phǒm-bàauy-mâak phǒm-glìiat-man
“That friend bullies me very often. I hate it.”
Additional note: Female speakers use ฉัน (chǎn) and male speakers use ผม (phǒm). Normally, มัน (man) refers to “it” in Thai. However, sometimes, Thai people impolitely use this word to refer to people they don’t like.
Example:
พอรู้ว่าทีมของเราแพ้ ผมโคตรผิดหวังเลย phaaw-rúu-wâa-thiim-khǎawng-phûuak-rao-pháae phǒm-khôot-phìt-wǎng-looei
“I have never been so disappointed to learn that our team lost.”
Additional note: Female speakers use ฉัน (chǎn) and male speakers use ผม (phǒm). โคตร (khôot) means “very” in Thai. However, it’s not polite to use this word, so don’t ever use it in formal situations.
In addition to phrases and sentences, another way you can express your anger in Thai is through angry exclamations. There are three angry exclamations you should know.
1- หน็อย
Thai pronunciation:nhǎauy
How to use: Thai people use this exclamation when they’re angry and feel like doing something to the cause of their anger.
Example:
หน็อย ถ้าเจออีกนะ จะเตะแม่งเลย nhǎauy thâa-jooe-ìik-ná jà-dtè-mâaeng-looei
“Nhǎauy, if I see him again, I will kick his ass.”
2- โธ่เว้ย
Thai pronunciation:thôo-wóoei
How to use: Thai people use this exclamation when they’re angry and disappointed due to a failure on their part.
Example:
โธ่เว้ย ถูกหวยกินอีกแล้ว thôo-wóoei thùuk-hǔuai-gin-ìik-láaeo
“Thôo-wóoei, I lost my money to the lottery again.”
3- แม่งเอ๊ย
Thai pronunciation:mâaeng-óoei
How to use: Thai people use this exclamation when they’re angry because things didn’t go as they wished.
Example:
แม่งเอ๊ย จะเอาอะไรนักหนาวะ mâaeng-óoei jà-ao-à-rai-nák-nhǎa-wá
“Mâaeng-óoei, what more do you want from me?”
7. How to Calm Yourself Down
Now that you’ve learned sentences and phrases you can use to express your anger in Thai, we’ll now teach you some tips on how to calm yourself down.
1- Take a deep breath.
Thai: หายใจลึก ๆ (hǎai-jai-lúek-lúek)
Example:
หายใจลึก ๆ อย่าวู่วาม hǎai-jai-lúek-lúek yhàa-wûu-waam
“Take a deep breath; don’t act hastily.”
2- Count 1-10.
Thai: นับหนึ่งถึงสิบ (náp-nùeng-thǔeng-sìp)
Example:
ใจเย็น ๆ นะ นับหนึ่งถึงสิบก่อน เดี๋ยวจะพลาดทำอะไรโง่ ๆ ไป jai-yen-yen-ná náp-nùeng-thǔeng-sìp-gàawn dǐiao-jà-phlâat-tham-à-rai-ngôo-ngôo-bpai
“Calm down and count 1-10, or else you may do stupid things.”
Example 1:
หน้าบึงเชียว บ่นมา จะได้อารมณ์ดีข้ึน nhâa-bûeng-chiiao bòn-maa jà-dai-aa-rom-dii-khûen
“You are scowling. Talk it out; it will make your mood better.”
Example 2:
ไปโกรธอะไรมา ระบายออกมากจะได้สบายใจ bpai-gròot-a-rai-maa rá-baai-àawk-maa-jà-dai-sà-baai-jai
“Why are you angry? Talk it out, you’ll feel better.”
Additional note: Talking may not solve the problem, but it can make you feel better.
8. Conclusion
You’ve just finished another lesson. Congratulations! How do you feel after learning Thai angry phrases? Does the way Thai people express anger differ from how you do? Please comment below to let us know.
We would also like to remind you that despite sometimes speaking rudely when angry, Thai people have a negative attitude toward people who speak impolitely. So you should refrain from speaking rudely, even when you’re angry.
And now that you’ve finished this lesson, there’s so much more for you to explore on ThaiPod101.com. We have a variety of fun and interesting lessons waiting for you. Maybe after reading this article about getting angry in Thai, you should try 15 happy words or the top 20 words for positive emotions to lighten up your mood.
