2015

Learning Thai Express

Learning Thai from Basic and from Daily
dialogue
I just edited this into good one so it can be read every where, without any
internet connection (NOT FOR SALE)

monyetpipis_
Let’s Study Language (STL)
6/17/2015
Thai Particles
A. Introduction
A non-tonal language such as English uses stress and tone to change the feeling and mood of a sentence.
Asking someone to "Come here!", depending on the tone of the voice, can completely change the meaning
from a mild entreaty to a forceful command. A tonal language like Thai, where the meaning of a word is
determined by the tone or pitch of the voice - uses words, usually tacked onto the end of a sentence,
called particles (คำลงท้ำย), to convey emotion and feeling. These particles are used in Thai because if you tried
to express feeling and mood through intonation of voice, it may interfere with the tone (and therefore meaning)
of a word.
As well as mood particles, and as a likely reflection of the hierarchical and class structure of Thai
society, Thai also has several polite particles such as KHRAP ครับ, KHA คะ/ค่ะ, KHRAP-PHOM ครับผม etc (see
below) which are added to the end of a sentence to indicate deference and respect to the addressee.Polite
particles play an important role in Thai culture where face and harmonius relations are often at a premium.
Use of the appropriate polite particle in a sentence can add just the right amount of politeness for a given
situation. To summarize, these particles, which are unnecessary in English, add feeling, mood, deference and
politeness to Thai speech.
Particles are used in informal Thai, that is, Thai as used in everyday speech, Internet chat rooms,
message boards and comics etc. However, no particles (with the exception of some of the polite particles) are
used in formal Thai. For example, if you as a government official write a formal letter to your colleagues or
your superiors, particles will be omitted completely. This also applies to Ministerial Regulations, Royal Decrees,
Ministerial Notifications, Judgments, and the like.
Particles come naturally to native Thai speakers and they don't really think too much about them.
Westerners learning the Thai language however, are often particularly interested in speech particles because
they can, in the most extreme cases, completely change the mood (and therefore meaning) of a sentence and
are thus very useful words to be aware of.
For example:
 ARAI NA อะไรนะ - What is it? (NA นะ is a polite particle or softener).
 ARAI WA อะไรวะ - What the hell do you want? (WA วะ - Impolite particle).
Or:
 PAI NAI MAI JA ไปไหนมำจ๊ะ - Where have you been, dear? (JA จ๊ะ can be used as a polite, caring
particle).
 PAI NAI MA WA ไปไหนมำวะ - Where the hell have you been? (eg may be said if you're late for a date
etc).

Despite their importance, particles are invariably poorly explained and neglected in Thai-English
dictionaries. This web page attempts to redress this and lists all the particles that I am aware of. I have
endeavoured to distinguish between literary, colloquial and gender forms, since some particles are only used in
one instance. The list of particles is arranged in transliterated alphabetical order, to make searching them easier.
Also included is a smaller section on exclamatory particles (คำอุทำน). I hope the information gathered here will
be of some use to you. Mastering Thai particles will set you on course to speak as fluently and naturally as a
native Thai speaker. Enjoy!
As a final point, it should be noted that: Except for the polite words KHRAP ครับ and KHA คะ/ค่ะ (see
below), the use of particles depends on a person's individual speaking style: some people use them a lot, others
don't. In general they add informality and playfulness to spoken Thai.(Reference (2), P.287).
Thai Particle List

1. AH! (l) อ่ะ/อะ

Does not dramatically change the meaning of a sentence; is used in Spoken Thai mainly by teenagers. It seems
to be a more informal form of NA นะ or LA ล่ะ (see entries below for NA and LA). Reference 1, P. 131,
describes AH! (l) อ่ะ as a shortened version of LA! (f) (see entry below).
 PAI THAM MAI AH!
ไปทำไมอ่ะ - Why are you going?

Reference 2, P. 292: This comes from NA (see below). It's used informally at the end of questions.
 GIN ARAI AH  KHRAI AH
กินอะไรอ่ะ - What are you eating? ใครอ่ะ - Who is it?
 THAM ARAI AH
ทำอะไรอ่ะ - What are you doing?

I have also seen it used at the end of statements.

 A: NGUANG MAI KRAP
ง่วงไหมครับ - Are you tired?
B: NIT NOI AH
นิ ดหน่อยอ่ะ - A little.

 A: KHEUN NEE PAI NAI MA

คืนนี้ไปไหนมำ- Where have you been tonight?
B: DOO NANG AH
ดูหนังอ่ะ - Went to the movies.

 A: LAEW AH-GAHT THEE-NAN PEN NGAI BAHNG

แล้วอำกำศที่น่นั เป็นไงบ้ำง - And what's the weather like there?
B: AH-GAHT RAWN AH...BAHNG THEE FON GAW TOK
อำกำศร้อนอ่ะ...บำงทีฝนก็ตก - Hot, with some rain.

 YAI MA YOO MEUANG THAI SI...MEUANG THAI NA-YOO AH

ย้ำยมำอยูเ่ มืองไทยสิ ...เมืองไทยน่ำอยูอ่ ะ่ - Come and live in Thailand...Thailand's a very attractive country
to live in!
Sometimes used on its own means 'Uhm'; sometimes used to add emphasis.
  KHIT THEUNG AH!
คิดถึงอ่ะ - Miss you lots!

You can hear a couple of examples of the use of AH in the Thai film AH-THAN GAE BON PHEE อำถรรพ์แก้บน
ผี where MOSS calls out to her friends MUAY and PIN as they enter the haunted house:
 MUAY...PIN...PAI NAI AH
หมวย...ปิ่ น...ไปไหนอ่ะ – Muay.. Pin.. Where are you going?

 MUAY...PIN...GAE YOO NAI AH

หมวย...ปิ่ น...แกอยูไ่ หนอ่ะ - Muay.. Pin.. Where are you?
In these two examples, AH is equivalent to LA (f) ล่ะ.

2. AH! DI! อ่ะดิ

This is a slang word placed at the end of statements, similar in meaning to NA SI นะซิ (see entries below for
NA and SI). It tends to be used by teenagers.
Can be used in speech and writing.
 MAN GAW YOO NAI GRAPAO AH! DI!
มันก็อยูใ่ นกระเป๋ ำอ่ะดิ - It's in the bag.

 A: KHAO CHEU MICHAEL REU PLAO

เขำชื่อไมเคิลรึ เปล่ำ - Is he called Michael?
B: GAW CHAI AH! DI!
ก็ใช่ อ่ะดิ - That's right.

Another example may be if A is chatting to B and B says something incorrect, and B acknowledges this by
saying "Oops!":
 A: PHUT PIT LA SI
พูดผิดล่ะสิ - Did you make a mistake there?
B: GAW CHAI AH DI (NA SI)
ก็ใช่อะ่ ดิ(นะซิ) - Yes, I did.
 3. AI! (f) ไอ้
Particle indicating contempt, familiarity or playful banter, placed before a man's (or animal's) name.
 AI! PHOOCHAI KON NAN  AI! HIA
ไอ้ผูช้ ำยคนนั้น- That bloody man! ไอ้เหี้ย - You bastard!

 AI! BA  AI! SAT!

ไอ้บำ้ - You lunatic! ไอ้สตั ว์ - You bastard!

 AI! DEK KON NAN PAI NAI  AI! NGOH

ไอ้เด็กคนนั้นไปไหน - Where's that damned ไอ้โง่ - You Fool!
boy?

Note that in Central Thai, the use of AI! (f) ไอ้ is generally considered rude. The exception appears to be in
some of the Thai dialects; eg in Isaan dialect, AI! ไอ้ can be used as a term of affection when placed before
someone's name.
 AI! Peter
ไอ้ ปีเตอร์ or AI! Somchai ไอ้สมชำย.

 AI! ไอ้ can also be used among intimates in Isaan as a 'cute putdown' if someone's cheeky eg AI MA
ไอ้หมำ or AI (name), where 'name' is someone's name.

The female equivalent of AI! ไอ้ is EE อี (see below), and it's used in a similar way to AI! ไอ้. Note that strictly
speaking, AI ไอ้ is the prefix for males and EE อี for females, but in practice AI ไอ้ can also sometimes be used
for females too.
eg
The local street vendor may call her husband AI GAE ไอ้แก่ (old man) and he may likewise call her AI OO-AN
ไอ้อว้ น (fatty) in playful banter. The use of AI ไอ้ rather than EE อี is less vulgar/offensive. (reference 9).
There is is also the similar sounding word (but with long vowel length), AI (f) อ้ำย, which is used in Isaan
dialect to mean PHEE พี่ (older/elder brother).
 NAI PHASA ISAAN THA BAWK WA AI SOMCHAI GAW MAI THEUNG SOMCHAI KHAO PEN PHEE
KHUN
ในภำษำอีสำน ถ้ำบอกว่ำ อ้ำยสมชำย ก็หมำยถึง สมชำยเค้ำเป็นพี่คุณ - In Isaan dialect, if you say, AI
SOMCHAI, it means he's your older/elder brother (note: not necessarily real brother, but you respect
him in that way ie a PHEE-NAWNG พี่นอ้ ง relationship).
 4. CHEE-OH เชียว
Reference 3, p.309 describes CHEE-OH as a particle similar in meaning to JEE-OH เจียว (see entry below for
JEE-OH), although CHEE-OH is less archaic than JEE-OH and is still used in modern Thai.
It functions as an intensifier and is also used to denote the imperative.
I am not really sure if CHEE-OH is a true particle, but I have included it nevertheless for the sake of
completeness.
 WAN NEE SUAY CHEE-OH  HEUNG (l) CHEE-OH
วันนี้ สวยเชียว - You’re looking really pretty today. หึ่ งเชี ยว - Very stinky!
(Intensifier).  HEUNG (l) CHEE-OH
 A: KHAO DOO NARAK JANG LUHY หึ่งเชียว - Very stinky!
เขำดูน่ำรักจังเลย - She looks really cute.  NA-SON CHEE-OH
B: CHAI...NARAK TA TOH CHEE-OH น่ำสนเชียว - Very interesting!
ใช่...น่ำรักตำโตเชียว - Yes, cute with really big  LAW CHEE-OH
eyes. (Intensifier). หล่อเชียว - Really Handsome!
 HAHM BORK KHWAHM LAP NEE GAP KHRAI  MA SA DEUK CHEE-OH
CHEE-OH มำซะดึกเชียว - You've come so late!
ห้ำมบอกควำมลับนี้กบั ใครเชียว - Don’t tell this  NA-RAK CHEE-OH
secret to anyone. Ok? (Imperative). น่ำรักเชียว - How cute!

Reference 4, p. 147: A word added for emphasis, right, really, indeed ทำเดี๋ยวนี้เชียว - Do it right now!

5. DI! (l) ดิ
Particle placed at the end of a sentence to denote the imperative, emphasis or request. Similar in meaning to
SI! (see below) - but more informal. Used by both males and females. A fairly common particle and I have
come across it in Internet chat rooms and in speech. It tends to be used amongst friends (equal in status), or to
people younger than you, but is not really suitable for use with elders. I came across one report stating that it's
only used by children, but I have seen it used by people in their 20s, so I don't think this is correct.
 PHUT DI  ฺBORK KHAO DI
พูดดิ Say something! (imperative). บอกเขำดิ - Do tell him! (imperative).

 CHAI DI!  SONG ROOP MA DI

ใช่ดิ - That's right! (emphasis). สงรู ปมำดิ - Send your photo (imperative).
  MAI ROO DI  SONG MA THANG FILE DI
ไม่รูด้ ิ - I don't know (emphasis). สงมำทำงไฟล์ดิ - Send it by file (imperative).

