A List of All Common Thai Pronouns and How to Use Them Like a Pro

Written by: Arthit Juyaso and Hugh Leong

The topic of Thai pronouns can be a daunting one. With English pronouns we have what are called the nominative case and the objective case. One pronoun acts like the subject of a sentence, and the other acts like the object.

But when it comes to learning Thai personal pronouns, especially compared to English pronouns, there is some good news, and some bad news.

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The good news

The Thai language doesn’t have two pronouns for each person. They don’t break down into nominative and objective cases. So, you only have to learn one pronoun case for each person. Thanks for little victories.

The bad news

I have counted least 27 different words for “I” in Thai, plus lots of other ways to refer to yourself. “You” is a little better with only a dozen words or so. All the rest are just as bad.

One of the blessings of the English language is the ease of the choice of pronouns. It is generally agreed that there are 7: I, we, you, he, she, it and they (we’ll put vernacular variations such as “one”, “y’all”, “youse” aside). There are only 3 factors that govern the choice of these pronouns: person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd), number (singular or plural) and sex (masculine, feminine, or non-human neuter).

And that’s it. “I” will always be “I” no matter who “I” am. “You” will always be “you” whether “you” are a president or a beggar. However, if you have even a little bit of knowledge of the Thai language, you must have at least heard that there are OODLES more pronouns than just 7. If a learner asks “How do you translate the pronoun XXX into Thai?”, they will get something like this as a result:

Thai pronouns table

The tabulated mess above is caused by the Thai pronoun system which reflects the interconnected relationships amongst Thai people. Thai people’s choice of pronouns is NEVER absolute; they will choose a pronoun that suits the situation and the relationship between them and the person they’re speaking to. They can refer to themselves and others in many different ways.

Thai pronouns table 2

At this point, you would probably think, “Yeah, it’s all well and lovely that Thai language is so profound, I get it, but please just give me one word for each English pronoun to use, just one word!” After doing some quick look-up on your favourite phrasebook, your wish is granted:

And I think that these equivalents are a good place to start. When you start learning a language, no one wants to have the entire grammar book shoved down their throat. You tear off each page, chew, swallow, and digest. These words are perfectly functional and will get the job done. However, learners will benefit greatly from the ability to shuffle between different pronouns appropriately, as the ability to do so is another milestone that will move you up a few steps from “poot Thai daai nit noi”, and you will convince Thai people you have an understanding not only of their language but of Thailand’s social structure, which encourages Thais to speak to you in Thai. If you sound natural then Thais will think you ‘get’ them.

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But before we go into each individual word, let’s look at some of the factors that influence the choice of pronouns.

Why are there so many pronouns in Thai?

This is a deep, hard, complex subject to touch upon. I do not dare to claim I have it all figured out and certainly cannot provide you the perfect formulae for the choice of pronouns. It seems there are countless variables at work when it comes to this, but I can give you what I think of as the most important for determining your relationship with whomever you’re conversing with.

So here goes:

Person: This factor is universal for all languages, not just Thai. The 1st person is the speaker (or yourself in this case), the 2nd person is the person you are speaking to, and the 3rd person is the person you mention while speaking to the 2nd person.

Sex: Obviously. Some pronouns can tell you the gender of the person being referred to. Everyone knows ผม /pǒm/ is for male and ดิฉัน /dichán/ is for female. However, a lot of Thai pronouns can be used to refer to either sex, such as เขา /káo/ which can either refer to the male or female 3rd person.

Formality: The situation or circumstance people are in restricts the way in which they refer to one other. You might call your friend such obscene nicknames in private, but when you refer to him during a formal quarterly meeting—for whatever reason—you will most definitely have to refer to him as ‘Mr. (followed by surname)’. Formality also comes from your audience. Rude nicknames that you give to your friend can’t be used when both of you are talking to your university professor. A respected individual brings about a formal air wherever they go, so take that into account.

Respect: In Thailand, you would want to express your modesty to people who are ranked high in the social hierarchy, be it through age, authority, or other criteria. This can be done in two ways: address the listener or the mentioned individual with a respectful pronoun and/or refer to yourself with a humble pronoun. Beware however, as excessive reverence can be seen as sarcasm.

Politeness: A lot of people seem to mix this one up with the respect factor. Being polite means that you’re following social norms because you want to show the world that you’re good-mannered and educated, while being respectful means that you want to display some kind of reverence to a particular individual because society dictates that they deserve it. Politeness is more about ‘expressing your virtue’ but respect is more about ‘expressing your subservience’.

Familiarity: You wouldn’t call a guy you just met ‘Toby Boo Boo’. That would be such an egregious violation of personal space. This factor is not really apparent in English, but in Romance languages there are pronouns designated for different levels of intimacy: tu-vous in French, tú-usted in Spanish, and so on (for reference: “T-V distinction” by Brown & Gilman, 1960). In Thai, there are also pronouns you reserve for people you don’t know well and pronouns you exclusively use with those you are close to.

Please note that I’m missing the ‘Number’ factor from this article, because most pronouns in Thai can be used to refer to a single person or a group of people. If you must express that you’re referring to more than just 1 person, you can stick the พวก /pûak-/ prefix in front of that pronoun. However, the reality is that Thai people do not use it that much and I imagine if you’re here reading this, you want to speak like a native speaker, not the Thai language that follows English’s grammatical rules (the only exception being เรา /rao/ which I’ll talk about in the pronoun list).

There is also another important factor: ‘Moods & attitudes’. Our state of mind and our attitude towards people or things are reflected in our speech. This is how humans can read each other; through their rhetoric. You know your Mum is in a good mood when you’re referred to as ‘Ben honey’ and you know her wrath is about to rain down upon you when that turns to ‘Benjamin’. However, we’re not going to talk much about it in this article because of its complicated nature. For instance, some forms of moods can change the speaker’s intention entirely. To give you an example, while the word คุณ /kun/ shows politeness [+polite], it implies that you and the person you’re speaking to are not that close [-intimate]. However, if it’s meant as a sarcasm or irony towards your friend (like when you’re being extra polite to your best friend as a joke), suddenly it is not polite [-polite] but very familiar [+intimate]. As you can see, this is going to be problematic for our simplistic, box-ticking method, so I’ll leave it out until someone cares enough to do a proper analysis on it.

Common Pronouns

Here’s a list of common Thai pronouns:

First Person

ผม, ดิฉัน, ฉัน /pŏm, dì-chăn, chăn/ – “I/Me”:

These three “I/Me” pronouns are the ones that we probably use most. They are basic and will allow you to say just about anything in referring to yourself.