People are pretty much the same. We’re born, live our life, and in the end, we die. However, the life events people celebrate and experience around the world are not always the same. This is because each country has its own culture, traditions, and beliefs, which causes people the world over to pay attention to different events in life.
In this lesson, you’ll get to learn about life events in Thai. ThaiPod101.com will teach you about important life events in Thailand, what happens during those events, and what you’re supposed to say (like Happy Birthday in Thai or how to wish a happy new year in Thai). As mentioned earlier, these events are influenced by culture, tradition, and beliefs, so you’ll also get to learn more about Thai people in those respects as well.
There are many important life events in Thailand, and many Thai congratulations and condolences you can offer. And we have good news for you: all of these messages can be used for both speaking and writing!
It’s natural for people to pay attention to birthdays. After all, it marks the beginning of a person’s life. วันเกิด (wan-gòoet) is “birthday” in Thai. When it comes to birthdays, the questions that may pop into your mind are about how to write “Happy Birthday to you” in Thai or how to sing the Happy Birthday song in Thai. Don’t worry; we’ll get everything covered for you. But before we answer your questions, let’s learn more about this event from a Thai person’s perspective.
Birthdays aren’t considered a very important event in Thailand. Children may get excited for their birthdays, and celebrate with birthday cake and presents from family and friends. When it comes to adults, the level of attention people pay to birthdays in Thailand varies. Some people throw a big party to celebrate a birthday, while others just do merit and go out for a special meal with family, friends, or their lover. Still, some people don’t pay attention to this event at all; it’s just another day for them.
If you live in Thailand or happen to know Thai people and want to wish them a happy birthday in Thai, you should focus on the information below.
Additional note: This is a very general way to wish someone a happy birthday in Thai, and you can use this in both formal and informal situations. Still, it’s good to know that Thai people often say “Happy Birthday” in English, as well as สุขสันต์วันเกิด (sùk-sǎn wan-gòoet). Now, about the Happy Birthday song in Thai—there is none. Thai people sing the English version.
2- Happy Birthday Wishes in Thai
Thai people often wish for the birthday person to be healthy, wealthy, happy, and to have a good time. Here is a list of formal birthday wishes in Thai you can use.
In Thai culture, you can say that you wish something for younger people, but it’s not proper for younger people to do this for elders. This is because, in Thai society, young people are expected to respect people who are older. If you do wish something for an elder, there is a way to say it properly, shown below.
English translation: “May the triple gems wish you…”
Additional note: Since you can’t bless elders directly, you ask a sacred item that Thai people believe blesses them instead. In Thailand, most people are Buddhist, so Thai people often use พระศรีรัตนตรัย (phrá-srǐi-rát-dtà-ná-dtrai), which is “the triple gems.”
2. Graduation in Thailand
พิธีสำเร็จการศึกษา (phí-thii sǎm-rèt gaan-sùek-sǎa), or a “graduation ceremony,” is a big event in Thailand. It’s viewed as the first success in life, as well as a sign that you’ve become an adult; after this, you’re expected to work and take care of yourself. On graduation day, graduated students receive a diploma from the Thai royal family. Family and friends normally come to congratulate graduates with flowers and gifts.
If you happen to have a Thai friend who’s about to graduate, here’s a list of graduation messages in Thai you can use.
Additional note: This is another congratulation in Thai for graduates you can use. This one is more formal than the previous one.
3- Graduation Wishes in Thai
In addition to the two ways of saying congratulations in Thai above, you can also say offer more good wishes to the graduate. These wishes can be used in both formal and informal situations. The basic sentence you should know is ดีใจด้วย ขอให้… (dii-jai-dûuai khǎaw-hâi), which means “I’m so happy for you. I wish (you to be)…”. You can choose one of the wishes listed below to fill the blank.
Wish 1: Be successful in work.
Thai language: ประสบความสำเร็จในการทำงาน
Thai pronunciation:bprà-sòp-khwaam-sǎm-rèt nai gaan-tham-ngaan
Wish 2: Be successful in life.
Thai language: ประสบความสำเร็จในชีวิต
Thai pronunciation:bprà-sòp-khwaam-sǎm-rèt nai chii-wít
Wish 3: A bright and shiny future is waiting for you.