 CHUAY NOI DI  PIM THAI DI

ช่วยหน่อยดิ - Help me, ok? (request). พิมพ์ไทยดิ - Type Thai [Not English]
(imperative).

You can hear an example of DI in the Thai film AH-THAN GAE BON PHEE อำถรรพ์แก้บนผี where MOSS calls
out to her friends MUAY and PIN as they enter the haunted house:
 MUAY...PIN...RAW DUAY DI
หมวย...ปิ่ น...รอด้วยดิ - MUAY...PIN...Wait for me!

DI ดิ can also sometimes be spelt/pronounced in reduced form as DEH! (h) เด๊ะ. As far as I understand it, DEH
and DI are equivalent, just different styles.
 HUH-EE MUA LAEW...THAM DEE DEE DEH
เฮ้ย มัว่ แล้ว...ทำดีๆเด๊ะ - Hey, it's wrong. Do it properly! (taken from a Thai cartoon).
 LONG LAEW AH DEH
หลงแล้วอ่ะเด๊ะ - Lost, aren't we! (taken from a Thai cartoon).

6. DUAY (f) ด้วย

A softener (makes things sound more polite).
Reference (1), P. 130: This particle is typically used in polite requests, apologies and cries for help...
 SIA JAI DUAY NA  PLAE DUAY
เสียใจด้วยนะ - I'm sorry (sad). แปลด้วย - Please translate it.
 KHAW MAY-NOO DUAY  CHUAY THAM HAI MAI PHET MAHK DUAY
ขอเมนู ดว้ ย - Can I have the menu? ช้วยทำให้ไม่เผ็ดมำกด้วย - Can you make it not
 CHECK BIN DUAY too spicy?
Can I have the bill please?
 CHUAY DUAY
ช่วยด้วย - Help!

You can hear an example of DUAY in the Thai film AH-THAN GAE BON PHEE อำถรรพ์แก้บนผี where MOSS
calls out to her friends MUAY and PIN as they enter the haunted house:
  MUAY...PIN...RAW DUAY DI
หมวย...ปิ่ น...รอด้วยดิ - MUAY...PIN...Wait for me!

7. EE อี
The female equivalent of AI! ไอ้ (see above), used in a similar way to AI! ไอ้. As with AI! ไอ้, it can be used to
indicate variously: contempt, familiarity or playful banter.
Rude examples include:
 EE DORK
อีดอก- You whore/harlot!
 EE GAE RAENG THEUNG!
อีแก่แร้งทึ้ง - You old hag!
 EE MA
อีหมำ- You dog!

8. FA! (h) ฟะ
Similar in meaning to WA! วะ/ว่ะ (see below), but a little politer. Can be used by both males and females. OK
to use amongst friends, but outside this group likely to be taken as rude/impolite.
 THAM-MAI KHAO MSN MAI DAI  KHAO PEN KHRAI FA
FA...SENG LUHY...KHRAI MEUAN RAO เขำเปนใครฟะ - Who the hell is he?
BAHNG AH  KHUR-EE SONG-SAI TUA ENG WA LEUAK
ทำไมเข้ำ MSN RIAN PHASA NEE THAM-MAI FA
ไม่ได้ฟะ…เซ็งเลย...ใครเหมือนเรำบ้ำงอ่ะ เคยสงสัยตัวเองว่ำเลือกเรียนภำษำนี้ทำไมฟะ
Why the hell can’t I log on to MSN? I’m I thought to myself, why the hell (why on earth)
really fed up. Anyone else got the same did I choose to learn this language?
problem?
 NAH-BEUA LAEW...KHAO MA THAM-
MAI FA
น่ำเบื่อแล้ว...เข้ำมำทำไมฟะ - I'm bored. Why
the hell did I come here?
 ARAI FA
อะไรฟะ - What the hell is it/do you want?
 9. FUH-EE (h) เฟ้ย
Similar in meaning to WOEY โว้ย (see below). Can be used by both males and females. I think this is quite a
rare particle. Informal, used in Spoken Thai.
 MAI CHEUA LAEW NA FUH-EE
ไม่เชื่อแล้วนะเฟ้ ย - I don't believe you! (But said in an impolite way - the use of FUH-EE เฟ้ ย makes this
impolite).
 TOO JEP KHAW FUH-EE...MAI MEE SIANG
ตูเจ็บคอเฟ้ ย...ไม่มเี สียง - I've got a sore throat and lost my voice!
 HUR...RAWN FUH-EE...THAM-MAI MAN RAWN YAHNG NEE
เฮ้อ ร้อนเฟ้ ย ทำไมมันร้อนอย่ำงนี้ - Sigh. It's damn hot. Why is it so hot?

As with WA/WOEY (see entry below), FUH-EE can be used amongst friends and intimates but is likely to be
taken as impolite with strangers.

10. GRA-MANG กระมัง

Perhaps, maybe, to presume. Formal form of MANG มัง้ (see below), used in writing, not speech.
Reference (3): A particle used to express doubt or sarcasm rather than a straight question.
 KHUN AHT-JA MAI RANGIAT GRA-MANG
คุณอำจจะไม่รังเกียจกระมัง - Perhaps you don't mind.

11. HA! (h) ฮะ

Less formal version of KRAP!/KHA! ครับ/คะ used with friends/intimates. Can be used by both males and females.

HA! (f) ฮ่ะ

A less formal version of KHA! (f) ค่ะ, used by females. You can hear an example of HA (f) in the Thai film AH-
THAN GAE BON PHEE อำถรรพ์แก้บนผี, said by MOSS มอส to her mother when she offers her some food:
 IM LA HA
อิ่มละฮ่ะ - I'm full.

12. HAE (h) แฮะ

This particle seems to be mainly used in the context of denoting/emphasising uncertainty or when you ponder
something:
eg (reference 5):
  A: KHROO GAP AHJAHN TAHNG-GAN YAHNG RAI
ครู กบั อำจำรย์ตำ่ งกันอย่ำงไร - What's the difference between 'AHJAHN' and 'KHROO'?
B: REUANG NEE TAWP YARK HAE
เรื่ องนี้ตอบยำกแฮะ - Wow! This is difficult, eeh!

 A: THEE ANGRIT GEE MONG LAEW

ที่องั กฤษกี่โมงแล้ว - What time is it in England now?
B: MAI ROO HAE
ไม่รูแ้ ฮะ - Gee, I don’t know...

 GONG HAE
งงแฮะ - I'm really confused!

 GRA-THOO NEE JENG...CHAWP HAE

กระทูน้ ้ ีเจ๋ง...ชอบแฮะ! - That's a really neat question. I like it! [Here HAE แฮะ seems to be used for
emphasis].

 KHRAI KHA NIA...JAM MAI DAI HAE

ใครคะเนี่ย...จำไม่ได้แฮะ - Who's this? I can't remember (you)...

13. HUR! (l) เหอะ

A particle similar in meaning to TUH! เถอะ (see separate entry in this table for this particle), but more informal.
Used to denote the imperative.
OK to use amongst friends, but likely to be taken as impolite/too familiar if used with strangers.
You can hear an example of its use in the Thai film 'SOM BANK MEU MAI HAT KHAI' (2001) (ส้ม แบงค์
มือใหม่หดั ขำย - SOM and BANK Learn to Sell), where BANK tells his girlfriend SOM to stop working in the bar:
 SOM...LUHK HUR!
ส้ม...เลิกเหอะ - SOM...Quit (your job), ok?

Another example can be heard in the film Last Life in the Universe, where NOI น้อย says to her Japanese friend
KENJI:
 GLAP BAHN HUR
กลับบ้ำนเหอะ - Let's go home.
More examples:
 CHANG MAN HUR...LUHK KHUI GAP KHAO  PLOI KHAO PAI HUR
HUR ปล่อยเค้ำไปเหอะ - Let him go.
ช่ำงมันเหอะ...เลิกคุยกับเขำเหอะ - Who cares/forget  AHP HUR
it!...stop chatting with him. อำบเหอะ - Have a wash.
 PAI KHUI GAP KON EUN HUR  PAI NAWN HUR
ไปคุยกับคนอื่นเหอะ - Go and chat with someone ไปนอนเหอะ - Go to bed!
else.  PUHT FAI HUR
 PAI GAN HUR เปิ ดไฟเหอะ - Switch on the light.
ไปกันเหอะ - Let's go.

As mentioned previously, HUR เหอะ is likely to be taken as impolite if used with strangers. A politer way to say
'switch on the light' with someone might be eg:
 PUHT FAI HAI NOI SI KHA
เปิ ดไฟให้หน่อยซิคะ - Please switch on the light.

14. JA
There are 3 forms of JA in common usage, namely, JA! (h) จ๊ะ, JA! (f) จ้ะ and JA (r) จ๋ำ (see the three entries
below for more detail), differing in tone and vowel length. They have varied and different uses. On a very basic
level, they may be thought of as less formal versions of KHRAP/KHA ครับ/คะ/ค่ะ.

reference 2:
… [JA! (h)/JA! (f) จ๊ะ/จ้ะ] are more friendly and informal than KHRAP/KHA ครับ/คะ/ค่ะ. The pronunciation is
high/short with questions or when you're offering something to someone…and falling/short with responses…

In my experience, when you hear a new Thai acquaintance of the opposite sex begin to replace the more
formal KHRAP/KHA with JA (h)/ JA (f) in their speech, it's a sign they feel more at ease in your company and
that a friendship (or more) may be developing. Men don't tend to use JA with each other, unless they are gay.
Can also sometimes be used by older men and women to younger girls/boys (under 12).

Familiar and vulgar equivalents of JA are WA วะ/ว่ะ and WOEY โว้ย (see entries below). More detail on the 3
forms of JA:
JA! (h) จ๊ะ
My dear; Particle used by a man or woman, usually to an equal or inferior, after a vocative [such] as 'THEE
RAK ที่รัก'. (Reference 3);

Reference 1:
Used by adult male and female speakers at the end of questions when talking to children, servants or people of
markedly lower social status; used as a 'sweet-talk' question particle between males and females or as a 'best
friends' question particle between females; used after the name of a child, servant or inferior to attract that
person's attention; used in polite requests after the particle SI! ซิ.
 THUR JA PAI GAP CHAN MAI JA
เธอจะไปกับฉันไหมจ๊ะ - Will you go with me?
 THAM-MAI LA JA...MEE ARAI REU PLAO
ทำไมล่ะจ๊ะ...มีอะไรหรื อเปล่ำ - Why...Is there something the matter?

You can hear an example of JA (h) จ๊ะ in the Thai film JAN GA-PHAW จันทน์กะพัอ when PHILAI พิไล tells her
employee/love interest in the film to go and rest after he is roughed up by the police:
 KHON JEP...THAM MAI MAI PAI PHAK PHAWN JA
คนเจ็บ...ทำไมไม่ไปพักผ่อนจ๊ะ - You're in pain, why don't you go and rest?

JA! (f) จ้ะ (Yes; a term of assent.)

Reference 1:
Used by adult male and female speakers at the end of a statement when speaking to children, servants and
people of inferior status; between males and females denotes anything from easy familiarity to 'sweet talk';
between females signals 'best friends talk'; used as a response when one's name is called (when the vowel is
often lengthened to JA (f) จ้ำ); used in isolation as a 'yes' response; used to reassure speaker of one's attention
(JA (f) จ้ำ…JA (f)จ้ำ…JA (f) จ้ำ) when the vowel is normally lengthened; used after MAI (f) ไม่ to mean 'No'.
 A: KHUN JA PAI CHIENG MAI MAI JA  A: CHAN KHAO PAI DAI MAI KHA
คุณจะไปเชียงใหม่ไหมจ๊ะ - Will you go to Chieng ฉันเข้ำไปได้ไหมคะ - Can I go in?
Mai? B: JA KHAO MA SI
B: PAI JA จ้ะเข้ำมำซิ - Yes, come in.
ไปจ้ะ - Yes.