ผม /pŏm/ – used by male speakers:

When a man is speaking.

ผม เห็น สมบัติ ที่ ตลาด
pŏm hĕn sŏm-bàt têe dtà-làat
I saw Sombat at the market.

มาลี คุย กับ ผม ที่ ห้างสรรพสินค้า
maa-lee kui gàp pŏm têe hâang sàp sĭn káa
Malee spoke with me at the shopping mall.

ผม จะ เล่น เปีย โน
pŏm jà lên bpia noh
I’m going to play the piano.

ครู ให้ ผม “A” ใน ทดสอบ
kroo hâi pŏm “A” nai tót sòp
The teacher gave me an “A” on the test.

Note: The word ผม /pŏm/ can sometimes be seen as a bit formal. If you are talking to a close friend you might want to use one of the “other ways to refer to yourself” discussed below.

ดิฉัน (ดีฉัน) /dì-chăn/ – used by female speakers:

When a woman is talking (in a fairly formal setting)

ดิฉัน จะ แต่งงาน กับ คุณ ปรีชา
dì-chăn jà dtàeng ngaan gàp kun bpree-chaa
I’m going to marry Preecha.

คุณ ปรีชา จะ แต่งงาน กับ ดิฉัน
kun bpree-chaa jà dtàeng ngaan gàp dì-chăn
Preecha is going to marry me.

อยาก ไป ช้อปปิ้ง กับ ดิฉัน ไหม
yàak bpai chóp-bpîng gàp dì-chăn măi
Would you like to go shopping with me?

ดิฉัน เคย ทาน อาหาร กลางวัน ที่ ร้าน อาหาร ฝรั่งเศส
dì-chăn koie taan aa hăan glaang wan têe ráan aa hăan fà-ràng-sàyt
I have had lunch at that French restaurant.

Note: The word ดิฉัน is quite formal. If you are talking to people you know, of the same social status, or lower, you can use ฉัน or you might want to use one of the “other ways to refer to yourself” discussed below.

ฉัน /chăn/ – used by females in an informal setting—also used by males with intimate friends or paramours:

You can substitute ฉัน in any of the above mentioned sentences instead of ผม and ดิฉัน if the situation is informal and you are talking with friends.

ฉัน จะ ซื้อ รถ ใหม่
chăn jà séu rót mài
I’m going to buy a new car.

สุมาลี ซื้อ อาหารกลางวัน ให้ ฉัน
sù maa-lee séu aa-hăan glaang-wan hâi chăn
Sumalee bought me lunch.

คุณ อยาก จะ ไป ดู หนัง กับ ฉัน ไหม
kun yàak jà bpai doo năng gàp chăn măi
Do you want to go to the movies with me?

ฉัน สอบ ได้
chăn sòp dâai
I passed the test.

เมื่อวาน สุขใจ โทร หา ฉัน
mêua waan sùk-kà-jai toh hăa chăn
Yesterday Sukjai called me (on the phone).

And then you can have more intimate conversations:

ฉัน รัก เธอ
chăn rák ter
I love you.

Using your own name:

Often using the above three words for “I” might sound a bit distant. When a person, especially a woman but not exclusively, wants to sound a bit more familiar he/she can use their own name as a pronoun for “I”.

น้อย รัก แดง
nói rák daeng
Literally: “Noi loves Dang” but really means “I love you.”

Some other ways to say “I”:

  • พี่ /pêe/ – literally “older” brother or sister but is often used as “I” informally when you are older than the person you are talking to.
  • น้อง /nóng/ – literally “younger” brother or sister but is often used as “I” informally when you are younger than the person you are talking to.
  • หนู /nŏo/ – Usually used by women when a they are much younger than the person they are talking to.
  • เค้า /káo/ – very informal when speaking to a close friend. เค้า / káo / is the “I” paired with ตัว / dtua / for “you”

And then there’s…

ข้าพเจ้า /kâa-pá-jâo/ – when writing or speaking formally
ข้า, ข้าเจ้า /kâa, kâa jâo/ – abbreviation for ข้าพเจ้า
เจ้า /jâo/ – poetic
หม่อมฉัน /mòm chăn/ – used when speaking to royalty
อาตมา /àat-maa/ – used by monks
กู /goo/ – old form, today considered overly familiar, except with close friends
ข้าพระพุทธเจ้า /kâa prá-pút-tá-jâo/ – highly formal
ลูกช้าง /lôok cháang/ – your humble servant
อิฉัน /i-chăn/ – female speakers in a formal setting
อาตมภาพ /aa dtom pâap/ – used by a monk
อัญขยม /an-yá-kà-yŏm/ – poetic 

2nd Person

คุณ, เธอ /kun, ter/ – “You”:

Although there are many other ways to say “you”, these two are the most popular. The pronoun คุณ /kun/ can be used for just about anyone whereas เธอ /ter/ is usually reserved for close acquaintances or very young ones.

คุณ /kun/

คุณ จะ ไป ไหน
kun jà bpai năi
Where are you going?

ใคร จะ ไป กับ คุณ
krai jà bpai gàp kun
Who is going with you?

คุณ กำลัง ใช้ อินเทอร์เน็ต หรือ เปล่า
kun gam-lang chái in-têr-nét rĕu bplào
Are you using the Internet?

ผม จะ พา คุณ กลับ บ้าน
pŏm jà paa kun glàp bâan
I will take you home.

Note on คุณ /kun/

You find คุณ /kun/ in many places. Besides meaning “you” as we do here, it is part of thank you (ขอบคุณ /kòp kun/), and it is also used as an honorific in front of a person’s name with the meaning of Mr. or Mrs./Miz. It is usually used with a person’s first name.

It is also used as a title for a woman (as in Lady …) in the term คุณหญิง /kun yĭng/, and คุณ /kun/ by itself was at one time a semi royal title.

Unless you are quite close to someone, when using their name we usually add an honorific like Mr., Prof., Older Brother, Auntie, etc. and คุณ / kun / is the most ubiquitous.

CAVEAT: When we want to talk about ourselves we never use the honorific คุณ /kun/. We would never say “my name is คุณ /kun/ Hugh”. I can say I am Uncle Hugh, or Teacher Hugh, or Big Brother Hugh, but never “I am Mr. Hugh.” Others will say it for you but you don’t say it for yourself.

เธอ /ter/

เธอ จะ ชอบ หนัง (เรื่องนี้)
ter jà chôp năng (rêuang née)
You would like the movie.

เพื่อน ของ เธอ ต้องการ ให้ เธอ ร้อง เพลง
pêuan kŏng ter dtông gaan hâi ter róng playng
Your friends wanted you to sing (a song).