งานบวช (ngaan-bùuat) is “ordination ceremony” in Thai. For Buddhist families with son(s), the ordination ceremony is considered a big life event for them. As the head of a family in the future, it’s tradition for males to be ordained for a short period of time to learn the Buddha’s teachings so that he can use them later in life. Family and friends are invited to this ordinations ceremony. ThaiPod101.com will teach you sentences you may hear, and some you can use, to congratulate someone in formal situations.
Additional note: This Thai message is quite special. It’s used in Buddhism-related situations only. In an ordination ceremony, Thai people use this phrase to show that they’re happy for what you’re doing (getting ordained to be a monk).
2- I hope you will be able to learn Buddha’s teachings well.
Additional note: This isn’t a message you say to the host, but is rather a famous saying related to the ordination ceremony which reflects Thai beliefs regarding this matter. Its literal meaning is “ordain so parents can hold the rim of yellow clothes to heaven.” Here’s an explanation: Thai monks have their own outfit, which is a yellow robe. In the ordination ceremony, a new monk wears the yellow robe for the first time, and parents can hold on to the rim of the yellow outfit to the heaven.
4. Weddings in Thailand
Like the rest of the world, a wedding is an important life event in Thailand. Most people, especially women, want to have a wedding ceremony. Some wedding ceremonies are pretty small, and only family and close friends are invited. Some wedding ceremonies, however, can be very big with up to a thousand guests. Normally, at the reception of the wedding, there’s a book for guests to write their wishes to the bride and groom in. If you’re going to a Thai wedding, here are wedding messages in Thai, and other Thai wedding congratulations, you can use.
When you learn that your beloved one is pregnant, naturally, you’re happy for them. In some countries, they do baby showers to congratulate them. However, in Thailand, we don’t do that. Once the new mother gives birth, you go and visit them.
Then, a month after the baby is born, you do an event called ทำขวัญเดือน (tham-kwǎn-duuean) or โกนผมไฟ (goon-phǒm-fai). In this event, the family wishes good things for the baby and celebrates that the baby is safe and healthy. It’s the first time that the baby’s hair is cut. However, only family partakes in this event.
As a friend, if you want to congratulate your Thai friend on their pregnancy or childbirth, you can send them these messages.
Additional note: This is a Thai wish for both the mother and baby, that you say to the mother. It’s quite common and can be used in both formal and informal situations.
Additional note: This is a Thai wish you say to the baby, although the baby may not understand you yet. When Thai people speak this, they normally use a kind tone.
3- Wish your baby to be healthy and grow up to be a good child.
Additional note: This is a Thai wish for the baby that you say to the mother. It’s quite common and can be used in both formal and informal situations.
6. New House
Owning a house or condo in Thailand is viewed as another success. The owner of the house often hosts an event called งานทำบุญขึ้นบ้านใหม่ (ngaan tham-bun-khûen-bâan-mài), which means “merit making for new house,” to celebrate. They may also invite monks to bless the house so that it’s a nice place to live. Family and friends are normally invited to this event.
Additional note: This is another wish that Thai people often write down on a card, which they give to the owner of the house.
7. New Business or Business Anniversary
When Thai people start a new business or have a business anniversary, they sometimes invite a monk to bless their business. They believe it will bring luck and help make their business successful. Family, friends, and business partners are invited. Here’s a list of best wishes in Thai you can say to congratulate them.
1- General Thai Message on New Business / Business Anniversary
Wish 1: Good luck! Good luck! Good luck!
Thai language: เฮง เฮง เฮง
Thai pronunciation:heng heng heng
Additional note: This is one of the most popular wishes for others when it comes to business. Actually, it comes from Chinese.
Wish 2: Congratulations.
Thai language: ยินดีด้วยนะ
Thai pronunciation:yin-dii dûuai ná
2- Wishes for a New Business
Wish 1: Congratulations on your business, may it go well.
Being sick is an inevitable event in life. And when you’re sick or injured, encouragement from family, friends, and people who love you can always make you feel better. Thai people are no different.
When you’re sick, you normally get encouraging messages from those who love you. If you get admitted to the hospital, those who love you often come to visit with some fruit and nourishing food or drinks. If you visit Thai people in the hospital or have a sick friend, the following Thai condolences and encouragement phrases will be useful for you. You can use them in both formal and informal situations.
1- Get well soon.