JA (f) จ้ะ can often be used by a parent to child, to soften the sentence and show love.
 MAE RAK LOOK JA...NAHNG FAH KHAWNG MAE
แม่รักลูกจ้ะ นำงฟ้ ำของแม่ - Mother loves you my angel.
You can hear an example of JA (f) จ้ะ in the Thai film JAN GA-PHAW จันทน์กะพัอ when INTHAWN อินทร offers
to walk his employer/love interest PHILAI พิไล back to the house as a safety precaution against the murderer
who is still at large. PHILAI replies:
 YA LUH-EE...DEUK LAEW JA
อย่ำเลย...ดึกแล้วจ๊ะ - Don't worry (it's not necessary). It's late.

As a final example of JA (f) จ้ะ, I once heard a taxi driver talking to a lady while driving her to her destination.
As she listened to him, she periodically replied JA (f) จ้ำ to him to indicate that she was following what he was
saying.

JA (r) จ๋า
Particle used to answer a call or indicate that the preceding noun is in the vocative case. Can be used by a
woman or man. Can also be used to show tenderness and intimacy between girlfriend and boyfriend when
placed after a person's name. I remember one Thai girl saying with a sparkle in her eyes how she loved when
her boyfriend used JA (r) จ๋ำ after her name when speaking to her. However, it's most probably best to use JA
(r) sparingly with a partner, since overuse may leave you sounding too sugary-sweet and insincere.

Reference (2): This is flowery language used with your mother, child or spouse. It shows more tenderness than
the previous JA…
 A: THEE-RAK JA
ที่รักจ๋ำ - Darling...?
B: JA...MEE ARAI ROR JA THEE-RAK
จ๋ำ มีอะไรเหรอจ๊ะที่รกั - Yes dear, did you want something?

 THEE RUK JA SABAI DEE MAI

ที่รักจ๋ำ สบำยดีไหม- How are you, my dear?

Note that JA จ๋า (long, rising) should not be used in interrogative sentences ie to end questions eg the following
would be incorrect:
# NEE ARAI JA
นี่อะไรจ๋ำ ที่รัก - What's this my dear?
and would be better written:
# NEE ARAI JA
นี่อะไรจ๊ะ ที่รัก - What's this my dear?

You can hear an example of JA จ๋ำ in the thai film Born to Fight, when the local village NAK LENG นักเลง
(tough guy), THAP ทัพ, calls out to MALI มะลิ, the object of his affections:
  MALI JA ...PAI NAI JA
มะลิจำ๋ ๆ...ไปไหนจ๊ำ - Mali darling..where are you going?

As a final point, it should be noted that while both men and women can use JA จ๊ะ/จ้ะ/จ๋ำ, a few Thais I have
talked to say that over-use of JA by males, may give the impression you're gay. The exception appears to be
when sweet-talking a girl, Thai men will sometimes use JA to soften their speech and create a favourably 'sweet
impression'.

15. JEE-OH เจียว

This particle is archaic and not really used in modern Thai, but is included here for the sake of completeness.
Modern usage of เจียว however, ‘can be used to denote humour’, although it’s quite rare. Reference 3, p. 262:
A particle used as an intensive only in questions or commands;
 KHAO JA THAM YAHNG NAN JEE-OH REU
เขำจะทำอย่ำงนั้นเจี่ยวหรื อ - Will he do quite that?

 PAI DEEOW NEE JEE-OH

ไปเดี๋ยวนี้เจียว - Go this very moment.
Synonyms เชียว, เถิด, นะ, ซิ.

16. JI! (l) จิ

Particle placed at the end of a sentence, similar in meaning to SI ซิ (see below). An informal particle, rarely
used in speech, mainly used in Internet chat rooms. Not used in writing.
Used by both males and females.
 A: YANG YOO PA  AO JI
ยังอยูป่ ะ - Are you still there? เอำจิ - I want it/something (imperative).
B: YOO JI  KHAO MA JI
อยูจ่ ิ - I'm still here. เข้ำมำจิ - Come on in. (imperative).
 MAI ROO JI  MA JI
ไม่รูจ้ ิ - I don't know. (adds emphasis here). มำจิ - Come on/come here (imperative).

17. KHA! (h) คะ/KHA! (f) ค่ะ

Sir, madam, yes, yes sir, yes madam. This is the most common polite particle used by females (and GATOEY
กะเทย). As a general rule, KHA (h) is used at the end of questions, KHA (f) at the end of statements.
An exception to this female-only-usage rule appears to be if a man is sweet-talking his girlfriend/spouse etc. He
may then use KHA to convey intimacy and sensitivity. For example, he may say
 FAN DEE NA KHA ฝันดีนะค่ะ or FAN DEE KHA ฝันดีคะ่ (sweet dreams/sleep tight!) to express warmth
and caring. Or he could say RAK KHA...KHIT THEUNG KHA รักค่ะ...คิดถึงค่ะ - Love you...miss you!

Another exception is when a man is talking to a child (female), he may again use KHA (h) to show a sense of
caring. Unless you are a very accomplished Thai speaker, it's most probably best not to try to use KHA in these
ways though.

18. KHA (r) ขา

This is a variant of KHA! คะ/ค่ะ (see above). It is a polite and sweet-sounding particle, similar in meaning to JA
(r) จ๋ำ (see above), but restricted to female usage.
Usually used to gain attention or respond to someone calling you.
 Girl: KHUN MAE KHA คุณแม่ขำ - Mother...?
Mother: KHA ขำ - Yes dear? [Denotes affection here.]
 THUH JEUNG REEP WING PAI FAWNG KHUN KHROO WA "KHUN KHROO KHA SOMCHAI KHAO
GLAENG NOO KHA"
เธอจึงรีบวิ่งไปฟ้ องคุณครู วำ่ "คุณครู ขำ ด.ช.สมชำยเค้ำแกล้งหนู คะ่ " - So she ran to the teacher and
complained: Sir, SOMCHAI has been annoying me!" [Used to show politeness/respect to the teacher].
 PAW KHA CHUAY CHAN DUAY
พ่อขำช่วยฉันด้วย - Daddy, please help me.
 PHEE James KHA...YOO THEE NAI KHA
พี่เจมส์ขำ...อยูท่ ่ ไี หนคะ - James?...where are you?
 PAW KHA NOO KHAW PAI SEU LUK OM DAI MAI KHA
พ่อค่ะหนู ขอไปซื้อลูกอมได้ไหมค่ะ - Daddy, can I go out and buy some sweets?

Reference 3, P. 139: Particle used by a woman to answer a call or to indicate that the preceding noun is the
vocative case.

19. KHA! (f)-THAN (f) ค่ะท่าน

Yes Sir. This is a polite form of KHA (h)/KHA (f) (see above) used by females to older people, superiors (eg a
boss, senior officer) etc to show respect. It's similar in meaning and usage to KHRAP (h)-PHOM (r) (see below).
Can also sometimes be used between friends to express a sense of PRA-CHOT PRA-CHAN ประชดประชัน (v. to
be sarcastic) when asked to do something 'you're not entirely happy about doing'.
The male equivalent is KHRAP! (h)-THAN (f) ครับท่ำน.
 20. KHRAP! (h) ครับ
Sir, madam, yes, yes sir, yes madam. This is the most common particle used by males if you want to sound
polite. Its use is restricted to males only, and it can be used to address any age group, even to people younger
than yourself, such as children.
One exception to this male-only-usage rule is that older women can sometimes use KHRAP to young boys. It's
used to teach them both politeness and the correct male particle for a boy, and is often utilized in the context
of trying to get them to do something or to try to convince them of something.
 FANG PA NA KHRAP
ฟังป้ำนะครับ - Listen to your auntie please.

Unless you are a very accomplished Thai speaker, it's most probably best not to try to use KHRAP in this way
though. You can hear an example of this female usage of KHRAP in the Thai film The Closet, when TAM ตัม้
says he's hungry, and his mother tells him to wait:
 TAM ตัม้ : KHUN MAE KHRAP...TAM HEW KHAO LAEW KHRAP
คุณแม่ครับ...ตัม้ หิวข้ำวแล้วครับ - Mummy, I'm hungry.
MAE แม่: AW...KHRAP...KHRAP...PAEP NEUNG NA LOOK NA
อ๋อ ..ครับๆๆ แป๊ บนึ งนะลูกนะ - Yes, Yes. Just a minute.

Another example of women using KHRAP is that a mother may use KHRAP to her daughter when playing the
'role of the father speaking to the child', although this is relatively rare, and as might be expected, KHA is the
most often used particle by mother to young daughter (reference 13). I have also heard KHRAP ครับ used
amongst lesbians. It's usually the 'butch' THAWM ทอม one that uses it, rather than the the 'fem' DEE (f) ดี้ one.

21. KHRAP (h)-PHOM (r) ครับผม

Can be translated as 'Yes sir', or 'yes'. A very polite form of KHRAP (h) (see above). Used when wanting to
show special respect to someone eg a pupil when addressing a teacher, a shop assistant to a customer, or a
taxi driver to a passenger. If you hear a taxi driver using this with you, the chances are you'll get a good
journey, without too many detours.
Sometimes used in a humorous or sarcastic way in response to eg a girlfriend bossing you around. It's also
used in the military by junior soldiers when addressing higher-ranking officers. Female junior soldiers use the
equivalent KHA (f)-THAN (f) ค่ะท่ำน (see above) in this situation.
I have most often heard it used by males, although it can apparently also be used by females to address males
they are familiar with, and by females to younger boys. You will also occasionally hear older people using it
with younger people too. Apparently it's a 'sign of manners' to do so, and is quite normal, despite the age
disparity. Not to be confused with the male personal pronoun GRA (l)-PHOM (r) กระผม (meaning 'I').
 22. LA! (f) ล่ะ
Comes from หรื อ. Has varied meanings and uses. When placed at the end of a sentence indicates a mild
entreaty
 LAEW KHUN LA
แล้วคุณล่ะ - And how about you?
 THAM MAI LA
ทำไมล่ะ - Why?/why not?
 THUR JA PAI GAP PHOM MAI LA
เธอจะไปกับผมไหมล่ะ - Are you going with me?
 TAE THAM MAI MAI HA NGAHN THAM LA KHA
แต่ทำไมไม่หำงำนทำล่ะคะ - But why aren't you looking for any work?

Can be used to soften negative replies:

 A: KHEUN NEE PAI TEEOW MAI KRAP
คืนนี้ไปเที่ยวไหมครับ - Are you going out tonight?
B: MAI LA
ไม่ละ่ - No.

Also can convey a feeling of irritation, similar to 'why on earth?'

 THAM MAI KHUN MAI DAI BORK POM LA
ทำไมคุณไม่ได้บอกผมล่ะ - Why on earth didn't you tell me?

LA! (f) is sometimes shortened to AH! (f) อ่ะ in speech (see above for entry for AH!).
Note that in normal speech, apparently LA! (f) is actually pronounced with a low tone, as though it's spelt LA
(l) หละ, unless it's followed by KHRAP ครับ or KHA คะ, when it takes a high tone. You will often see LA spelt
informally as หละ (eg on the internet) to reflect this low tone.

