Learn Thai Slang Words & Idioms
Are you a Thai language student looking for the latest Thai idioms and slang? A tourist looking for a Thai language book that’s not filled with the same old stuff? An English teacher struggling to understand your Thai students? An expat professional wanting to communicate with Thailand’s young generation? If the answer is yes, then the Thailand Book of Slang flip book below will help you.
More than just giving you new vocabulary, this book of Thai slang words and idioms provides hundreds of sample sentences to advance your skills in listening, talking, and reading the colloquial language of Thailand. It also will help intermediate Thai language students struggling to master the tricky usage of Thai particles. Lastly, for those foreigners who are studying Thai, but whose native language is not English, you’ll probably pick up a bunch of new English phrases to boot!
This book of Thai slang words is organized to make it easy for you to navigate. The Thai idioms and slang are arranged alphabetically by their transliteration (phonetic spelling). Each entry is followed by an English definition and two English words or phrases that match the Thai. This vocabulary is used in the comic and in the sample sentence below the definition. The Thai translation of the English sample sentence is followed by its transliteration and by a literal word-for-word translation, so that students can better understand the vocabulary used and how the sentence is organized. At the bottom of each page is a transliteration of the Thai slang used in the comic, followed again by its literal translation. Lastly, there is an English word index in the back of the book, which can help you locate matching Thai entries.
Remember that the words and phrases listed in this book are mostly Thai slang words and idioms. While not vulgar, many of the entries are not what many adult Thais would call “polite” speech. The comics and sample sentences are the way teens and young adults talk when among friends. It is not recommended that you use this language when talking to people older than you, or in a professional setting. As a guide, we have rated the Thai vocabulary as (G) for general inoffensive words, (PG) for slightly stronger language, and (R) for words which should not be used except when with close friends. The English words and phrases are likewise rated.
5 Thai Slang Word Example Entries
áep-báo (แอ๊บแบ๊ว) (G) – adj. – Thai Slang
- To look very cute (as often seen in a photo).
- ทำหน้าเด็ก หรือ ทำท่าน่ารัก
- sooo cute, cutey-pie
- You are sooo cute in this picture!
- รูป นี้ เธอ แอ๊บแบ๊ว สุดๆ เลย นะ
- Rôop nêe thuh áep-báo sùt sùt leuy ná.
- Picture this, you so-cute most most (p) (p).
bâh-rá-hàm (บ้าระห่ำ) (PG) – adj. – Thai Slang
- To be crazy or foolhardy.
- กล้าได้กล้าเสีย, มุทะลุ
- mental case, bonkers
- John is a total mental case. You shouldn’t have anything to do with him.
- จอห์น เป็น คน บ้าระห่ำ อย่า ไป ยุ่ง กับ มัน ดีกว่า
- Jawn bpen khon bâh-rá-hàm. Yàh bpai yûng gàp man dee-gwàh.
- John is person crazy. Don’t go involved with him better.
bay bay (เบๆ) (G) – adj. – Thai Slang
- From the English word baby. Very easy to do.
- ง่าย
- cush, no brainer
- You should study with that new teacher. His class is way cush.
- เรียน กับ อาจารย์ ใหม่ คน นั้น สิ เบๆ เลย
- Rian gàp ahjahn mài khon nán sì. Bay bay leuy.
- Learn with teacher new person that (p). Very easy (p).
bpíng (ปิ๊ง) (G) – v. – Thai Slang
- To be attracted to someone.
- ถูกใจ, สนใจในเพศตรงข้าม
- hot for, into
- She is nice and all, but I’m just not into her.
- เธอ ดู ดี ไปหมด แต่ ผม ก็ แค่ ไม่ ปิ๊ง เธอ
- Thuh doo dee bpai-mòt, dtàe phŏm gâw khâe mâi bpíng thuh.
- She look good completely, but I well just not attracted-to her.
dèk-naeo (เด็กแนว) (G) – n.- Thai Slang
- A teen that acts or dresses uniquely, not by society’s rules.
- กลุ่มของวัยรุ่นที่แต่งตัวเป็นเอกลักษณ์ ไม่ยึดติดกับกฎทางสังคม
- bold, bad ass
- You are a bold dude aren’t you? You don’t care what anybody thinks.
- นาย เป็น พวก เด็กแนว ใช่ ป่ะ ไม่ เคย ต้อง สน ว่า ใคร จะ คิด ยังไง
- Nai bpen phûak dèk-naeo châi bpà? Mâi kheuy dtâwng sŏn wâh khrai jà khít yang-ngai.
- You are group bold, yes (p)? Not ever must interested that anybody will think how.
Thailand Book of Slang Words & Idioms
Special thanks to LivingHour.org for allowing us to republish this book online. To purchase a paperback version of this book in Thailand, please visit Book of Thai Slang. To download the free ebook, please click on Learn Thai Slang.
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