Thai language: หายป่วยเร็ว ๆ นะ
Thai pronunciation:hǎai bpùuai rew-rew ná
Additional note: This is a general message that Thai people often say or write down on a card for someone who is sick or injured.
งานศพ (ngaan-sòp), or a “funeral,” is the chance for the living to pay respect to the dead, as well as comfort the family of the deceased. คำอาลัย (kham aa-lai) is the “message to the dead” in Thai. If you go to a funeral in Thailand, here are some funeral messages in Thai, and other condolences in Thai, you should know.
Additional note: This is a message that Thai people often say to the deceased at a funeral. Both sentences have the same meaning. However, the first one is more formal.
2- Message to the death (asking for forgiveness).
It’s impossible for people who know each other to never do, think, or say bad things to each other, regardless of intention. As most Thai people are Buddhist, we believe in a next life. Thus, it’s proper to ask for forgiveness and say that you forgive the deceased as well. So you should know these two sentences.
Message 1: Asking the deceased for forgiveness
Thai language: กรรมใดที่เคยทำไป อโหสิกรรมให้ด้วย
Thai pronunciation:gam-dai thîi khooei tham bpai à-hǒo-sì-gam hâi rao dûuai
Message 2: Forgiving the deceased for bad things he/she did to you
Message 2: My condolences for your loss. (Informal)
Thai language: เสียใจด้วย
Thai pronunciation:sǐia-jai dûuai
10. Holidays in Thailand
There are a lot of holidays in Thailand. Thai people celebrate many foreign holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and Halloween. However, luckily, the holiday greetings in Thai, or holiday messages for foreign holidays, are no different from those used in other countries. Thai people often say those in English, such as “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Still, ThaiPod101.com thinks you should learn some holiday wishes in Thai. In particular, the New Year holiday in Thailand is quite interesting.
In Thailand, people kind of celebrate the New Year three times a year: New Year’s Day, the Chinese New Year Day, and the Thai New Year Day. So you should learn some of the most common Thai New Year congratulations. The Thai wishes below can be used in both formal and informal situations.
1- Happy New Year Wishes in Thai
Wish 1: Happy New Year
Thai language: สุขสันต์วันปีใหม่
Thai pronunciation:sùk-sǎn wan-bpii-mài
Wish 2: Hello New Year
Thai language: สวัสดีปีใหม่
Thai pronunciation:sà-wàt-dii bpii-mài
Wish 3: May this year be full of happiness and prosperity.
Thai language: ขอให้มีแต่ความสุขความเจริญ
Thai pronunciation:khǎaw hâi mii dtàae khwaam-sùk khwaam-jà-rooen
Additional note: This wish is Chinese. Despite saying this on the Chinese New Year, Thai people don’t really know what it means. They just know that they’re supposed to say this on that day.
Wish 2: Good luck! Good luck! Good luck!
Thai language: เฮง เฮง เฮง
Thai pronunciation:heng heng heng
Additional note: You may recognize this wish because it’s also used to wish a new business well, or to congratulate a business anniversary. It can also be used as a wish for the Chinese New Year as well.
Thai pronunciation:khǎaw hâi mii dtàae khwaam-sùk
11. Conclusion
Congratulations for reaching the conclusion. We hope you can use all these wishes and messages for life events in real situations. Are they different from yours? Does your country have the same life events? Leave a comment below to let us know.
And as always, don’t forget to visit ThaiPod101.com to learn interesting and fun Thai lessons. As we’ve just talked about holidays, you can learn more about national Thai holidays or the Songkran holiday in Thailand. Know that your hard work will pay off, and with the help of ThaiPod101, you’ll be speaking like a native in no time!
Songkran Day, otherwise known as the Songkran Festival or Songkran Water Festival, is a unique Thai tradition that takes place in early spring each year. In this article, you’ll learn what the Songkran Festival is all about, how Thai people celebrate this holiday, and more!
Let’s get started.
1. What is Songkran Day?
The Songkran holiday in Thailand is a three-day celebration period. During the Songkran Festival, Thai people are able to get much-needed rest and relaxation from work or school, as well as plenty of play-time! This holiday is also a period of blessings and a time to ทำบุญ (tham-bun), or “make merit.”
The Songkran Festival is a tradition that is not only present in Thailand but also in other Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. It is presumed that this festival was influenced by the Holi festival in India.