23. LA! (h) ละ

A shortened form of LAEW แล้ว.Can indicate a state or situation has been reached or is about to change
 PAI LA  THOOK LA
ไปละ - I'm going. ถูกละ - That's right.
 POR LA  POM GLAP BAHN LA
พอละ - That's enough. ผมกลับบ้ำนละ - I'm going home.
 DEE LA
ดีละ - That's fine.
Can also be used to show mild irritation when used with EEK อีก
 MA EEK LA
มำอีกละ - You're back again.

24. LAE! (l) แหละ

Reference 3, P.1008: A particle used for emphasis in a similar manner to LA! (f) ล่ะ , having the mild force of
just here, just there or just that.
 PHOM PHUT DAI PIANG THAO NEE LAE
ผมพูดได้เพียงเท่ำนี้แหละ - That's all I can say about it.
 KHAO ORK PAI SIA DEEO NEE ENG LAE
เขำออกไปเสียเดี๋ยวนี้เองแหละ - He just went out (you just missed him).
 KHUN MEE KHOR GAE TUA THAO NEE ENG LAE ROR
คุณมีขอแก้ตวั เท่ำนี่เองแหลเหรอ - Is that your only excuse? (Is that all you have to say for yourself?).
 A: MEU-RAI JA RIAN JOP KHA
เมื่อไหร่จะเรียนจบครับ - When will you graduate?
B: PEE NEE LAE KA
ปีน้ ีแหละค่ะ - This summer. (ie this very year).
 A: THAM ARAI NOI SI...KHUN GIN ARAI THEUNG SUAY
ถำมอะไรหน่อยซิ...คุณกินอะไรถึงสวย - Might I ask, what do you eat to look so beautiful?
B: GIN MEUAN THEE KHUN GIN NA LAE
กินเหมือนที่คุณกินหน่ะแหละ - I eat just the same as you.
 A: KHUN JUR KHAO THEE NAI KRAP
คุณเจอเธอที่ไหนครับ - Where did you meet her?
B: THEE NEE LAE
ที่น่ ีแหละ - Here (ie in this very place).
 RAO THAM NGAAN HOK WAN KHA THEE MEUANG THAI GOR THAM NGAAN YAHNG NEE LAE
เรำทำงำน 6 วันค่ะ ที่เมืองไทยก็ทำงำนอย่ำงนี่แหละ - I work 6 days a week. That's the way it is in Thailand.

 A: PHLEHNG NAI THEE PEN NEUNG NAI JAI KHUN TALAWT GAHN
เพลงไหนที่เปงหนึ่ งในใจคุงตลอดกำล - Which song is always on your mind?
B: UHM...PHLEHNG ARAI ROR...LAI PHLEHNG AH...MAI ROO... YAHK JANG...JING JING KHAWNG
AVRIL...THUK PHLEHNG...PHEE CHORP MOT LAE
อืม เพลงอะไรเหรอ หลำยเพลงอ่ะ ไม่รู ้ ยำกจัง จริ งๆ ของ Avril ทุกเพลง พี่ชอบหมดแหล่ะ Uhm…Which
song?…Many songs. I don't know. That's difficult. Actually all of Avril's songs. I Just like all of them.
Reference 4, P. 550:
 NAN LAE
นั่นแหละ - That's it; that's the way it is; just so; indeed; yep; that very
 PIM DEET KREUANG NAN LAE CHAI MA 50 PEE
พิมดีดเครื่ องนั้นแหละ ใช้มำ ๕๐ ปี - That very typewriter was used for 50 years.
 NEE LAE
นี้แหละ - Just like I said; you see; what did you expect?; just
 MAI CHAI NAM SOM, MAI CHAI NAM WAAN, NAM RORN NEE LAE
ไม่ใช่น้ำส้ม ไม่ใช่น้ำหวำน น้ำร้อนนี้แหละ - Not orange juice, not a soft drink, just hot water.

25. LUH-EE เลย

Dictionaries translate LUH-EE variously as…inter alia…at all, beyond, too much, to surpass, to top, so, too, past,
on past a place, further, and then, so then, definitely, consequently etc, so I'm not really sure LUH-EE is a true
particle since it's adequately described by these definitions. Nevertheless, it does seem to have particle-like
properties when placed after verbs and phrases, where it's often used to denote emphasis, so I have included it
here for the sake of completeness.
 CHAI LUH-EE
ช่ำยเลย - How right that it is!
 MEUANG THAI NA-YOO THEE-SUT NAI LOHK LUH-EE
เมืองไทยน่ำอยูท่ ่ สี ุ ดในโลกเลย - Thailand's the best place in the world to live!
 A: LAW PAO
หล่อป่ ำว - Handsome?
B: SUT KHAWNG KHWAHM LAW LUH-EE KHA
สุ ดของควำมหล่อเลยค่ะ - The height of good looks!
 KHUN HAI GAMLANG JAI DEE MAHK…RAO YIM YUH LUH-EE
คุณให้กำลังใจดีมำก…เรำยิ้มเยอะเลย - You're so encouraging… I'm smiling so much!
 KHUN GENG MAHK LUH-EE
คุณเก่งมำกเลย - You're so clever!
 PHASA THAI PHEE YEE-UM LUH-EE KHA
ภำษำไทยพี่เยี่ยมเลยค่ะ! - Your Thai is really excellent!
 A: SABAI DEE MAI JA
สบำยดีไหมจ๊ะ - How are you?
B: MAI DEE LUH-EE…MAI SABAI
ไม่ดเี ลย…ไม่สบำย - Not good at all. I'm not well.
  A: KHAO PHUT ARAI
เขำพูดอะไร - What did he say?
B: KHAO MAI DAI PHUT ARAI LUH-EE
เขำไม่ได้พูดอะไรเลย - He didn't say anything at all.
 DEE JANG LUH-EE
ดีจงั เลย - That's good! (shows happiness). [The use of LUH-EE here indicates a greater degree of
happiness than if it's left out].
 YEE-UM YAWT LUH-EE JA
เยี่ยมยอด เลยจ๊ะ - Brilliant!
 A: KHAO JAI MAI KHRAP
เข้ำใจไหมครับ - Do you understand?
B: KHAO JAI JAEM JAENG LUH-EE KHA
เข้ำใจแจ่มแจ้งเลยค่ะ - I understand perfectly clearly!

26. MANG (h) มัง้

Maybe, perhaps, I guess. Informal version of GRA-MANG (see above).
 KIT WA KHAO KONG JA MAI CHORP MANG
คิดว่ำเขำคงจะไม่ชอบมัง้ - I think she might not like it.
 SAI WAEN DEE GWA MANG
ใส่แว่นดีกว่ำมัง้ - Maybe you need glasses! (spectacles).
 TAWN NEE AH-GAHT NAO KHA...YEN...PAH-YOO! KHAO MANG KHA
ตอนนี้อำกำศหนำวคะ เย็น พำยุเข้ำมัง้ คะ - Now it's cold and chilly. Might be a storm coming.
 HAHK MEUANG THAI MEE HI-MA MANG GAW DEE SI NA
หำกเมืองไทยมีหิมะมัง้ ก้อดีสินะ - If Thailand were to have some snow, that'd be great!

27. NA (h) นะ
This is a polite particle indicating a mild question; also used to seek agreement or confirmation. It's also a
softener, making speech seem less abrupt. Can also be used to soften warnings. Can be translated variously as
…you know,…you see?,…isn't it?, please, okay? Reference 3, P. 487: A particle used at the end of a sentence to
show that it is a command or an entreaty (the imperative mood).
 FANG NA
ฟังนะ - Listen… (used at the beginning of a sentence, to get attention).
 YA BORK KHAO NA
อย่ำบอกเขำนะ - Don't tell her, OK?
  PAI NA
ไปนะ - Let's go, ok?
 WAN NEE NAO NA
วันนี้หนำวนะ - It's cold today, isn't it?
 RAWANG NA…ROT MA
ระวังนะ รถมำ- Careful. There's a car coming.
 MAO MAI KHAP NA
เมำไม่ขบั นะ - Don't drink and drive.
 KHORP KHUN MAHK NA KRAP
ขอบคุณมำกนะครับ - Many thanks.
 FAN DEE NA
ฝันดีนะ - Sweet dreams! (softener/entreaty).

NA is often combined with the particles KHRAP or KHA (see separate entries above for KHRAP AND KHA) for
extra politeness.
 SAM-RAP GAN WOHT NAI KHRANG NEE GAW TAWNG KHAW KHAWP KHUN THUK THAN THEE
DAI WOHT HAI PHOM DUAY EEK KHRANG NA KHRAP
สำหรับกำรโหวตในครั้งนี้ ก็ตอ้ งขอขอบคุณทุกท่ำนที่ได้โหวตให้ผมด้วยอีกครั้งนะครับ - As regards the voting this
time, well, may I thank everybody who voted for me again.
 KHAWP KHUN MAHK NA KHA SAM-RAP GART OO-AY PAWN PEE MAI
ขอบคุณมำกนะคะ สำหรับกำร์ดอวยพรปีใหม่ - Thanks very much for the New Year's greeting card.

28. NA (f) น่ ะ
Similar in meaning to NA (h) นะ (see above); can be used to mean please when trying to persuade a (perhaps)
reluctant person
 YIM NOI NA
ยิ้มหน่อยน่ะ- Smile! (said by photographer).
 GIN NA…MAN AROI
กินน่ะ มันอร่อย - Oh come on, eat it. It's delicious.

Can also be used to highlight the topic of a sentence, similar to the word 'right…'
 FARANG NA…KHUN WA PEN YANG-RAI
ฝรั่งน่ะ คุณว่ำเป็นอย่ำงไร - Farang…right…what do you think of them?
 OI JA BAWK WA...OI NA MAI GENG PHASA ANGRIT TAE YAHK KUI MAHK MAHK
 อ้อยจะบอกว่ำ.. อ้อยน่ะไม่เก่งภำษำอังกฤษแต่อยำกคุยมำกๆ - I just want to say... I'm not very good at
English, but I'd really like to chat to you.

29. NAE! (l) แหน่ ะ

A variation of NEE (see below). Reference (2), P. 293: This is included to show that an amount is considered
large.
 OH JA SEU BAN TANG SAM LAN NAE
โอ้ จะซื้อบ้ำนตัง้ สำมล้ำนแหน่ะ - Oh, you're buying a house for 3 million Baht!

30. NAW (r) หนอ

A particle placed at the end of a question, roughly equivalent to “I wonder”; can be used to soften a sentence.
Reference 3: A particle used often at the end of a rhetoric [sic] question especially when speaking to oneself;
เมื่อไรเรำจะรำรวยสักทีหนอ (เมื่อไรหนอ เรำจะร่ ำรวยสักที) When shall I become wealthy? (When shall I become
rich?) - S.(synonym) นะ.

Reference 4: An interrogative and reflective word.

 KHAO JA PAI GAP RAO MAI NAW
เขำจะไปกับเรำไหมหนอ - I wonder if he’ll go with us…?
 NEE KHEU ARAI NAW
นี่คืออะไรหนอ - I wonder what this is?
 NAN JA PEN SAT ARAI NAW
นั่นจะเป็นสัตว์อะไรหนอ - I wonder what kind of animal that is?
 PAI NAI NAW
ไปไหนหนอ - Where are we going? (taken from a Thai cartoon).

