Learn Thai with Flashcards / Cultural Nuance & Unspoken Meaning
1 / 20
เ

Thai Vocabulary: Cultural Nuance & Unspoken Meaning

Understand Thai social expectations, indirectness, hierarchy, and context beyond the words

เกรงใจมาก
greng-jai mâak
mid tone — syllable 1 of 3mid tone — syllable 2 of 3falling tone — syllable 3 of 3mid-mid-falling
feel very reluctant to impose
ไม่กล้าพูด
mâi glâa phûut
falling tone — syllable 1 of 3falling tone — syllable 2 of 3falling tone — syllable 3 of 3falling-falling-falling
don't dare to say it
ไม่กล้าขอ
mâi glâa khɔ̌ɔ
falling tone — syllable 1 of 3falling tone — syllable 2 of 3rising tone — syllable 3 of 3falling-falling-rising
don't dare to ask
พูดตามตรง
phûut dtaam-dtrong
falling tone — syllable 1 of 3mid tone — syllable 2 of 3mid tone — syllable 3 of 3falling-mid-mid
honestly / frankly
พูดตามสบาย
phûut dtaam sà-baai
falling tone — syllable 1 of 4mid tone — syllable 2 of 4low tone — syllable 3 of 4mid tone — syllable 4 of 4falling-mid-low-mid
speak freely
แล้วแต่สถานการณ์
láew-dtɛ̀ɛ sà-thǎan-gaan
high tone — syllable 1 of 5low tone — syllable 2 of 5low tone — syllable 3 of 5rising tone — syllable 4 of 5mid tone — syllable 5 of 5high-low-low-rising-mid
it depends on the situation
แล้วแต่คน
láew-dtɛ̀ɛ khon
high tone — syllable 1 of 3low tone — syllable 2 of 3mid tone — syllable 3 of 3high-low-mid
depends on the person
ตามมารยาท
dtaam maa-rá-yâat
mid tone — syllable 1 of 4mid tone — syllable 2 of 4high tone — syllable 3 of 4falling tone — syllable 4 of 4mid-mid-high-falling
according to etiquette
ถือว่า
thʉ̌ʉ wâa
rising tone — syllable 1 of 2falling tone — syllable 2 of 2rising-falling
consider it as / regard as
ไม่ถือสา
mâi thʉ̌ʉ-sǎa
falling tone — syllable 1 of 3rising tone — syllable 2 of 3rising tone — syllable 3 of 3falling-rising-rising
don't take offense
ไม่ต้องคิดมาก
mâi dtɔ̂ng khít mâak
falling tone — syllable 1 of 4falling tone — syllable 2 of 4high tone — syllable 3 of 4falling tone — syllable 4 of 4falling-falling-high-falling
don't overthink it
อย่าคิดมาก
yàa khít mâak
low tone — syllable 1 of 3high tone — syllable 2 of 3falling tone — syllable 3 of 3low-high-falling
don't worry about it / don't overthink
อย่าถือสา
yàa thʉ̌ʉ-sǎa
low tone — syllable 1 of 3rising tone — syllable 2 of 3rising tone — syllable 3 of 3low-rising-rising
don't take offense
เข้าใจว่า
khâo-jai wâa
falling tone — syllable 1 of 3mid tone — syllable 2 of 3falling tone — syllable 3 of 3falling-mid-falling
I understand that / I assume that
คงไม่ได้ตั้งใจ
khong mâi dâi dtâng-jai
mid tone — syllable 1 of 5falling tone — syllable 2 of 5falling tone — syllable 3 of 5falling tone — syllable 4 of 5mid tone — syllable 5 of 5mid-falling-falling-falling-mid
probably didn't mean to
ไม่ได้มีเจตนา
mâi dâi mii jèet-dtaa-naa
falling tone — syllable 1 of 6falling tone — syllable 2 of 6mid tone — syllable 3 of 6low tone — syllable 4 of 6mid tone — syllable 5 of 6mid tone — syllable 6 of 6falling-falling-mid-low-mid-mid
didn't intend to
อย่าถือว่า
yàa thʉ̌ʉ wâa
low tone — syllable 1 of 3rising tone — syllable 2 of 3falling tone — syllable 3 of 3low-rising-falling
don't take it as / don't regard it as
ตามน้ำ
dtaam-náam
mid tone — syllable 1 of 2high tone — syllable 2 of 2mid-high
go along with the situation
เอาตามนั้น
ao dtaam-nán
mid tone — syllable 1 of 3mid tone — syllable 2 of 3high tone — syllable 3 of 3mid-mid-high
go with that / do as agreed
แล้วค่อยว่ากัน
láew khɔ̂i wâa gan
high tone — syllable 1 of 4falling tone — syllable 2 of 4falling tone — syllable 3 of 4mid tone — syllable 4 of 4high-falling-falling-mid
we'll deal with it later

Vocabulary (20 words)

เกรงใจมาก greng-jai mâak
feel very reluctant to impose
ไม่กล้าพูด mâi glâa phûut
don't dare to say it
ไม่กล้าขอ mâi glâa khɔ̌ɔ
don't dare to ask
พูดตามตรง phûut dtaam-dtrong
honestly / frankly
พูดตามสบาย phûut dtaam sà-baai
speak freely
แล้วแต่สถานการณ์ láew-dtɛ̀ɛ sà-thǎan-gaan
it depends on the situation
แล้วแต่คน láew-dtɛ̀ɛ khon
depends on the person
ตามมารยาท dtaam maa-rá-yâat
according to etiquette
ถือว่า thʉ̌ʉ wâa
consider it as / regard as
ไม่ถือสา mâi thʉ̌ʉ-sǎa
don't take offense
ไม่ต้องคิดมาก mâi dtɔ̂ng khít mâak
don't overthink it
อย่าคิดมาก yàa khít mâak
don't worry about it / don't overthink
อย่าถือสา yàa thʉ̌ʉ-sǎa
don't take offense
เข้าใจว่า khâo-jai wâa
I understand that / I assume that
คงไม่ได้ตั้งใจ khong mâi dâi dtâng-jai
probably didn't mean to
ไม่ได้มีเจตนา mâi dâi mii jèet-dtaa-naa
didn't intend to
อย่าถือว่า yàa thʉ̌ʉ wâa
don't take it as / don't regard it as
ตามน้ำ dtaam-náam
go along with the situation
เอาตามนั้น ao dtaam-nán
go with that / do as agreed
แล้วค่อยว่ากัน láew khɔ̂i wâa gan
we'll deal with it later