Each year, the Songkran date is from April 13 to April 15.
3. How is the Songkran Festival Celebrated?
Because the Songkran Festival is a long holiday, many Thai people go back to their hometown to visit family and old friends.
There are a number of events and traditions that take place during the Thai Songkran Festival. As mentioned earlier, this is a time to make merit. Many common events during this holiday period include acts of service (like saving animals that are trapped), charity operations, and asking blessings from elders. Many people also เข้าวัด (khâo-wát), or “go to the temple,” and give food to the monks.
During the Songkran Festival, Thailand also hosts a beauty pageant. In the Miss Songkran beauty pageant, Thai women from ages eighteen to twenty-five wear Thai dresses, express their personality, and try to answer important questions. The winner for each province is considered a lady capable of promoting tourism in that province.
Perhaps the tradition you’re most familiar with is that of playing with น้ำ (nám), or water. Throughout Thailand, people will splash or sprinkle each other with water, shoot people with water guns, and also สรงน้ำพระ (sóng-náam-phrá), or “bathe the Buddha statue.” This is because many Thais believe that splashing water onto others will rid them of bad luck and other bad things. In some places, people also rub chalk in each other’s faces.
Do you know what other Thai holiday falls on April 13?
Since the reign of King Rama V, April 1 had been designated as the ปีใหม่ไทย (phii-mài-thai), or Thai New Year. Later, in 1940, the date of New Year’s Day was changed to the international day of January 1. However, as Thai people in those days were still used to New Year’s Day being in April, April 13 was designated the first day of the Songkran holiday period, as well as the traditional Thai New Year.
→ Did you know that some people in Thailand also observe the Chinese New Year?
5. Essential Vocabulary for Songkran Day
Ready to review some of the vocabulary words from this article? Here’s a list of the most important words and phrases for Songkran!
Whatever your reasons for becoming interested in Thai culture or the language, know that ThaiPod101.com is the best way to expand your knowledge and improve your skills. With tons of fun and effective lessons for learners at every level, there’s something for everyone!
Despite your willingness to learn the Thai language, traditional learning methods such as reading books and memorizing new vocabulary can be extremely boring. What’s a better way to learn the Thai language? As you may have guessed, watching Thai movies or shows on Netflix (Thailand) is the best way to do so. You can watch Thai Netflix on the app or on your web browser. Even better? The Thai Netflix price is very cheap, as low as 105 Baht/month.
Now, you may wonder if you’ll be able to understand what you’re watching if you’ve just started learning Thai. Does Netflix have Thai subtitles? The answer is yes! And even if you can’t read Thai yet, watching Thai Netflix series or Thai Netflix movies is still good practice for Thai learners.
On Netflix, Thai language movies can introduce you to Thai accents, which in turn can improve your listening and speaking skills. Also, if you can read some Thai, reading Thai subtitles on Netflix will surely improve your reading skills. Moreover, you get to learn more about how Thai people live their daily lives in context of Thai culture.
There are a lot of Thai movies and Thai TV series on Netflix. To get the most out of the time you spend watching, be sure to choose one that fits your tastes the most. If you’re a fan of Netflix Original Series, you’ll have to wait a while, though, as Thai Netflix Original Series are just now being filmed. And as for Thai TV shows on Netflix, there are currently none available; but hopefully, Netflix will decide to put some in.
We understand that you may have no idea where to start on Thai Netflix, so ThaiPod101.com will help you by providing the best Netflix Thailand movie list for Thai learners, including new Thai movies on Netflix 2019!
This is one of the best romantic Thai movies on Netflix. It portrays the story of an average Chinese-Thai office lady who falls in love with a BTS sky train engineer.
Because of this movie, ท้องฟ้าจำลอง (tháawng-fáa jam-laawng), or Bangkok Planetarium, became a popular place for couples to go on dates. The male leading actor is Ken Teeradech, and the female leading actor is Cris Howang.
Thai pronunciation:faaen kháo mâi dâi mii phûuea yùu dûuai gan dtà-làawt wee-laa dtàae mii phûuea hâi rúu wâa yang mii khon thîi rák láe bpen hùuang rao
English meaning: “We are not in a relationship so that we have someone with us all the time, but so that we have someone who loves and cares about us.”