Apparently, NAW (r) หนอ (ie rising tone) is mostly used in formal writing. In speech, it tends to be pronounced
as NAW (h) น้อ ie high tone. NAW (h) น้อ is not archaic and is still used in colloquial Thai.
================================================================================

31. NAW! (h) เนาะ, NUR! (h) เนอะ and NUR (h) เน้อ
The slightly similar-sounding particles NAW! (h) เนำะ, NUR! (h) เนอะ and NUR (h) เน้อ are colloquial variants
of NA นะ (see entry above for NA นะ), used when seeking confirmation (reference 7).
 KHUN PHIM THAI DAI DUAY...GENG NUR!
คุณพิมไทยได้ดว้ ย…เก่งเนอะ - You can type Thai too. Skilful eh?
  KHEE-RAY NAW!
ขี้เหร่ เนอะ - Ugly, isn't it?
 KHAO DOO SUAY NUR!
เขำดูสวยเนอะ - She looks beautiful, doesn't she?
 PLAEK NUR!
แปลกเนอะ - Weird, isn't it?
 EU...NA-SIA DAI DUAY NUR!
อือ น่ำเสียดำยเนอะ - Oh boy! That's a shame, isn't it?
 HEUM…NAHN LUH-EE NAW!
หืม นำนเลยเนำะ - Hmm. That's a long time, isn't it?

32. NEE (f) นี่

Can be used to indicate slight disagreement with an assumption implicit in a question or statement. Can also
be used for emphasis.
 A: KHAO PEN FAEN KHUN ROR
เขำเป็นแฟนคุณเหรอ - So he's your boyfriend?
B: MAI CHAI NEE
ไม่ใช่น่ ี - No, he isn't.

 A: KHUN RUAY
คุณรวย - You're rich.
B: POM MAI RUAY NEE
ผมไม่รวยนี่ - No I'm not.

 A: THAEW BAHN KHUN NAM MAI TUAM ROR KHA

แถวบ้ำนคุณน้ำไม่ถว้ มเหรอคะ - It hasn't flooded in your area?
B: MAI HEN THUAM NEE
ไม่เห็นถ้วมนี่ครับ - Not that I've seen.

 A: NEE KHRAP BAI KHAP KHEE

นี่ครับ ใบขับขี่ - Here's my driving licence.
B: MAI CHAI BAI KHAP KHEE THAI NEE
ไม่ใช่ใบขับขี่ไทยนี่ - This isn't a Thai driving licence.
  A: MAE…WAN NEE KHAO DOO SUAY JANG LUHY
แหม...วันนี้เขำดูสวยจังเลย - Goodness! Today she looks really pretty.
B: GAW…SUAY THUK WAN NEE KRAP
ก็สวยทุกวันนี่ครับ - She looks pretty everyday.
 A: KHUN DOO SUAY
คุณดูสวย - You look beautiful.
B: PAHK WAAN NEE KHUN NA
ปำกหวำนนี่คุณนะ - You smoothy! (Lit. you sweet mouth!)
 DEEO TEE SIA NEE
เดี๋ยวตีเสียนี่ - I will hit you!

 A: KHUN PHUUT ANGRIT GENG MAHK KHRAP...PHOM MAI DAI GLAENG CHOM SA-NOI
คุณพูดอังกฤษเก่งมำกครับ...ผมไม่ได้แกล้งชมซะหน่อย - Your English is great. I'm not just saying that!
B: GLAENG CHOM AH JI...KHRAI JA PAI GLA PHUUT WA PHASA ANGRIT KHUN NEE YAE JING
JING
แกล้งชม อ่ำจิ...ครำยจะไปกล้ำพูดว่ำ ภำษำอังกฤษคุณนี่แย่จิงๆ อิอิ... - Yes you are. Who would dare say to
someone that their English is really terrible? Ha ha...

Here NEE is used for emphasis/stress. You could leave the NEE out of B's response and it would still mean the
same, although with less emphasis. A bit like the difference between terrible and really terrible.

33. NEE (f)-NA นี่ นา

The meaning of this particle appears to depend on the context it’s used in, but it’s mainly used for emphasis.
Actually, NEE นี่ is the particle, and NA นำ is added for euphony and to soften the sentence.
 KHUN PEN KHON THAI NEE-NA
คุณเป็นคนไทยนี่นำ - So you’re Thai, aren’t you!? (emphasizes sudden discovery of hitherto unknown
fact).
 WAN NEE LOI GRATONG NEE-NA
วันนี้ลอยกระทง นี่นำ - It's Loi Grathong day today!
 MAE GOR PIM THAI DAI NEE-NA...THAM-MAI THEUNG MAI YAWM PHUT LA
แหม ก้อ พิมพ์ไทยได้น่ ีนำ ทำไมถึงไม่ยอมพูดล่ะ - Jeez! You can type Thai! Why didn’t you say?
 KHAO MAI DAI YAK JA MA PEN PHEUAN SOMCHAI JING JING NEE-NA
เค้ำไม่ได้อยำกจะมำเป็นเพื่อนสมชำยจริ งๆ นี่นำ - He really didn’t want to be Somchai’s friend. Not a bit!
 KHAO KHAO JAI PHIT LAEW NEE-NA
เขำเข้ำใจผิดแล้วนี่นำ - She misunderstood.
  A: DICHAN MAI KHAO JAI KHA
ดิฉันไม่เข้ำใจค่ะ - I don’t understand.
B: CHAN DAI BORK SING THEE KHUN THAM LAEW NEE-NA
ฉันได้บอกสิ่งที่คุณถำมแล้วนี่นำ - I’ve told you already!
 OH! FARANG NEE-NA (NEUK WA PEN KON THAI) THAM MAI PHUT PHASA THAI GENG JANG
โอ๊ะ! ฝรั่งนี่นำ (นึ กว่ำคนไทย) ทำไมพูดภำษำไทยเก่งจัง - Oh! You’re FARANG! (I thought you were Thai).
How come you speak Thai so well?

Actually NEE นี่ is the particle, and NA นำ is added to soften the sentence. So the above sentence could also be
written exactly as above, but without the NA นำ, and retain the same meaning. (Reference 9).
 PEN KHWAHM PHIT KHORNG THUH PHRAW THUR THAM NEE-NA
เป็นควำมผิดของเธอเพรำะเธอทำนี่นำ - It’s you’re fault because you did it! (reference 10).
 A: JAM PHOM DAI MAI KHRAP
จำผมได้ไหมครับ - Can you remember me?
B: KHUN CHEU SOMCHAI...MA JAHK SURIN...CHAI MAI KHA
คุณชื่อสมชำย...มำจำกสุ รินทร์...ใช่ไหมคะ - You're Somchai from Surin..aren't you?
A: CHAI LUR-EE...JAM GENG NEE-NA
ใช่เลย...จำเก่งนี่นำ - That's right! You've got a good memory!

I saw one report stating that NEE-NA is only used by females, but I've encountered it used by males too, so I
don't think this is correct.
Reference 11: Particle marking an utterance as an explanation or as an answer to a question.

34. NGAI! ไง
Used as a response to show that you think something is self-evident. Seems in some instances to be roughly
equivalent to the English expression 'Of course!'.
 A: MAN YOO THEE-NAI
มันอยูท่ ่ ไี หน - Where is it?
B: HAI LAEW NGAI
ให้แล้วไง - But I've given it to you already.

 A: KHUN RAK KHRAI

คุณรักใคร - Who do you love?
B: KHUN NGAI
คุณไง - You of course!
  A: KHUN YOO THEE NAI
คุณอยูท่ ่ ไี หน - Where are you?
B: BORK LAEW NGAI
บอกแล้วไง - I've told you already.

Thai joke:
Q: DEUAN THEE NEUNG MEE BAHN...DEUAN THEE SAWNG MEE ROT...DEUAN THEE SAHM MEE ARAI
เดือนที่หนึ่ งมีบำ้ น เดือนที่สองมีรถ เดือนที่สำมมีอะไร - The first month of the year I had a house, the second month I
had a car. What about the third month?
A: MEE-NA-KHOM NGAI LA มีนำคมไงล่ำ - March!

35. NI! (h) นิ

Similar to SI ซิ.
 KHAW WELA PLAE NI
ขอเวลำแปลนิ - I need some time to translate it.

I think this particle is exclusive to Southern Thai dialect, although it will sometimes creep into Central Thai
being spoken by people from the South. Shares the same meaning as SI ซิ.

36. NIA (f) เนี่ ย

This particle is a short form of นี่แหละ and can mean 'this one' or 'this'. It's used for emphasis and occurs in
two main situations:

1. Adds emphasis (or surprise) to statements and questions; shows you'd really like to know the answer to a
question.
 ARAI NIA
อะไรเนี่ย - What's this???
 KHUN AH-YOO THAO-RAI NIA
คุณอำยุเท่ำไรเนี่ย - How old are you?
 KHUN GIN ARAI NIA
คุณกินอะไรเนี่ย - What are you eating???
 YOO NAI NIA
อยูไ่ หนเนี่ย - Where are you?
 RAO JA PAI NAI GAN NIA
เรำจะไปไหนกันเนี่ย - Where are we going?
  THAM ARAI YOO NIA
ทำอะไรอยูเ่ นี่ย - What are you doing?
 KON THAI REU ANGRIT NIA
คนไทยหรื ออังกฤษค่ะเนี่ย - Are you Thai or English?
 NIA…KHAO JOP MAHAWITAYALAI PEE THEE LAEW…TAE YANG WAANG NGAAN
เนี่ย...เขำจบมหำวิทยำลัยปีท่ แี ล้ว...แต่ยงั ว่ำงงำน - He's graduated from university last year, but is still
unemployed!
 MAI DAI JUR GAN NAHN LUHY NA NIA
ไม่ได้เจอกันนำนเลยนะเนี่ย - Long time no see!

2. Can be placed behind a noun or person's name to add emphasis to that noun and to refer back to what is
being talked about.
 KHAM WA PROSTATE GLAND NIA…PHASA THAI WA ARAI
คำว่ำ prostate gland เนี่ย…ภำษำไทยว่ำอะไร -Prostate gland...How do you say that in Thai?
 MAE KHUN NIA… WAN NEE TAENG TUA SUAY
แหมคุณเนี่ย...วันนี้แต่งตัวสวย- My goodness...look at you! You've dressed up nicely today!
 JAMES NIA...KHRAI AH
เจมส์เนี่ย...ใครอ่ะ - James? Who's that?
 COURT BAED THEE SUAN LUM NIA...YOO TRONG NAI KHRAP
คอร์ทแบดที่สวนลุมเนี่ย อยูต่ รงไหนครับ - The badminton courts at Lumpini Park. Where are they?

37. NOI (l) หน่ อย

Can be translated as 'a little'. Used with requests to lessen the degree of imposition.
 KAW KHAO NOI DAI MAI
ขอขำวหน่อยได้ไหม - Can I have a little rice?
 KAW TAHM ARAI NOI SI
ขอถำมอะไรหน่อยสิ - Can I ask you something?
 KOR DOO NOI DAI MAI
ขอดูหน่อยได้ไหม - Can I have a look?
 PURT PRADOO NOI
เปิ ดประตูหน่อย - Open the door!
 NGIAP NGIAP NOI
เงียบๆ หน่อย - Quiet please; a little less noise please.
 KHAW NAM CHA PHUHM NOI KHRUP
ขอน้ำชำเพิ่มหน่อยครับ - Can I have a little more tea please.
  JOOP PHOM NOI
จูบผมหน่อย - Kiss me. (imperative).
 HAI KHAM PRUEK-SA CHAN NOI
ให้คำปรึ กษำฉันหน่อย - Give me some advice, please.

38. PHA! (h) - YA! (f) - KHA! (f) พะย่ะค่ะ

Version of KHRAP ครับ to be used by a man to royalty.

39. PHAY - KHA (h) เพคะ

Version of KHA คะ/ค่ะ used by a woman to royalty.