เธอ จะ กิน ก๋วยเตี๋ยว วันนี้ ไหม
ter jà gìn gŭay-dtĭeow wan née măi
Will you have noodles today?

ฉัน ใช้ คอม ของ เธอ ได้ ไหม
chăn chái kom kŏng ter dâai măi
Can I use your computer?

Using the person’s name:

When a person wants to sound a bit more familiar he/she can use a person’s name as a pronoun for “you”.

If someone says to you น้อย รัก แดง /nói rák daeng/
(as above) you can answer with:

แดง ก็ รัก น้อย
daeng gôr rák nói
Literally: “Dang loves Noi also” but really means “I love you too.”

Some other ways to say “you”:

  • ท่าน /tâan/ – when speaking to someone with a very high status
  • นาย /naai/ – when speaking to someone of a higher status. The equivalent of “sir” or “boss”.
  • หนู /nŏo/ – used when the person you are talking to is much younger than you are.
  • พี่ /pêe/ – literally “older” brother or sister but is often used as “you” informally for someone older.
  • (คุณ) ลุง /(kun) lung/ – literally “uncle” but is often used as “you” informally for someone much older, possible the age of your father.
  • น้อง /nóng/ – literally “younger” brother or sister but is often used as “you” informally for someone younger
  • (คุณ) ป้า /(kun) bpâa/ – literally “auntie” but is often used as “you” informally for someone much older, possible the age of your mother.
  • แก /gae/ – impolite or colloquial usage
  • ตัว /dtua/ – very informal when speaking to a close friend. เค้า /káo/ is the “I” paired with ตัว /dtua/ for “you”.

Now that the biggies (I and You) are dealt with (albeit just scratching the surface), let’s stick with one Thai pronoun for each of the following (although there are many Thai words for each).

3rd Person

เรา /rao/ – “We/Us” (พวกเรา /pûak rao/ is a synonym for we/us, all of us):

เรา จะ ทาน อาหารกลางวัน ด้วยกัน
rao jà taan aa-hăan glaang-wan dûay gan
We’ll have lunch together.

มาลี เอา ผัก ให้ เรา
maa-lee ao pàk hâi rao
Malee gave the vegetables to us.

เรา ทุกคน เล่น ฟุตบอล
rao túk kon lên fút bon
We all played football.

คุณ ครู จะ สอน เรา วันเสาร์
kun-kroo jà sŏn rao wan săo
The teacher will teach us on Saturday.

เขา /kăo/ “He/She”, often เธอ /ter/ is also used for “She”:

เขา (เธอ) มา เร็ว เสมอ
kăo (ter) maa reo sà-mĕr
She always comes early.

เขา (เธอ) จะ เอา พริก ไหม
kăo (ter) jà ao prík măi
Does he want any chilis?

ให้ โทรศัพท์มือถือ ใหม่(แก่) เธอ
hâi toh-rá-sàp meu tĕu mài (gàe) ter
Give her the new cell phone.

บอก เขา (เธอ) ว่า บ้าน คุณ อยู่ ที่ ไหน
bòk kăo (ter) wâa bâan kun yòo têe năi
Tell him where your house is.

พวกเขา /pûak kăo/ or เขา /kăo/ (for short) – “They/Them”:

The word เขา /kăo/ can mean “he/she/they” but if we use the word พวกเขา /pûak kăo/ (พวก /pûak/ = “group of …”) then we know that it is a plural form so should be translated as “they”.

พวกเขา มา เร็ว เสมอ
pûak kăo maa reo sà-mĕr
They always come early.

พวกเขา จะ เอา พริก ไหม
pûak kăo jà ao prík măi
Do they want any chilis.

ให้ โทรศัพท์มือถืออัน ใหม่ (แก่) พวกเขา
hâi toh-rá-sàp meu tĕu mài (gàe) pûak kăo
Give them new cell phones.

บอก พวกเขา ว่า บ้าน คุณ อยู่ ที่ ไหน
bòk pûak kăo wâa bâan kun yòo têe năi
Tell them where your house is.

Thai Pronouns Breakdown Part 1: How to say ‘I’ in Thai…

With the factors explained above combined, you can read through this list to see what attributes each pronoun has. I’ll also give a short description and concrete examples of interpersonal and situational context where the pronoun may be deemed appropriate. If that factor has blank (-) at any pronoun, it means that that factor isn’t really relevant and the pronoun can be used in either situation.

Some 1st person pronouns also have a counterpart which is normally used in the 2nd person as its pair. I’ll note which word each pronoun is paired with, if any.

Let’s start!

ผม

ผม /pŏm/
Person: 1st
Sex: Male
Formality: Yes
Respectful: Yes
Polite: Yes
Familiar: No

If you’re a guy, you’ve probably used this word hundreds of time by now. This very convenient male pronoun for men can be used with pretty much everyone and will never offend anyone. However, keep in mind that ผม /pǒm/ carries an air of formality, so while it is a nice little polite word, it can also sound stuffy when using with friends.

  • When to use: Pretty much with everyone e.g. teacher, older people, younger people that you don’t know well, in a (mature) relationship, strangers, acquaintances, etc.
  • When not to use: Probably with close friends or with friends you want to get close to.
  • Paired pronoun: คุณ /kun/

ดิฉัน

ดิฉัน /dichán/
Person: 1st
Sex: Female
Formality: VERY
Respectful: Yes
Polite: Yes
Familiar: HELL NO

I can’t think of many pronouns that are more official-sounding than ดิฉัน /dichán/. While it is true that it’s polite and you’ll never offend anyone with it, it sounds frighteningly distant and is rarely used among people who have any kind of relationship of any degree of familiarity with each other rather than professional. Thai teachers use it a lot in Thai classrooms because it’s easy to teach, but in reality you’ll only hear this word from Thai females in situations which they consider formal, such as in meetings with clients, in interviews, making a speech. Some female friends of mine say they have never even used this word in their lives!

For female learners who want to sound natural, I suggest you find another strategy, such as referring to yourself by name (I know, some of you think it’s silly, but hey, that’s what we do).

  • When to use: Dealing with Thai officials, people you have a professional relationship with, being interviewed, with strangers, etc.
  • When not to use: In any situation that requires solidarity. Not with your friends, partner, partner’s family, colleagues, bosses, or anyone you wish to love you.
  • Paired pronoun: คุณ /kun/

ฉัน

ฉัน /chán/
Person: 1st
Sex: Mostly female
Formality: –
Respectful: Sometimes no
Polite: –
Familiar: Yes

ฉัน /chán/ is a funny one—it is considered a default ‘I’ pronoun, this is why you’ll hear this word used a lot in songs and literature. In real life, it is commonly used by females in informal situations, but can also be used by men as well, especially when talking to females of equal or lower status. Many male learners think this word is exclusively feminine and are reluctant to use it. It’s a fun word to use with female friends who you are close to!