This is a comedy, romance, and Thai Netflix drama, remade from the Korean and Chinese movies. It’s the story of a 74-year-old grandmother who’s very stubborn and seems unable to get along with her family. Her family plans to send her to a nursing home, but miraculously, her body becomes twenty again. So she decides to use this chance to live her life and build a good relationship with her family again.
In this Thai Netflix movie, you’ll get to see how old people talk compared to the younger generation. The leading actress is Mai Davika.
This is one of the Thai films on Netflix that you shouldn’t miss!
Movie quote: The question and answer shown below are the core of this movie.
Thai pronunciation:thâa yáawn wee-laa glàp bpai dâi khun jà chái chii wít bàaeb dai jà chái wee-laa yàang-rai jà tham à-rai thîi jai yàak tham dtàae mâi dâi tham châi rǔue bplào
English meaning: “If you could turn back time, how would you live your life? How would you spend your time? Would you do things you wanted to do, but didn’t get to do in the past?”
This Thai Netflix movie is in the romantic-comedy genre, portraying the lives of youngsters.
A boy who’s clueless about everything music-related learns much about it from his first love. Sadly, they eventually have to be separated from each other. Despite being terrible at everything, in twelfth grade, Ped plans to sign up for a famous music contest called the Hot Wave Music Award.
The name of this movie reflects the male leading character and his journey from sucking at everything to actually succeeding. The movie itself was not bad in terms of revenue and public comment, and the original soundtrack is pretty famous.
If you’re looking for a great feel-good movie, this is one of the best Thai movies on Netflix for you!
Movie quotes:
1- เวลาฟังเพลง จะรู้สึกว่ามีเพื่อน
Thai pronunciation:wee-laa fang phleeng jà rúu-sùek wâa mii phûuean
English meaning: “When I listen to music, I feel like I have a friend with me.”
2- นี่มันยุคของเราแล้ว
Thai pronunciation:nîi man yúk khǎawng rao láaeo
English meaning: “It is our time now.”
3- เราก็ยังเหมือนเดิม
Thai pronunciation:rao gâaw yang mǔuean-dooem
English meaning: “I’m also the same.”
4. Mae Bia
Thai title: แม่เบี้ย (mâae bîia)
Movie information:
Mae Bia is one of the best Thai movies Netflix has right now, and people pay a lot of attention to this one because it’s a drama-erotic movie. The story involves old Thai-styled houses, cobras, supernatural events, and a romantic relationship—these elements together made for an S.E.A. writing award-winning movie! And as this story happens in สุพรรณบุรี (sù-phan-bù-rii), you’ll get to hear another local dialect which has a slightly different tone compared to how Thai people normally speak.
The male actor of this movie is very famous, and acts very well. For those who love this kind of story, luckily, this Thai movie is on Netflix now.
Thai people love the horror genre, and do it well in their movies. And when speaking of horror stories, every Thai knows the story of นางนาก (naang nâak). It’s the story of a woman who died while giving birth to her child, and waited as a ghost for her husband to come back from war.
Since this story is so famous, it has been made into TV series, movies, and musicals many times. However, this version is said to be the scariest, and it’s one of the very best Netflix Thai horror movies! If you like horror stories, don’t miss this Thai horror movie on Netflix. Many people have said that it’s the scariest movie they’ve ever seen.
The main female actress, Sai, is very famous for her action in horror films. Also, as this story is believed to have happened more than a hundred years ago, you’ll get to see how Thai people lived and spoke in the past.
Movie quotes:
1- พี่มากขา
Thai pronunciation:phîi mâak khǎa
English meaning: There is no English meaning. This is just what นางนาก (naang-nâak) calls her husband.
2- ฉันมารอพี่ที่ท่าน้ำทุกวันเลยนะ
Thai pronunciation:chǎn maa raaw phîi thîi thâa-nám thúk wan looei ná
English meaning: “I have been coming to the dock every day to wait for you.”
If you like historical movies, don’t miss บางระจัน (baang-rá-jan). It portrays the story of people in หมู่บ้านบางระจัน (mùu-bâan baang-rá-jan), or Bangrajan Village, who help prolong the end of อยุธยา (à-yút-thá-yaa). Despite losing the fight in the end, people in this village are known as Thai heroes.