40. RAWK (l) หรอก

Used after a negative statement to make it seem milder or convey a humble attitude.
 A: KHUN PHUT THAI GENG KHA
คุณพูดไทยเก่งค่ะ - You speak Thai well.
B: MAI GENG RAWK
ไม่เก่งหรอกครับ - Not very well.
Adding RAWK to the sentence makes it sound milder and humbler.
 A: WAN NEE MAI WAHNG
วันนี้ไม่วำ่ ง - I'm not free today.
 B: MAI CHEUA RAWK
ไม่เชื่อหรอก - I don't believe you!
The use of RAWK here softens the reply.
The equivalent in Isaan dialect is DAWK ดอก.

41. SA (h) ซะ
This has varied meanings. See ref. (2) for a fuller explanation.
When appears at the end of a sentence indicates encouragement or means 'do it quickly'
 GLAP BAAN SA
กลับบ้ำนซะ - Go home.
 BAWK MA SA DEE DEE
บอกมำซะดีๆ - Come on and tell me now...
  KHAO PAI SA LAEW
เขำไปซะแล้ว - He's gone already.

Here SA LAEW is short for SIA LAEW เสียแล้ว and indicates the action has been completed already. (SIA เสีย is
the formal form of SA ซะ; SA ซะ is colloquial).

42. SA (h) NOI (l) ซะหน่ อย

SA NOI ซะหน่อย comes from สักหน่อย (a little) and when it appears in negative sentences (with MAI ไม่) it has
a mild intensive force, confirming and strengthening what comes before it in the sentence. It seems in some
instances to have a similar function to an exclamation mark "!" or the confirmation/affirmation phrase "...you
know?", which is sometimes placed at the end of sentences in English.
 GOR SUAY DEE JING JING NA...MAI DAI GLAENG CHOM SA NOI
ก็สวยดีจริ งๆนะ...ไม่ได้แกล้งชมซะหน่อย - It's really nice and pretty. I'm not just saying that (not kidding
you).
 MAI CHAI SA NOI
ไม่ใช่ซะหน่อย - That's not true at all!
 POM MAI DAI MEE ARAI GAP POOYING KON NAN SA NOI
ผมไม่ได้มอี ะไรกับผูห้ ญิงคนนั้น ซะหน่อย - I didn't have anything to do with that woman. (or in another
sense, didn't have sexual relations - recall Bill Clinton's famous denial regarding Monica Lewinksy - "I
did not have sexual relations with that woman.")
 A: MEUA WAN GORN KHUN CHUAN CHAN PAI GIN KAO CHAI MAI?
เมื่อวันก่อนคุณชวนฉันไปกินข้ำวใช่ไหม - The other day you invited me out for a meal, didn't you?
B: POM MAI KHUR-EE CHUAN KHUN SA NOI
ผมไม่เคยชวนคุณซะหน่อย - I have never asked you out!

You can hear an example of SA NOI in the film Tears of the Black Tiger, where RAMPOEY รำเพย denies to
GO โก๊ะ that she is DAM's ดำ girlfriend:
 GO: HAN NAE...FAEN AI DAM NEE JAI GLA DEE WOEY
ฮัน่ แน่...แฟนไอ้ดำนี่ใจกล้ำดีเว้ย - Well, how about that DAM, you've got yourself a brave girlfriend there!
 RUMPOEY: BAH...MAI CHAI FAEN SA NOI
บ้ำ...ไม่ใช่แฟนซะหน่อย - Don't be crazy. He's not my boyfriend!

Without the MAI ไม่, SA NOI functions as a softener by eg limiting the degree of imposition.
 PAI LEN NAM...WANG JA KLAI RORN SA NOI
ไปเล่นน้ำ...หวังจะคลำยร้อนซะหน่อย - Go and take a dip in the water. Hopefully that will cool you down
a bit.
  GIN NAM SA NOI MAI
กินน้ำซะหน่อยไหม - Would you like a little water?

Reference (2): This is a shortened from SAK NOI ซักหน่อย and is included with statements to minimize the
action. It shouldn't be used when requesting something as it would sound too abrupt; use SAK NOI ซักหน่อย
instead.
 DEUM BIA SA NOI SI
ดื่มเบียร์ซะหน่อยซิ - Have some beer.
 KHOR NAM KAENG SAK NOI SI
ขอน้ำแขงซักหน่อยซิ - Can I have a little ice?

43. SI! (h) ซิ

Used in the imperative and to add emphasis. Sometimes spelt SI (l) สิ. (Apparently SI (l) สิ is the more formal
spelling).
 PURT PRADOO SI
เปิ ดประตูซิ - Open the door. (Imperative).
 PIT FAI SI
ปิ ดไฟซิ - Switch off the light. (Imperative).
 DEE SI
ดีซิ - Great! (emphasis).
 A: KHUN CHORP MAI
คุณชอบไหม Do you like it?
B: CHORP SI
ชอบซิ - I like it! (Emphasis).

The use of SI in the last two examples indicates a greater degree of pleasure/satisfaction than if it's not used.
 NAHN LAEW SI KHA
นำนแล้วซิคะ่ - A long time ago! (Emphasis).
 YA PHOOT YANG-NGAN SI
อย่ำพูดยังงัน้ สิ - Don’t speak like that! (Imperative).
 YA NGIAP SI KHA...THEE-RAK
อย่ำเงียบซิคะ่ ...ที่รัก - Don't be so quiet, darling. (Imperative).
 PAI JUH GAN THEE London SI
ไปเจอกันที่ลอนดอนสิ - Let's meet in London. (Imperative).
  MA NEE SI WA
มำนี่สิวะ - Come here...hurry up!
The use of SI WA สิวะ indicates more force/impoliteness than if it's not used. A politer way of saying 'Come
here!' would be MA NEE SI KHRAP มำนี่สิครับ.

You can hear an example of SI in the Thai film The Closet where the mother tells her son to wake up:
TEUN SI LOOK ตื่นสิลูก - Wake up child!

44. THEE ที
This particle means, inter alia... 'once/just this once' and is similar in usage to NOI (see above). It is used after
a verb, often in the imperative mood, to lessen the degree of imposition, by indicating that the action has to be
performed only once.
 TORT THEE
โทษที - Sorry! (excuse me).
 KHOR PAI THEE
ขอไปที - Can you let me pass.
 CHUAY PIT WITHAYOO THEE
ช่วยปิ ดวิทยุท ี - Please turn off the radio.
 PURT webcam EEK THEE SI
เปิ ดเว็บแคมอีกทีซิ - Turn on your webcam again.
 YOO MAI...MEE PAN-HA GEE-OW GAP KHAWM ...CHUAY THEE KHA
อยูม่ ยั้ ...มีปัญหำเกี่ยวกับคอม...ช่วยทีคะ่ - Are you there? I've got a problem with my computer. Please help
me.

45. THUH! (l)/THUHT (l) เถอะ/เถิด

Please; do; let us. Adds mild emphasis at the end of requests, orders and suggestions. Linguistically speaking,
THUH is referred to as a hortative particle, so-called because it exhorts (urges) somebody to do something.
 PAI GAN THUH
ไปกันเถอะ - Let's go!
 MA THUH POM JA RAW KHUN
มำเถอะ ผมจะรอคุณ - Come here. I'll wait for you.
 PAI DURN LEN GAN THUH
ไปเดินเล่นกันเถอะ - Let's go for a walk.
 PLIAN CHEU THUH KHRAP
เปลี่ยนชื่อเถอะครับ - Please change your name!
  PAI THEE HAWNG KHAWNG PHOM GAN THUH
ไปที่หอ้ งของผมกันเถอะ - Let's go to my place.
 PAI THAEK-SEE GAN THUH
ไปแท็กซี่กนั เถอะ - Let's take a taxi together.

Apparently, THUH เถอะ is more colloquial/informal and used in modern Thai. THUHT เถิด is more formal and
used in writing. One source I've seen indicates THUH/THUHT เถอะ/เถิด is slightly politer than SI ซิ, although
both are polite particles.

You can hear an example of its use in the Thai film, Tears of the Black Tiger, where DAM ดำ says to his
childhood sweetheart/girlfriend RAMPOEY รำเพย:
 GLAP DEE GWA…DEEOW MEUT KHAM JA DOHN ET AO…PA…PAI THUH
กลับดีกว่ำ เดี๋ยวมืดค่ ำจะโดนเอ็ดเอำ ปะ ไปเถอะ - We'd better go. It's nearly dark already. We'll get a
bollocking. Let's go!

See also the related entry in this table for HUR เหอะ, which is a less formal version of THUH เถอะ.

46. UH-EE เอย/เอ่ย/เอ๋ย

There are 3 forms of UH-EE, with different spellings and tones UH-EE เอย, UH-EE (l) เอ่ย and UH-EE (r) เอ๋ย:

UH-EE เอย
This is a particle placed at the end of a verse of poetry, verse or discourse.

Reference 3, p. 1064: The end, finis, a particle used to end a piece of verse…
Reference 4, p. 578: A poetical closing particle; a particle used in direct address, o, oh พระจันทร์เอย - Oh
moon!...
 KHWAN UH-EE...KHWAN UH-EE...KHWAN MA
ขวัญเอย...ขวัญเอย...ขวัญมำ - Oh KHWAN...Oh KHWAN… Come back! - Let your tutelary spirit return to
you! (said by a mother when she picks her child up when he is frightened after a fall). (Reference 6).

UH-EE (l) เอ่ย

A question-word used in both writing and speech. It can be used by both men and women. Some Thais I’ve
talked to say that it’s used more by women, others say men use it equally. It’s used to make questions sound
less abrupt and cuter sounding, to show that you're close and care, and for politeness. While it is still used in
modern Thai, it’s not one of the more common particles and is not used that often.
Reference 3, p.1064: A particle used after the interrogative word in a question or a riddle
 NAI GRA-PAO KHAWNG CHAN MEE ARI UH-EE
ในกระเป๋ ำของฉันมีอะไรเอ่ย - Can you tell me what’s in my pocket?...

อะไรเอ่ย ..อยูใ่ นกระเป๋ ำของฉัน - Guess what I've got in my pocket?! [Said with a cute lilting voice.]
cf อะไร ..อยูใ่ นกระเป๋ ำของฉัน ..- What's in my pocket? [No lilt.] (Reference 7).

 KHRAI UH-EE
ใครเอ่ย - I wonder who that can be?

 ARAI UH-EE
อะไรเอ่ย - I wonder what it can be?

 THAM ARAI YOO UH-EE

ทำอะไรอยูเ่ อ่ย - What are you doing?

 NOM SAM-RAP DEK DOH WA 1 KHUAP KHEUN PAI NAI THAWNG TALAHT MEE MAHK MAI
THANG NOM PONG LAE NOM NAM LEUAK CHANIT NAI DEE UH-EE
นมสำหรับเด็กโตวัย 1 ขวบขึ้นไปในท้องตลำดมีมำกมำย ทัง้ นมผงและนมน้ำ เลือกชนิ ดไหนดี เอ่ย -There are many
kinds of milk available for children aged above 1 year, in both powdered and liquid form. Which kind
is the best? (reference 8).

UH-EE (r) เอ๋ย

Reference 3, p. 1064: A particle used after a vocative by a man or woman, usually denoting familiarity or
affection;
 LOOK UH-EE JAO JA TAWNG RA-WANG TUA HAI JONG NAK
ลูกเอ๋ย เจ้ำจะต้องระวังตัวให้จงหนัก - My son, you have to be very, very careful.

Reference 4, p. 578: A sound denoting affection [like] dear, my dear (boy, girl, son etc).
 LOOK UH-EE THEUNG WELA AHP-NAM LAEW
ลูกเอ๋ย ถึงเวลำอำบน้ำแล้ว - Hey little darling, it's time for your bath! (reference 7).