Another myth I want to debunk, there is nothing polite about the word ฉัน /chán/. If anything, with a sharp tone of voice and a wrong attitude, it makes you sound arrogant! It’s not impolite, it’s just not polite either.

  • When to use: Talking to friends of the opposite sex, people who do not mind you being a bit cheeky to them.
  • When not to use: When you need to be extremely polite. Certainly not with people of higher status, such as doctor, monks, university professors. Probably not even with your Thai teachers, unless they don’t mind. (Chances are they won’t, because they’re the one teaching this word to you!)
  • Paired pronoun: เธอ /ter/

เรา

เรา /rao/
Person: 1st
Sex: Both
Formality: –
Respectful: No
Polite: –
Familiar: Somewhat

If you look up a dictionary you’ll see เรา /rao/ being translated as ‘we’ in English, but in fact this word is often used as singular. (Think of the royal singular ‘we’, it’s not the same but you get the point.) This nice little word is very versatile—both male and female speakers can use it with almost everyone around the same age or younger, as long as the circumstance doesn’t require you to be formal.

  • When to use: Talking to friends or acquaintances of the same age. Pretty much with anyone who isn’t older or who doesn’t have a higher social status.
  • When not to use: With older people or people you should be showing respect to.

หนู

หนู /nǔu/
Person: 1st
Sex: Mostly female
Formality: –
Respectful: Yes Polite: Yes
Familiar: Somewhat

The literal meaning of หนู /nǔu/ is ‘rat, mouse’. The metaphorical use of this word as a pronoun expresses deference towards the listener who is of a higher status or deserves respect; calling yourself a rat surely makes anyone feel small! It is normally used by females when talking to their parents, older relatives, teachers, bosses or more senior colleagues, although some small boys may use this word when talking to their parents as well. (In which case they generally drop this use when they’re older—or not, I know a few male adult ‘rats’!)

This word is a good word to show respect to older Thais while sounding friendly as well. At first they might be surprised when female foreigners try to use this word. I say keep at it, if you want to win over their heart.

  • When to use: You’re female and you want to show respect and win favour from older Thais.
  • When not to use: You’re male. (unless you want people to second-guess your sexual orientation.)

กู

กู /guu/
Person: 1st
Sex: –
Formality: HELL NO
Respectful: HELL NO
Polite: HELL NO
Familiar: VERY
*VULGAR*

Years ago before the polite pronouns had been invented, กู /guu/ used to be the default pronoun for ‘I’. Everybody used it, including kings. Nowadays it is considered a profanity. The only context in which this would be acceptable to use is with your really close friends to express intimacy, and even then you mustn’t use it in the presence of a respected audience; you can call yourself กู /guu/ with a friend who doesn’t mind that, but if your professor is there too then their presence will automatically create an environment where only polite language is allowed. Violate this and prepare to be scolded, or at least judged!

Also, if you try and use this word with people you’re not close to, it will immediately be interpreted as a provocation. For a nation that avoids confrontation at all cost, provocation is a serious issue for Thais! No matter how angry you are with anyone, do not attempt to use กู /guu/ and มึง /mueng/ with them unless you’re prepared to handle the ramifications that may follow… it can turn pretty ugly, in my experience.

I say avoid using this word until your Thai proficiency is right up there first. Don’t run before you can walk, don’t swear before you can talk.

On a side note, males tend to use this word more than females but it is not really an uncommon thing to hear Thai females using it any more, if they feel comfortable enough with their company.

  • When to use: Very limited use. With close friends (only when they initiate it, and only when respected individuals are not around).
  • When not to use: When you’re not sure you can get out of it alive.
  • Paired pronoun: มึง /mueng/

ข้า

ข้า /kâa/
Person: 1st
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: VERY
*VULGAR*

Similar to กู /guu/ above, this one is also considered vulgar, although it is nowhere near as vulgar as กู /guu/. However ข้า /kâa/ sounds quite archaic for the 21st century. Its implication is that the speaker is of an older generation or that he or she comes from quite a remote part of Thailand. You’ll see this word a lot in old literature or in stories set in the past. Granted, there are people still using this word, but it’s not really a fashionable word people use today. It’d be an odd choice of pronoun for non-native speakers, dost thou not agree?

  • When to use: Never? Unless you’re writing a Thai epic novel.
  • When not to use: When you’re not writing a Thai epic novel.
  • Paired pronoun: เอ็ง /eng/

ข้าพเจ้า

ข้าพเจ้า /kâapajâao/
Person: 1st
Sex: –
Formality: VERY
Respectful: –
Polite: Yes
Familiar: HELL NO
*FROZEN REGISTER*

The use of ข้าพเจ้า /kâapajâao/ is restricted only to the ‘frozen register’—the level of language that is highly ceremonial and unchanging, often in one-directional communication style, such as formal speeches, pledges, contracts or declarations, etc. Therefore, normally you’ll only see it written, not said.

  • When to use: Drafting a speech or a housing lease.
  • When not to use: In general two-way communication.

อั๊ว

อั๊ว /úa’/
Person: 1st
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: Yes
*CHINESE ORIGIN*

This word comes from the Teochew word我 [ua˥˨] (I). This word is used mainly by people of Teochew ancestry who migrated to Siam/Thailand throughout its history. As the influence of the Chinese-Thai grew, ethnic Thais also started picking up Chinese words to use in their speech as well.

In Chinese-Thai families where the Chinese identity is still strong, code-mixing between Thai and Chinese is very common and it is perfectly fine and inoffensive, but when spoken by Thai people (who have no Teochew background) this word can be off-putting because it has a harsh, angry tone to it. This is not to mention it might also confuse your listener, because why would you use a word of Teochew Chinese origin when speaking Thai?