It was a very successful movie that made both the leading actor and actress very popular. Similar to นางนาก (naang nâak), you’ll get to see how Thai people lived and spoke in the past, as this story happened over 200 years ago. Definitely a great Thai film Netflix currently has for history-lovers!
Movie quote:
The most touching expression of this movie is below. It shows the sacrifice of people for their homeland, as well as their love for family.
Thai pronunciation:hàak wan khâang nâa khâa mâi dâi sàng-sǎawn man eng jong bàawk man wâa khâa mâi dâi jàak bpai nǎi khâa jàk yùu nai phǔuen-din nai dtôn-mái nai sǎai-nám khâa jàk bpen khon khaauy khúm-hǔua man eeng
English meaning: “If in the future, I don’t get a chance to teach our child, you must tell them that I didn’t go away from them. I am in the land, in the tree, in the river. I will protect them.”
This is one of the most famous Thai action Netflix films. It’s the story of two men trying to take the stolen head of Buddha back. The action scenes are said to be very good and thrilling. As the main character is from northeast Thailand, you’ll get to hear ภาษาอีสาน (phaa-sǎa ii-sǎan), which is the Thai Northeast dialect.
This was a successful movie, and has been made into three films. If you want to watch a Muay Thai movie on Netflix, you absolutely can’t miss this one.
This Netflix Thai series shows the story of teenagers in high school. It reflects real-life problems that young people face, especially those that have to do with romantic relationships, sex, abuse in school, drugs, family problems, etc. It was one of the first Thai series on Netflix to focus on multiple points of view, and not just on romantic relationships like most Thai series.
This series is so successful that it’s continuing for a third season.
Series quotes:
1- มันเป็นธรรมเนียมที่ทำต่อๆ กันมา
Thai pronunciation:man bpen tham-niiam thîi tham dtàaw dtàaw gan maa
English meaning: “It is the tradition that people have been doing from generation to generation.”
2- เพราะมันไม่ใช่คำตอบที่พวกเธอถูกใจรึเปล่า?
Thai pronunciation:phráw man mâi châi kham-dtàawp thîi phûuak thooe thùuk jai rúe bplào
English meaning: “Isn’t it because it is not the answer you like?”
This is another Netflix Thai drama you shouldn’t miss, a melodrama series starring famous actor Sunny. It’s the story of a rich family, and covers themes such as arranged marriage in Thailand and no-so-good relationships between family members.
Actually, this was a short drama shown in the movie Bangkok Traffic Love Story. But with the good response from viewers due to its ironic context, it has been made into a TV series. This is currently one of the best Thai dramas on Netflix, and many people love it because it’s fun to watch.
This is a Thai comedy Netflix series based on the story บันทึกของตุ๊ด (ban-thúek khǎawng dtút) of Sha, a famous LGBT Thai person. It’s the story of a group of LGBT friends who all get dumped at the same time and decide to find their true love. This series is quite successful and has gained a lot of attention. In 2019, both a second season and movie are going to be released. This is yet another Thai series on Netflix you shouldn’t miss.
In terms of Thai language, this show will give you a unique glimpse into slang often used by the LGBTQ community in Thailand, as well some swear words.
Series quotes:
Here’s a quote from the show that went viral at the time. Many people use this scene to give their own sarcastic message on almost any topic, from politics to relationships.
1- กูจะขี้ใส่อะไรก็ได้
Thai pronunciation:guu jà khîi sài à-rai gâaw dâi
English meaning: “I can defecate on anything.”
2- แต่มึงจะขี้ใส่ Louis Vuitton ไม่ได้
Thai pronunciation:dtàae mueng jà khîi sài Louis Vuitton mâi dâi
English meaning: “But you cannot defecate on Louis Vuitton.”
11. Conclusion
How many movies or Thai Netflix series here fit your tastes? We hope you decided to try watching many of them! And once you’ve watched one of these movies or series, please leave a comment below to tell us what you thought about it!
By now, you should have a better idea of how to learn Thai on Netflix and how to watch Thai Netflix for maximum enjoyment and learning!
As mentioned before, we believe that watching Netflix movies with Thai subtitles is a great way for you to learn Thai, since it’s enjoyable and will help you improve your Thai speaking skills. If you don’t understand what an actor or actress said, don’t give up just yet. It will take some time for you to be able to understand.
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