Personal Pronouns — Thai Grammar

Thai pronouns differ from English in two ways: the speaker's gender often determines the form, and the pronoun chosen reflects the social relationship between speakers. Pronouns are also frequently dropped when context makes them clear.

First Person (I, Me)

The word for "I" changes based on the gender of the speaker.

For Male Speakers

The standard, polite word for "I" is (pǒmphǒmphǒm). It is safe to use in almost any situation, from talking to friends to speaking with a boss.

ผมเป็นครู
pǒm bpen kruuphǒm pen khruphǒm pen khru
I am a teacher.
ผมชอบสีแดง
pǒm chɔ̂ɔp sǐi dɛɛngphǒm chôp sǐ daengphǒm čô̦p sǐ de̩ng
I like the color red.

For Female Speakers

The standard word for "I" is (chǎnchǎnčǎn). While often taught as the female equivalent of (pǒmphǒmphǒm), it is slightly less formal. In very formal settings, women might use their own name instead.

ฉันหิวข้าว
chǎn hǐu kâaochǎn hǐu khâočǎn hǐu khâo
I am hungry.
ฉันจะไปทำงาน
chǎn jà bpai tam·ngaanchǎn chà pai tham·ngančǎn čà pai tham·ngan
I will go to work.

Using Names as "I"

It is extremely common, especially for women and children, to refer to themselves by their nickname instead of using a pronoun like (chǎnchǎnčǎn). This sounds softer and friendlier.

แอนนามีความสุข
ɛɛn·naa mii kwaam·sùkaen·na mi kwam·sùke̩n·na mi kwam·sùk
I (Anna) am happy.

Second Person (You)

The Polite Standard — คุณ

The most common polite word for "you" is (kunkhunkhun). It is gender-neutral and can be used with strangers, colleagues, or superiors.

คุณชื่ออะไร
kun chʉ̂ʉ à·raikhun chûe à·raikhun čư̂ à·rai
What is your name?
คุณมาจากไหน
kun maa jàak nǎikhun ma chàk nǎikhun ma čàk nǎi
Where do you come from?

The Familiar — เธอ

With friends, partners, or in affectionate or familiar contexts, (təəthoethơ) is often used for "you." It feels closer than (kunkhunkhun) and is especially common when speaking to women, though it is not strictly female-only. The same word also serves as the third-person "she."

เธอจะไปไหม
təə jà bpai mǎithoe chà pai mǎithơ čà pai mǎi
Will you go?
เธอชอบอะไร
təə chɔ̂ɔp à·raithoe chôp à·raithơ čô̦p à·rai
What do you like?

Using Names as "You"

Thai speakers often avoid using "you" directly with people they know. Instead, they use the listener's name or title (like "Teacher" or "Doctor"). This is considered more personal and polite than repeating (kunkhunkhun).

แอนนาจะไปไหม
ɛɛn·naa jà bpai mǎiaen·na chà pai mǎie̩n·na čà pai mǎi
Will Anna go? (i.e., will you, Anna?)

Third Person (He, She)

"He" — เขา

(kǎokhǎokhǎo) refers to a male third person.

เขาเป็นหมอ
kǎo bpen mɔ̌ɔkhǎo pen mǒkhǎo pen mǒ̦
He is a doctor.
เขาอยู่ที่บ้าน
kǎo yùu tîi bâankhǎo yù thî bânkhǎo yù thî bân
He is at home.

"She" — เธอ

(təəthoethơ) is the pronoun for "she."

เธอเป็นครู
təə bpen kruuthoe pen khruthơ pen khru
She is a teacher.
เธอกินข้าวแล้ว
təə gin kâao lɛ́ɛothoe kin khâo láeothơ kin khâo lé̩o
She has eaten.

Plural Forms (We, They)

We

The word for "we" is (rao). In casual speech, some speakers also use (rao) to mean "I," but its primary meaning is plural.

เราจะกินข้าว
rao jà gin kâaorao chà kin khâorao čà kin khâo
We will eat.

Making Pronouns Plural

You can add the prefix (pûakphûakphûak) before a pronoun to mark a group.

(pûak·raophûak·raophûak·rao) - we / us all
(pûak·kǎophûak·khǎophûak·khǎo) - they / them
(pûak·kunphûak·khunphûak·khun) - you all

พวกเขาเป็นเพื่อนกัน
pûak·kǎo bpen pʉ̂an ganphûak·khǎo pen phûean kanphûak·khǎo pen phư̂an kan
They are friends.

Omitting Pronouns

In Thai, when both speakers know who is being talked about, pronouns are frequently dropped completely. This is very common in daily conversation.

หิวไหม
hǐu mǎi
(Are you) hungry?
ไม่หิว
mâi hǐu
(I am) not hungry.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Thai course

351 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Personal Pronouns” is about in bold:

นี่เพื่อนของผม แอนนา เธอเป็นนักเรียน
nîi pʉ̂an kɔ̌ɔng pǒm · ɛɛn·naa · təə bpen nák·riannî phûean khǒng phǒm · aen·na · thoe pen nák·riannî phư̂an khǒ̦ng phǒm · e̩n·na · thơ pen nák·rian
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
เขาก็กำลังหลับอยู่ เธอไม่ได้หลับ
kǎo gɔ̂ɔ gam·lang làp yùu · təə mâi·dâi làpkhǎo kô kam·lang làp yù · thoe mâi·dâi làpkhǎo kô̦ kam·lang làp yù · thơ mâi·dâi làp
He is also sleeping. She isn't.
Lesson 16
ผมรักพวกเขาและพวกเขาก็รักผม
pǒm rák pûak kǎo lɛ́ pûak kǎo gɔ̂ɔ rák pǒmphǒm rák phûak khǎo láe phûak khǎo kô rák phǒmphǒm rák phûak khǎo lé̩ phûak khǎo kô̦ rák phǒm
I love them and they love me.
Lesson 32

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