  • When to use: When you’re Chinese-Thai.
  • When not to use: When you’re not Chinese-Thai.
  • Paired pronoun: ลื้อ /lúe/

เค้า

เค้า /káo/
Person: 1st
Sex: Mostly female
Formality: No
Respectful: –
Polite: –
Familiar: Yes
*LOVERSPEAK*

Confused? You should be. Me too. This word is originally a 3rd person pronoun, but you might have witnessed overt Thai lovebirds referring to themselves by this word. เค้า /káo/ as a 1st person pronoun is largely used by Thai females who have a ‘sweet girl’ personality. You know, lovely and cute and naive. They won’t just use it with anyone either, it has to be their close friends, boyfriend or husband. This pronoun, used in this way, expresses the speaker’s affection towards the listener, albeit a little nauseating. So it’s a good thing! I guess…

  • When to use: Should you use this word? No. At least save it for when talking to your boyfriend/girlfriend only.
  • When not to use: Need I say more?
  • Paired pronoun: ตัวเอง /dtua-eeng/

Thai Pronouns Breakdown Part 2: What Should I Call ‘You’

คุณ

คุณ /kun/
Person: 2nd
Sex: Both
Formality: Yes
Respectful: –
Polite: Yes
Familiar: No

This word is a pair word for both ผม /pǒm/ and ดิฉัน /dichán/, and is perhaps the only word beginners use to address every Thai person, but over time you might want to change this word to something more familiar and less formal to your listeners. Now, learners need to be aware that while it is true that this word is polite, it is NOT respectful (NB: not respectful doesn’t mean disrespectful); คุณ is not okay to use with people of higher prestige or authority. If you perceive your listeners to have higher prestige or authority status than you, call them by their appropriate title instead (we will discuss social status later on in this post.)

When to use: With most people. Strangers, service providers, people you have a professional relationship with.

When not to use: Probably not with close friends or with friends you want to get close to, also with people of higher social status.

Paired pronoun: ผม /pǒm/, ดิฉัน /dichán/

เธอ

เธอ /ter/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: –
Familiar: –

เธอ /ter/ is a paired word with ฉัน /chán/ — it is considered a default ‘you’ pronoun and you’ll hear this word used a lot in songs and literature. This word is popular amongst Thais when used cross-gender; female calling male and male calling female. This word is considered ‘non-respectful’ (different from disrespectful) and should not be used with people of higher social status.

When to use: Talking to friends of the opposite sex around the same age or younger.

When not to use: When you need to be extremely polite. Certainly not with people of higher social status, such as doctors, monks, university professors. People you don’t know well.

Paired pronoun: ฉัน /chán/

นาย

นาย /naai/
Person: 2nd
Sex: Male
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: –
Familiar: –

นาย /naai/ is cute. It originally meant ‘lord’ but now means ‘Mr.’ or ‘boss’ in contemporary Thai. When it is used as a 2nd person pronoun, it can be used to call any male listener of the same age with any level of familiarity. However, you might want to change this pronoun to something more personal later on as you and that male person get closer. In addition, this word can be used in lieu of เธอ /ter/ as they share the same hierarchical attributes, but only if the listener is male, of course.

When to use: your listener is around your age, same social status, and is a man!

When not to use: anyone who does not fit the criteria above.

Paired pronoun:

เรา

เรา /rao/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: –
Respectful: No
Polite: –
Familiar: Somewhat

What? เรา /rao/ can mean you?? Yes, it can! Older people use this word to call someone around their child’s age in an endearing tone e.g. พ่อแม่เราอยู่ที่ไหน? /pôr-mâe rao yùu tîinǎi?/ “Where are your parents?”. Aw. However, as a 2nd person pronoun it is a little condescending, because by calling someone with this word you treat them like a little kid, which in some cases is dismissive of their social status, so be careful who you’re ‘rao’-ing because he or she might turn out to be a university professor or a high-rank police officer, and they will hate it, and hate you in the process.

When to use: Talking to kids or someone your child’s age.

When not to use: When that ‘kid’ has achieved more than you have.

มึง

มึง /mueng/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: HELL NO
Respectful: HELL NO
Polite: HELL NO Familiar: VERY *VULGAR*

This word is the paired pronoun of กู /guu/ and it is chosen for the same context of use. Only use with very close friends. Do not use with strangers as it will provoke them. You mustn’t use it in the presence of a respected audience. And all that jazz.

When to use: Very limited use. With close friends (only when they initiate it, and only when respected individuals are not around).

When not to use: When you’re not sure you can get out of it alive.

Paired pronoun: กู /guu/

เอ็ง

เอ็ง /eng/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: VERY *VULGAR*

It is the paired pronoun of ข้า /kâa/ and is similar to มึง /mueng/ above; this one is also considered vulgar, although it is nowhere near as vulgar as มึง /mueng/. Just like the pronoun ข้า /kâa/, เอ็ง /eng/ sounds quite archaic for the 21st century. Its implication is that the speaker is of an older generation or that he or she comes from quite a remote part of Thailand.

When to use: Never? Unless you’re writing a Thai epic novel.

When not to use: When you’re not writing a Thai epic novel.

Paired pronoun: ข้า /kâa/

แก

แก /gae/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: Yes
*SEMI-VULGAR*

This word has a similar context of use as มึง /mueng/ and เอ็ง /eng/ but is much less vulgar. It is used both by male and female to refer to someone close and around their age. It is perfect amongst friends of considerable intimacy. It’s not really that impolite but still should be reserved for friends you know very well. Use with caution.

When to use: Friends your age or slightly younger. Probably best to wait until they initiate it first.

When not to use: Older people and strangers.

Paired pronoun: (in some cases) ฉัน /chán/

ท่าน

ท่าน /tâan/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: VERY
Respectful: VERY
Polite: VERY
Familiar: HELL NO
*SEMI-FROZEN REGISTER*

This pronoun is an over-the-top respectful pronoun used mostly by service providers when speaking to valued customers, by subordinates when speaking to a person of a much higher level of authority, to people of great prestige, by public speakers addressing the audience, or in written language. This word is hardly heard in spoken language so when you do hear it, you know there’s a real V.I.P. in the room!

When to use: With V.I.P. or in formal settings

When not to use: most of the time, unless you want to be sarcastic

ลื้อ

ลื้อ /lúe/
Person: 2nd
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: Yes
*CHINESE ORIGIN*

This word comes from the Teochew word 汝 [lɨ˥˨] (you). This word is used mainly by people of Teochew ancestry and is still commonly used amongst Thai families of Chinese descent. Not recommended for learners, just like อั๊ว /úa’/

When to use: When you’re Chinese-Thai.

When not to use: When you’re not Chinese-Thai.

Paired pronoun: อั๊ว /úa’/

ตัวเอง

ตัวเอง /dtua-eeng/
Person: 2nd
Sex: Mostly female
Formality: No
Respectful: –
Polite: –
Familiar: Yes
*LOVERSPEAK*

This word essentially means “self” and is paired with the 1st person pronoun เค้า /káo/ “I” which essentially means “he, she” …yes, whoever came up with this utterly confusing idea must have been wasted on Ya Dong or something. Just like the 1st person pronoun เค้า /káo/, this word is generally used by young females to call their best friends or boyfriend and in my opinion should not be picked up by learners of Thai, especially if you’re male, because it sounds incredibly effeminate and obnoxious! But that’s just my opinion.