47. WA (h)/WA (f)/WOEY (h) วะ/ว่ะ/โว้ย

Tacked onto the end of a sentence in place of the more polite KHRAP/KHA ครับ/คะ/ค่ะ to indicate variously:
familiarity, contempt, dislike, disgust, annoyance, anger. Use with caution.
Sometimes spelt WA! (l) หวะ or WA (l) หว่ำ.
One example where you might use it: You’re woken up from your slumbers by someone shaking you awake to
tell you something. You might irritably snap: ARAI WA อะไรวะ? - (What is it?), through half-closed eyes.

More examples:
 ARAI WA
อะไรวะ - What the hell do you want?
 PAI NAI MA WA...BAWK LAEW CHAI MAI WAH YAH MA SAI
ไปไหนมำวะ...บอกแล้วใช่มยั้ ว่ำอย่ำมำสำย - Where the hell have you been? I've told you before, haven't I,
not to be late.
 MOWNG ARAI WA
มองอะไรวะ - What the hell are you looking at?
 MAI MEE TANG KHA NAM MAN ROT WA
ไม่มตี งั ค์คำ่ น้ำมันรถว่ะ - I've got no bloody petrol money!
 GUHT ARAI KEUN WA
เกิดอะไรขึ้นวะ - What the hell is happening?

Reference (1), P. 129:

An impolite or informal particle, used to indicate rudeness, anger and aggressiveness when speaking to
strangers, or intimacy with close friends of equal status; WA (h) วะ is used with questions and WA (f)/WOEY (h)
ว่ะ/โว้ย with statements; more common with male speech but can be used by females; it is the particle favoured
by baddies on the big screen, used by drinking friends as the evening progresses, and the one to snarl in the
expression THAM ARAI WA ทำอะไรวะ? ('What the hell are you doing?') if you have the misfortune to
encounter an intruder in the house.

Reference (2), P. 300:

(วะ/ว่ะ) adds emphasis. It isn't polite and is used only with friends or when you're very angry.
You can hear an example of WA in the Thai film AH-THAN GAE BON PHEE อำถรรพ์แก้บนผี said by one of the
girls when she tries unsuccessfully to hail a taxi and it just drives past without stopping:
 ARAI WA อะไรวะ - What the hell!?

You can hear an example of WOEY in the Thai film JAN GA-PHAW จันทน์กะพัอ when one of the guests angrily
makes his views about the resort clear:
 JA HAI GOO THON YOO GAP REE-SORT PHEE NEE EEK ROR GOO MAI AOW WOI
จะให้กูทนอยูก่ บั รีสอร์ทผีสิงนี้อกี หรอ กูไม่เอำเว้ย - I'm not staying another minute in this spooky old dump.
No way!
As a final point it should be noted that with strangers, WA may well be taken as rude, but with friends and
intimates this is not necessarily so. Here it can be a particle signifying familiarity or closeness, used in place of
the more formal KHA/KHRAP. I have seen fairly innocuous conversations between friends peppered with WA,
there's no real disagreement going on, it's just used in place of the politer KHA/KHRAP particles. Context
determines its meaning.
Here's an example of two males (perhaps drinking buddies) discussing a member of the opposite sex:
 NAI WAH PHOO-YING KON NEE SUAY MAI WA
นำยว่ำผูห้ ญิงคนนี้สวยไหมวะ - Do you think this girl is beautiful?
 MAI ROO WA
ไม่รูห้ วะ - No idea. (reference 9).

Here WA is used as a kind of bonding particle and indicates that the two men are close enough so that it can
be used without causing offence.

48. YA (h)/YA (f) ยะ/ย่ะ

Reference (1), P. 129: An impolite or informal particle, similar to WA (h)/WA (f) (see entry above), but
restricted in usage to female speakers. Used in spoken Thai.
Sometimes used by GATOEYs and gays too.
I saw one example of its usage in an Internet chat room, used by a young woman who was being asked to
leave the main communal chat room and enter into a private chat ('whisper') by another chatter:
 THUR SI YA GRASIP GRASAHP THANG KHEUN NA…CHAN MAI KUI GRASIP YA
เธอซิยะ กระซิบกระซำบทัง้ คืนน่ะ ฉันไม่คุยกระซิบย่ะ - Hey, you. Whispering all night. I don't chat in
whisper!

The use of YA shows her annoyance. Although not as rude as WA, YA is still impolite. It can also convey a
sense of superiority or PRA-CHOT ประชด to a sentence (PRA-CHOT ประชด - v. to mock, ridicule, deride, treat
contemptuously, to be sarcastic).
 KHAO CHEU Daniel YA MAI CHAI Dariel
เขำชื่อ แดเนียล ย่ะ ไม่ใช่แดเรียล - He’s called Daniel, not Dariel.

Here the use of YA conveys a sense of “Didn’t you know that?/You don’t know anything!” YA is also frequently
the particle of choice for the evil leading ladies in Thai soap operas. Can also be used to express a sense of
mock superiority or teasing, when used in playful banter between friends.
 1. AH! NA!/AH (f)-NA! อ่ะนะ/อ่านะ
Slang word used in speech and Internet chat rooms. Not really a particle, but I have included it nevertheless
since it is quite common in Thai but tends not to be listed in dictionaries. Usually used on its own, and not at
the end of a sentence. Can be translated variously as "Oh, I see", "Ah ha", "Oh yeah", "Uhm" or "Hmm". 'Used
mainly by young people (teenagers) trying to sound cute'.
 A: WAN NEE PAI TALAAT
วันนี้ไปตลำด - I'm going to the market today.
B: AH NA
อ่ะนะ - Ah ha.

2. AOW (f) อ้าว

Oh! - indicates surprise/something unexpected (in a not necessarily positive way) eg you might say you're
leaving, and someone may exclaim:
 AOW...JA PAI LAEW ROR
อ้ำว จะไปแล้วเหรอ - Oh! You're leaving already?
Can be used by both males and females.

Another example:
 AOW THAM-MAI MAI PAI LA
อ้ำว...ทำไมไม่ไปล่ะ - Oh! Why didn't you go?

The AOW อ้ำว here indicates surprise - you just discovered the person hadn't gone somewhere (but you had
expected them to go).

3. AW (f) อ้อ
Yes, uh-huh, I see, is that so, Ah! (now I understand - realisation).

4. AW (r) อ๋อ
Oh, I see.

5. CHAI-YO ไชโย
Exclamation of delight/joy like: Hurray, hurrah; hooray, hip hip hooray!
Can also be spelt CHA-YO ชโย.
 CHAI-YO...JAWNG DAI LAEW KHAWT BAED SUAN LUM WAN PHUT 2-4 THUM KRAI SON-JAI
BAHNG KHRAP
 ไชโย..จองได้แล้ว คอร์ทแบดสวนลุม วันพุธ 2-4ทุม่ ใครสนใจบ้ำงครับ
Hooray! Booked a badminton court at Lumpini Park on Wednesday between 8 and 10 PM. Anyone
interested? (seen on a badminton internet message board). Also seen on the Singha beer TV advert
when they celebrate.

6. CHIP (l) HAI (r) ฉิ บหาย

A slang emphasis word roughly equivalent to "Damn!" or "Fuck!"
 CHIP HAI
ฉิ บหำย - God damn!; Shit!

 HEW CHIP HAI

หิวฉิ บหำย - I'm damn hungry!

 NAO CHIP HAI

หนำวฉิ บหำย - It's damn cold!
To my ear, CHIP ฉิ บ sounds as though it's pronounced mid (or high tone) in normal conversation.

7. EH (r) เอ๋
Uh? (For when you can't remember something or figure it out).
 เอ๋ มันอยูท่ ่ ไี หน - Uh?…Where's it gone?

8. GEW (h) GEW (h) กิ๊วๆ

This is a slang word used amongst friends for gentle teasing, similar to the English expression 'Na-na nana-na!'
You might say this to your friend when eg he/she makes a mistake, gets an answer wrong, or if you beat them
in a race etc.
 GEW GEW NAH MAI AI
กิ๊วๆ หน้ำไม่อำย - Na-na nana-na!...Shame on you!

9. GREET (h) กรี๊ด

Onomatopoeia from the sound of screaming. Mainly used by girls to express variously fear, surprise, excitement,
delight etc. eg a girl may GREET when she sees a ghost, or at a pop concert etc.
Sometimes spelt กรี๊ดๆ, กรี้ด, กรีด etc.
 10. HAN! (f)-NAE! (f) ฮัน่ แน่
An exclamation of surprise, on discovering a secret.
Reference 4:
Look at you!; How about that!
 A: KHUN ROO MAI…NOI LEN CHOO
คุณรู ไ้ หม...น้อยเล่นชู ้ - Did you know, NOI's having an affair?
B: HAN NAE
ฮัน่ แน่ - How about that!

You can hear an example of HAN NAE in the film Tears of the Black Tiger, where GO โก๊ะ mocks DAM ดำ
about his female friend RAMPOEY รำเพย:
 HAN NAE...FAEN AI DAM NEE JAI GLA DEE WOI
ฮัน่ แน่...แฟนไอ้ดำนี่ใจกล้ำดีเว้ย - Well, how about that DAM, you've got yourself a brave girlfriend there!

11. HUH (h) เฮ้อ/HUH เฮอ

Onomatopoeia from the sound of sighing. Would use it when you are eg dissatisfied/bored/relieved/frustrated
with something.
 HUR! RAK KON MEE JAO KHAWNG...TAM NGAI DEE WA?
เฮ้อ! รักคนมีเจ้ำของ ทำไงดีหว่ำ ? Sigh!...I love someone who's already taken. What the hell can I do
about it?
 HUR!! REUANG MAN NA-SAO
เฮ้อ!! เรื่ องมันน่ำเศร้ำ - Sigh. It's a sad story.
 HUR...KHAO PAI LAEW
เฮ้อ...เขำไปแล้ว - Whew! (relief) She's gone.
Dictionaries tend to spell it เฮอ/เฮ้อ but I have also come across it spelt HUR (f) เห้อ.

12. HUH-EE (h) เฮ้ย

Hey! (calling attention). Not necessarily polite.
 HUR-EE...MUAH LAEW...THAM DEE DEE DEH
เฮ้ย...มัว่ แล้ว...ทำดีๆเด๊ะ - Hey, that's wrong. Do it properly!
 HUR-EE...YA MA YOONG GAP FAEN PHOM SI
เฮ้ย...อย่ำมำยุง่ กับแฟนผมซิ - Hey! Don't mess with my girlfriend!
 13. MAE (r) แหม
Jeez!, my goodness! (surprise/admiration). Used by both genders.
 MAE GOR PIM THAI DAI NEE NA...THAM-MAI THEUNG MAI YAWM PHUT LA
แหม ก้อ พิมพ์ไทยได้น่ ีนำ ทำไมถึงไม่ยอมพุดล่ะ - Jeez! You can type Thai! Why didn’t you say?

Can also be used to convey sarcasm or that you're joking

 MAE KHIT WA NANG SAO THAI
 แหม คิดว่ำนำงสำวไทย - Jeez, thought you were Miss Thailand!!!

14. MAN KHEEO (f) มันเขี้ยว

Expression/exclamation, roughly equivalent to "You're so cute, I could eat you!" You will often see Thai women
say this while cuddling a baby and giving him/her an affectionate little pinch on the cheek.
Often also used by Thai females to their boyfriends, when canoodling and cuddling. Can be used by both
males and females.