When to use: Should you use this word? No. At least save it for when talking to your boyfriend/girlfriend only.

When not to use: Need I say more?

Paired pronoun: เค้า /káo/

Alternative “You” Options to Show Prestige, Authority, or Seniority

Thailand is characterised by, despite what some Thais desperately try to tell you, social hierarchy. Where you stand in society can affect how people address you. Those who have a higher social status must be addressed with respect by those of lower status. And in many cases, even the polite pronoun คุณ /kun/ may not be polite enough, as I will explain.

From my experience of having been hearing many non-native speakers of Thai preferring to stick to polite pronouns such as คุณ /kun/, thinking they would always sound nice and never offend anyone if they use polite pronouns all the time. Was that a true statement? No. Not at all.

A couple of years back while I was still doing my Master’s course, one of my professors told the class that foreign students at our university irritate her when they speak Thai to her because they address her as คุณ /kun/!

Why did a seemingly polite word such as คุณ /kun/ manage to offend my easy-going professor? The reason is that in Thailand, people with high prestige such as educators or doctors must be treated with respect. While คุณ /kun/ is a “polite” word, it is neutral in terms of “respectfulness”. By calling her คุณ /kun/, those students unknowingly dragged her down to their ‘level’.

My professor said she understood that they knew no better and she could look over their faux pas, but she felt compelled to switch to English because she didn’t want to be called คุณ /kun/ repeatedly by students. There goes their opportunity to practice Thai, just because of one pronoun.

So how should they have addressed her? In the next section I will explain about the first—and perhaps the most prominent agent that dictates the way Thai people address each other: social status. Where you rank in the hierarchy is determined by a complex set of many different factors, but in this article we’ll consider only the three most important ones, in their respective priority order: prestige, authority, and seniority.

Prestige Pronouns

Prestige is usually decided by profession or personal achievement. Examples of people with high prestige are educators (teachers and lecturers), doctors and medical practitioners (dentists and surgeons), high-ranking military officers, politicians, people with a high academic degree (Ph.D. and above), or even respected astrologers, etc. Normally you address them by their title first, and if you want, stick their name after it. For example:

ครูอาทิตย์ /kruu Arthit/ “Teacher Arthit”
อาจารย์สุดาพร /aajaan Sudaporn/ “Professor Sudaporn”
(คุณ*)หมอพรทิพย์ /(kun*) mǒr Pornthip/ “Doctor Pornthip” (medical doctor)
(ท่าน)นายกสมชาย /(tâan) naayók Somchai/ “Mr. Prime Minister Somchai”
(ท่าน)พลเอกประยุทธ์ /(tâan) pon-èek Prayuth/ “General Prayuth”
ด็อกเตอร์อมรา /dórk-dtêr Amara/ “Doctor Amara” (PhD)
อาจารย์ลักษณ์ /aajaan Lak/, หมอลักษณ์ /mǒr Lak/ (title for astrologers)

*Note that the word คุณ /kun/ is this case doesn’t mean “you” but a polite title like “Mr.” or “Ms.”

People with high prestige must be addressed by their profession, field of expertise, or the title that gives them the prestige they possess, rather than by pronouns like คุณ /kun/, which may be viewed as disrespectful to their status.

Authority Pronouns

Authority is usually decided by who has more power or a higher rank, such as a relationship between employer vs employee, boss vs subordinate, police or government officer vs civilian, etc.

People with higher authority are generally addressed by their position or by using polite pronouns (in most cases without their name):

ท่านประธาน /tâan bprataan/ “CEO”
เจ้านาย /jâonaai/ “Boss” (literally “master”)
หัวหน้า /hǔanâa/, บอส /bórt/ “Boss”
ผ.อ. /pǒr-or/ “Dean” (of a university, hospital, etc.)
คุณตำรวจ /kun dtamrùat/ “(Police) officer”

Except your bosses or direct superiors, you can use the word คุณ /kun/ with people of high authority, but be aware that using any disrespectful or impolite pronouns with them is a direct challenge to their power. Respect my authoritah!

Seniority Pronoun

Seniority plays a very important role when addressing people. In the Thai language, kinship terms are often used instead of pronouns to show respect to older people while creating solidarity; by addressing people as if they were your own relatives, you create a casual, friendly atmosphere. For instance, when visiting your Thai friend or partner’s parents, they may ask you to call them แม่ /mâe/ “Mum” or พ่อ /pôr/ “Dad” instead of คุณ /kun/ which sounds too formal and distant.

If your addressee is a relative of your friend or partner, you can just address them in the same way that your friend or partner does. For strangers and acquaintances, you can still use kinship terms to address them as well. In this case, age is crucial. Speakers must estimate the age of an addressee to determine his/her generation and choose an appropriate kinship term.

พี่… /pîi…/ (lit. older brother or sister)
for calling someone who may be slightly older than you

(คุณ)น้า… /(kun) náa…/ (lit. mother’s younger sibling)
for calling someone who’s younger than your parents but couldn’t be your parents’ child

(คุณ)ป้า… /(kun) bpâa…/ (lit. parents’ older sister)
for calling a female older than your parents, but couldn’t be their mother

(คุณ)ลุง… /(kun) lung…/ (lit. parents’ older brother)
for calling a male older than your parents, but couldn’t be their father

(คุณ)ยาย… /(kun) yaai…/ (lit. mother’s mother)
for calling a female who’s around your grandmother’s age

(คุณ)ตา… /(kun) dtaa…/ (lit. mother’s father)
for calling a male who’s around your grandfather’s age

You can just use these kinship terms by themselves or stick the person’s name afterwards like พี่ติ๊ก /pîi dtík/. Older people automatically assume respect from younger people. By default, you have to address them with respectful kinship terms. Avoid using คุณ /kun…/ (except in formal situations) because it will drive a social wedge between you and them.

Now, you may have a question like “What if I am a university professor talking to an older fruit seller? Who’s higher in the hierarchy?” In a “status dilemma” such as this, just remember that prestige takes precedence over authority, and authority takes precedence over seniority, so if you’re a teacher which is a prestigious status, you automatically rank higher than older people who do not have the prestige over you. In this case, the fruit seller will have to (assuming he or she knows you’re a teacher) address you as ครูจอห์น /kruu John/ or อาจารย์ลอร่า /Aajaan Laura/.

However, both of you can engage in what I call “mutually respectful entitling”; you can also call him or her with a title of seniority such as น้า /náa/ ป้า /bpâa/ or ลุง /lung/ while he or she calls you with a title of prestige like ครู /kruu/ or อาจารย์ /aajaan/.

Does that seem a bit too hard to digest? I’ll leave you to have a respite for now. Don’t shy away from re-reading this section again if you feel that you still haven’t quite fully grasped the idea.

Thai Pronouns Breakdown Part 3: 3rd Person Pronouns

เค้า

เค้า /káo/
Person: 3rd
Sex: Both
Formality: –
Respectful: –
Polite: –
Familiar: –

This pronoun is as neutral as a pronoun can get. Apart from referring to a third party, this word doesn’t mark ANYTHING. So the good news is when you want to say he, she, or they in Thai, this word’s already got 90-95% of it covered. What’s that? Something in Thai that isn’t complicated? Oh my!

Just on one note (of course, an exception!), when talking about people of high prestige (such as what we discussed in Part 2), you should call them by their title instead and keep the use of เค้า /káo/ to a minimum.

When to use: With practically anyone.

When not to use: Probably not with people of high prestige.

ท่าน

ท่าน /tâan/
Person: 3rd
Sex: –
Formality: VERY
Respectful: VERY
Polite: VERY
Familiar: HELL NO
*SEMI-FROZEN REGISTER*

This pronoun is the same pronoun as the 2nd-person ท่าน /tâan/. It is used mostly by service providers when speaking to valued customers, by subordinates when speaking to a person of a significantly higher level of authority, to people of the utmost prestige, by public speakers addressing the audience, or in written language. Please refer to ท่าน /tâan/ in Part 2.

When to use: With VIPs or in formal settings.

When not to use: most of the time, unless you want to be sarcastic.

มัน

มัน /man/
Person: 3rd
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: VERY
*VULGAR*

This word literally means ‘it’ but it can be used like ‘he’ or ‘she’, but in a vulgar way. To put it simply, มัน /man/ is used in the same context as กู /guu/ and มึง /mueng/, although it is slightly less offensive than those two. Still, only use with very close friends. Do not use with strangers as it will provoke them. You mustn’t use it in the presence of a respected audience. Some people might think calling some ‘it’ is degrading, but within the context of Thai language, it’s fine, so long as you know when and with whom to use it.

When to use: Limited use. With close friends who have equal social status.

When not to use: With people who are of a higher status. Also, not in formal settings.

แก

แก /gae/
Person: 3rd
Sex: –
Formality: No
Respectful: Somewhat
Polite: –
Familiar: Yes

Now, แก /gae/ is quite a bizarre pronoun: when used as a 2nd person pronoun (i.e. “you”) it’s rude and not suitable to call older people, but as a 3rd person pronoun, it’s fine! 3rd person แก /gae/ is predominantly used to refer to mature adults and the elderly in a somewhat respectful manner. When talking about your older relatives and professors (warning: ABOUT them, not TO them), you can refer to them as แก /gae/ with no problem (but NEVER to them as a 2nd person!), although you have to actually be somewhat familiar with them. Referring to strangers with this word is not cool.

When to use: Referring to older people whom you are somewhat close to.

When not to use: With everyone else.

หล่อน

หล่อน /lòrn/
Person: 3rd
Sex: Female
Formality: No
Respectful: No
Polite: No
Familiar: Yes

This word is a popular direct translation of the word ‘she’ in English—textbooks just love it and usually pair it with เขา /káo/ and state that หล่อน /lòrn/ means ‘she’ and เขา /káo/ means ‘he’ (and we now know that not to be true because เขา /káo/ is gender-neutral!). However, no one takes this word seriously and the Thais only use it facetiously. When used, for whatever reason, it is to refer to your female friends or female individuals whom you’re close to. In reality, though, just know it exists, you don’t need to use it.

When to use: Don’t.

When not to use: Always.

Thais Speaking about Themselves in the Third Person

Sometimes Thais will speak about themselves in the third person. For example, someone named Noi saying something like “Noi is very happy now”.

What’s up with that? Is that normal, or a sign for a personality disorder?

In the west we sometimes think it is a bit arrogant to refer to yourself in the third person. To westerners, “Hugh likes to eat ice cream” sounds a little weird. But that’s not what is happening when a Thai uses his/her name to refer to themselves.

When Thais use their name in this way they are not speaking in the “third person” but are really speaking in the “first person”. They are simply using one way (of many) to say “I” in Thai.

Go to any Thai dictionary and look up the word “I”. You’ll find words like ผม /pǒm/ (for men), ดิฉัน /dì~chan/ (for women), ฉัน /chǎn/ (familiar), ข้าพเจ้า /kâa-pá~jâao/ (very formal), กู goo (quite crude). And that’s just scratching the surface. One can also refer to themselves as หนู /nǒo/ (little one), or น้อง /nóng/ (younger sibling), or พี่ /pêe/ (older sibling), or ป้า /bpâa/ (auntie), or ลุง /lung/ (uncle), or ครู /kroo/ (teacher). And sometimes the word for “I” can be simply left out and dropped.

And of the dozens of ways Thais use to say “I” one more is to use your own name.

So if I say “ฮิวชอบกินไอติม” /Hugh chôp gin ai-dtim/ I’m not using the “third person”. The correct translation is “I like to eat ice cream.”

How to Avoid Using a Pronoun

“You say it best, when you say nothing at all”

We have already covered most well-known Thai pronouns. At this point you can start to appreciate how many things Thai people need to take into consideration before they can even start talking to someone.

This can be a minefield in the early stage of acquaintance with the individual you’re speaking to or of: “Is he older?”, “Has she got a good job?”, “Does he mind casual speech?”, “If she’s older, does she want to be treated with respect or as a friend?”, etc. This, as some linguists have posited, may partially contribute to why Thais ask some intrusive questions such as “How much money do you make?” or “How old are you?”—to establish the relative standings in society between you and them.

They do however have a hidden strategy up their sleeves to tackle this convolution. If pronouns are such a nuisance, let’s just not use them at all!
Thais drop personal pronouns all the time in conversations—in fact, NOT using any pronouns is sometimes probably more natural than using any at all. This has at least 2 benefits: #1—to save you a few superfluous words in Thai. Let’s set up a situation: you and a friend are in a room. You ask your friend where your phone is. He said it’s on the table. You can’t be bothered to get up and get it yourself so you’re asking your friend to do it. A complete sentence might look like this:

เธอไปเอามันมาให้ฉันหน่อยได้มั้ย?
ter bpai ao man maa hâi chán nòi dâi mái?
“Can you go get it for me?”