15. MAN (l) SAI (f) หมัน่ ไส้

Dictionaries invariably translate this as v. To be disgusted with but colloquially the most frequent use I see is as
an expression/exclamation meaning "Don't be cute!", "Tone it down a little!" or "That's a little over-the-top!"
This appears to be a case where the Thai language is richer than the English language since there doesn't seem
to be any simple direct translation of MAN SAI into English.
It's used when you think someone is over-acting, and can be used as a mild rebuke of someone acting too cute
or charming e.g. trying to crawl to the boss, kissing or being too romantic with your partner in public, using
too sweet expressions, wearing strange clothes, etc.
If SOMCHAI and OI were always kissing and holding hands in public, someone might remark to their friend:
 MAN SAI
หมัน่ ไส้ - That's a bit much. I wish they'd tone it down a little!
Or if someone is trying to suck up to somebody too much (like to the boss, or your mother-in-law, to win
Brownie points), people might gossip:
 OO-EE MAN SAI...MAN SAI JING JING
อุย๊ หมัน่ ไส้...หมัน่ ไส้จริ งๆ - Oh man you got to be kidding me, can you believe this guy? (reference7).

An example I saw in an internet chat room:

 Woman: KHOR DOO ROOP KHUN DAI MAI KHA
ขอดูรูปคุณได้ไหมคะ - Can I see your photo?
  Man: NEE KRAP
นี่ครับ - Here it is.
 Woman: MAN LEK GURN PAI
มันเล็กเกินไป - But it's so small...
 Man: ROOP LEK TAE JAI DEE
รู ปเล็กแต่ใจดี ;-) - Small photo, but big heart/kind-hearted! ;-)
 Woman: MAN SAI
หมัน่ ไส้ - Don't be cute!
 DI-CHAN MAN SAI THUR MAHK THEE THAM GARIYA DEE JAI GURN KHUAN MEUA KHAO
CHUAN THUR PAI GIN KHAO DUAY
ดิฉันหมัน่ ไส้เธอมำกที่ทำกิริยำดีใจเกินควร เมื่อเขำชวนเธอไปกินข้ำวด้วย - I thought her show of delight was so
over-the-top when he asked her out for a meal. (reference 12).

16. NGA!/NGA! (f) งะ/ง่ะ

An exclamation-slang word. Used mainly in chat rooms, comics etc. Can be used in speech too, but not so
common. Indicates surprise eg someone may say something surprising, and the listener may reply: ARAI NGA
อะไรง่ะ (or just NGA ง่ะ), meaning 'What???'.
 A : KHAO CHORP KHAE JA-MOOK
เขำชอบแคะจมู ก - He's always picking his nose.
B: NGA!!!!
ง่ะ - Ugh! What!!!/Ugh! Disgusting!!!

Although it can be used by any age group, NGA ง่ะ/งะ is mainly used by teenagers. Apparently it’s used as a
response to show you understand what’s been said to you but the answer’s not what you were expecting and
you’re momentarily not quite sure how to respond.
 A: KHUN AH-YOO THAO RAI KHRAP
คุณอำยุเท่ำไหรครับ - How old are you?
B: SAHM SIP KHA
สำมสิบค่ะ - 30.
A: NGA ง่ะ (A thought B was much younger since she only looks 20).
 A: WAN NEE KHUN YAHK THAHN ARAI PEN AHAHN YEN KHA
วันนี้คุณอยำกทำนอะไรเป็นอำหำรเย็นคะ - What would you like for dinner?
B: PHOM YAHK LAWNG THAHN NGOO PHAT GA-PHAO
ฉันอยำกลองทำนงูผดั กะเพรำ - I would like to eat stir fried snake with basil.
A: NGA ง่ะ
 also sometimes see it used in internet chat room quizzes. When the correct answer is finally announced, some
of the chatters say NGA ง่ะ in response to seeing the correct answer. NGA ง่ะ can also be spelt ง่ำ.
Sometimes NGA also appears to be used in a similar way to the English ‘UHM อืม’ - i.e. just used as a sound to
express uncertainty or fill a lull in a conversation.

17. OH (f) - HO โอ้โฮ

Wow!, what about that! Show's amazement/surprise. You will sometimes hear football pundits using this while
commentating on an exciting game.
Sometimes it's shortened to just HO (r) โห.
 OH-HO...SEK-SEE JING JING
โอ้โฮ...เซ็กซี่จริ ง ๆ - Wow! That's really sexy! (heard said by a Thai male watching a cute Thai girl
dancing in a club).
Note that in normal conversation the tones of OH-HO appear to be falling-rising ie as though it's spelt โอ้โห.

18. OO-EE! (h) อุย๊

Ouch!, oops!, Oh! (pain, mishap, tired, fed up, surprise). Mainly used by women.
 OO-EE...PHOOT ARAI AWK PAI
อุย๊ ...พูดอะไรออกไป - Oops! What have I just said?! (slip of the tongue).
 OO-EE...CHAN LEUM SEU AEP-PHUHN KHA
อุย๊ ! ฉันลืมซื้อแอปเปิ ลค่ะ - Oh! I forgot to buy some apples.
 OO-EE...YING KHIT YING SA-YAWNG
อุย๊ ...ยิ่งคิดยิ่งสยอง - Oh my! The more I think about it, the more frightening it becomes.

19. PA! (h) ป๊ะ

Huh! (when angry or annoyed).
 PA KHAE NEE ENG ROR
ป๊ ะ แค่น้ ีเองเหรอ - Huh! Is that all?

20. PAEW (l) แป่ ว

You're unlikely to find this word in a dictionary; it's a slang word used mainly by young people (up to 30 years
old, maybe) meaning to be disappointed, to be frustrated, to lose face, to be broken-faced.
It's often used when you make a mistake in front of other people eg a pupil, answering a teacher's question
incorrectly in front of the class, may be tempted to say PAEW แป่ ว. It's derived from the word PAEW (f) แป้ว,
meaning deflated, or to be flat (like a balloon).
  A: KHUN DOO LAW JANG
คุณดูหล่อจัง - You look very handsome.
B: KHORP KHUN KHRAP
ขอบคุณครับ - Thank you. (Smiling and accepting the compliment).
A: TAE KHUN DOO GAE PAI NOI NA
แต่คุณดูแก่ไปหน่อยนะ - But...you look a little old.
B: PAEW
แป่ ว !! (Right now you feel deflated, like a punctured balloon).

 A: PEN FAEN GAN DAI MAI

เป็นแฟนกันได้ไหม - Do you want to be my girlfriend?
B: KOR THOT…MEE FAEN LAEW
ขอโทษ...มีแฟนแล้ว - Sorry, I'm already going out with someone.
A: PAEW แป่ ว !!
(Above 2 examples - reference 9).
 PAEW… NA TAEK LA-EE-UT LUR-EE AH KRAP
แป่ ว!!!!หน้ำแตกละเอียดเลยอ่ะคัรบ - PAEW - I lost a lot of face there (was really embarrassed).

 POM TANG JAI PAI PHAK THEE-NAN KHRAP THO PAI SAWP THAHM GAWN KHAO GAW BORK
WA JAWNG MAI DAI HAI LAWNG PAI DOO EHNG LAEW GAN WA WAHNG REU PLAO…PAW
PHOM PAI THEUNG GAW REE PAI THEE NEE LUH-EE…TAE KHAO BAWK WA MAI RAP KON
THAI…PAEW…THAM HAI PHOM ROO-SEUK YAE MAHK LUH-EE
ผมตัง้ ใจจะไปพักที่น่นั นะครับ โทรไปสอบถำมก่อนเค้ำก็บอกว่ำจองไม่ได้ให้ลองไปดูเองแล้วกันว่ำว่ำงหรื อเปล่ำ พอผม
ไปถึงก็ร่ ีไปที่น่ ีเลย แต่เค้ำบอกว่ำไม่รับคนไทย แป่ ว! ทำให้ผมรู ส้ ึกแย่มำกเลย - I had intended to stay there. So I
phoned up and they said you can't book in advance, you have to turn up in person and see if
anything's free. But when I arrived there, they said we don't accept Thais. How frustrating! I felt really
awful.
 CHAN HA RAHN AROI THEE PHEE TOM KUR-EE GIN SOOT THAI…GOR HA JUR TAE RAN
PIT…GAW TAWNG GLAP PAI PEUNG RAHN DUHM TRONG KHAHM ROHNG RAEM
ฉันหำร้ำนอร่อยที่พ่ ตี มั้ เคยกินสุ ดท้ำยก็หำเจอแต่รำ้ นปิ ด แป่ ว...ก็ตอ้ งกลับไปพึ่งร้ำนเดิมตรงข้ำมโรงแรม - I was
looking for that delicious restaurant that TOM ate at last time. I found it but it was closed. How
frustrating! So I had to go back to the restaurant opposite my hotel.

21. TAI (h)/TAI (h) LAEW (h)/TAI (h) JING ต๊าย/ต๊ายแล้ว/ต๊ายจริง

Oh no!, what a mess!, good Lord! (shock, horror), oh my God!, I don't believe it!
Used mainly by females, where it has a high tone.
 22. THO (f) โท่
Oh my God! (short for the colloquial expression PHOOT THO พุดโท่). Archaic and rarely used in modern Thai.

23. UH-EE (h) เอ๊ย

Reference 4, p. 578:
Exclamation uttered on making a mistake, No! I mean…
Reference 3, p. 1064:
An exclamation expressing sudden surprise or sudden discovery, sometimes equivalent to the parenthetic(al) ‘I
mean’;
 PHOO-YING - UH-EE - SOO-PHARP SA-TREE - PHOO NEUNG DAI MA HA PHOM THEE THAM
NGAAN
ผูห้ ญิ ง - เอ๊ย - สุ ภาพสตรี - ผูห้ นึ่ งได้มาหาผมที่ ทางาน - A girl, I mean a lady, came to see me at work.

24. WAH (h) ว้า

Oh no!, Shit!, Damn! (reference 4). Can be used by both males and females.
 WAH...JA SAWP PRUNG NEE
ว้ำ! จะสอบพรุ ่งนี้ - Oh no! I've got exams tomorrow.
 WAH...PHRUNG NEE PURT TUHM LAEW ROR...PHUHNG PIT TUHM PAI YOK YOK EHNG
ว้ำ พรุ ่งนี้เปิ ดเทอมแล้วเหรอ...เพิ่งปิ ดเทอมไปหยกๆ เอง - Damn!...School starts tomorrow does it? We only
just closed for the holidays!

25. ว้าย WAI (h)

Eek!; Oh! (reference 4).
 WAI...PEN LAMOK
ว๊ำยยย เป้งลำโม๊ก - Eek!…It's obscene! (Note Thai slang spelling here of เป็น etc).

26. WEN-GAM! เวรกรรม

Dictionaries often translate this as retribution, fate etc but colloquially the most frequent use I see seems to be
as an exclamatory particle meaning Jesus!, God Almighty!, Damn!, How awful! etc. In speech, sometimes
abbreviated to just GAM กรรม or WEN เวร.
An example of when you might use it is when eg your car won't start you might bang the bonnet (hood) and in
frustration say GAM กรรม! In chat rooms sometimes abbreviated/spelt as GAM กำ, WEN เวร or WENG-GAM
เวงกำ.
 27. YAY (h) เย้
Exclamation used when feeling delighted. A bit like, Yes! or Yahoo!
 YAY...HAI PUAY LAEW...DEE JAI JANG
เย้ๆๆๆๆหำยป่ วยแล้วดีใจจัง - Yes! I’m feeling better now. I’m so happy!
 YAY WAN THEE 31 P.K. NEE KROP 22 PEE LAEW SI NA
เย้ วันที่ 31 พ.ค.นี้ครบ 22 ปีแล้วสินะ - Yahoo! I'll be 22 this May 31st.