But if it’s already established to whom you’re talking to and regarding what you’re talking about, do you know how Thais would normally phrase it?

ไปเอามาให้หน่อยได้มั้ย?
bpai ao maa hâi nòi dâi mái?
“Can (you) go get (it) for (me)?”

The context (in this case, the previous conversation you had with your friend) would provide all the information that you need to fill in the pronoun gaps. Words said, job done, no pronouns, no problem.

Benefit #2, though, is our main point in this article: to avoid the whole pronoun shenanigans altogether. If you don’t use any pronouns, you don’t need to consider age, gender, social status, etc, right? Let’s have another situation: you are a flight attendant on duty. You walk up and down the aisle while serving refreshments to passengers. They are of different ages, different backgrounds, some are casual and some are uptight, some may even identify as a gender not assigned at birth. It’s impossible to acquire all that information for 100+ people while you’re serving drinks, not that you’d want to anyway!

So, instead, just drop it:

รับชาหรือกาแฟคะ?
ráp chaa rŭe gaafae ká?
“Would (you) like tea or coffee?”

Problem solved. No need to even make eye contact. You can talk to a kindergarten pupil or to a prime minister using the same sentence. At this point, you may now have a question: then why don’t you do without the pronouns? Well, because there are situations you will need to use them to avoid ambiguity. Suppose there is no context or previous dialogues whatsoever, you suddenly say to your friend:

จะมาใช่มั้ย?
jà maa châi mái?
“??? is coming, right?”

Nobody will be able to decipher that. You are going to need a pronoun there for clarification. What you can take away from this is that Thai people generally omit pronouns when they think (“THEY think” are the operative words) it’s abundantly clear what the referents are. Otherwise, keep the pronouns there for succinct and effective communication.

Examples of Thai Pronouns Sentences

จะไปตลาด
jà bpai dtà-làat

จะซื้อให้
jà séu hâi

ผม เห็น สมบัติ ที่ ตลาด
pŏm hĕn sŏm-bàt têe dtà-làat

มาลี คุย กับ ผม ที่ ห้างสรรพสินค้า
maa-lee kui gàp pŏm têe hâang sàp sĭn káa

ผม จะ เล่น เปีย โน
pŏm jà lên bpia noh

ครู ให้ ผม “A” ใน ทดสอบ
kroo hâi pŏm “A” nai tót sòp

ดิฉัน จะ แต่งงาน กับ คุณ ปรีชา
dì-chăn jà dtàeng ngaan gàp kun bpree-chaa

คุณ ปรีชา จะ แต่งงาน กับ ดิฉัน
kun bpree-chaa jà dtàeng ngaan gàp dì-chăn

อยาก ไป ช้อปปิ้ง กับ ดิฉัน ไหม
yàak bpai chóp-bpîng gàp dì-chăn măi

ดิฉัน เคย ทาน อาหาร กลางวัน ที่ ร้าน อาหาร ฝรั่งเศส
dì-chăn koie taan aa hăan glaang wan têe ráan aa hăan fà-ràng-sàyt

ฉัน จะ ซื้อ รถ ใหม่
chăn jà séu rót mài

สุมาลี ซื้อ อาหารกลางวัน ให้ ฉัน
sù maa-lee séu aa-hăan glaang-wan hâi chăn

คุณ อยาก จะ ไป ดู หนัง กับ ฉัน ไหม
kun yàak jà bpai doo năng gàp chăn măi

ฉัน สอบ ได้
chăn sòp dâai

เมื่อวาน สุขใจ โทร หา ฉัน
mêua waan sùk-kà-jai toh hăa chăn

ฉัน รัก เธอ
chăn rák ter

น้อย รัก แดง
nói rák daeng

คุณ จะ ไป ไหน
kun jà bpai năi

ใคร จะ ไป กับ คุณ?
krai jà bpai gàp kun

คุณ กำลัง ใช้ อินเทอร์เน็ต หรือ เปล่า
kun gam-lang chái in-têr-nét rĕu bplào

ผม จะ พา คุณ กลับ บ้าน
pŏm jà paa kun glàp bâan

เธอ จะ ชอบ หนัง (เรื่องนี้)
ter jà chôp năng (rêuang née)

เพื่อน ของ เธอ ต้องการ ให้ เธอ ร้อง เพลง
pêuan kŏng ter dtông gaan hâi ter róng playng

เธอ จะ กิน ก๋วยเตี๋ยว วันนี้ ไหม
ter jà gìน gŭay-dtĭeow wan née măi

ฉัน ใช้ คอม ของ เธอ ได้ ไหม
chăn chái kom kŏng ter dâai măi

แดง ก็ รัก น้อย
daeng gôr rák nói

เรา จะ ทาน อาหารกลางวัน ด้วยกัน
rao jà taan aa-hăan glaang-wan dûay gan

มาลี เอา ผัก ให้ เรา
maa-lee ao pàk hâi rao

เรา ทุกคน เล่น ฟุตบอล
rao túk kon lên fút bon

คุณ ครู จะ สอน เรา วันเสาร์
kun-kroo jà sŏn rao wan săo

เขา (เธอ) มา เร็ว เสมอ
kăo (ter) maa reo sà-mĕr

เขา (เธอ) จะ เอา พริก ไหม
kăo (ter) jà ao prík măi

บอก เขา (เธอ) ว่า บ้าน คุณ อยู่ ที่ ไหน
bòk kăo (ter) wâa bâan kun yòo têe năi

พวกเขา มา เร็ว เสมอ
pûak kăo maa reo sà-mĕr

พวกเขา จะ เอา พริก ไหม
pûak kăo jà ao prík măi

ให้ โทรศัพท์มือถืออัน ใหม่ (แก่) พวกเขา
hâi toh-rá-sàp meu tĕu an mài (gàe) pûak kăo

บอก พวกเขา ว่า บ้าน คุณ อยู่ ที่ ไหน
bòk pûak kăo wâa bâan kun yòo têe năi

ลุง ต้องการ น้ำ เย็น
lung dtông gaan nám yen

เมื่อไร พี่ จะ มา
mêua rai pêe jà maa

ครู จะ ช่วย หนู
kroo jà chûay nŏo

นาย จะ ตี กอล์ฟ พรุ่งนี้ ไหม
naai jà dtee góf prûng-née măi

ช่วย พี่ หน่อย
chûay pêe nòi

เค้า กับ ตัว จะ ไป ด้วยกัน
káo gàp dtua jà bpai dûay gan

พี่ จะ เลี้ยง น้อง
pêe jà líang nóng

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