Names for Family Members in Thai: A Beginner-Friendly Guide
Hi everyone! 👋
Welcome to this blog where we’re exploring Thai family member vocabulary a key part of learning Thai and understanding Thai culture.
Family terms in Thai go far beyond just “mom” and “dad.” Thai society is traditionally very hierarchical, and this shows up clearly in how people refer to their relatives. Age, gender, and seniority all influence the words used so you won’t find just one word for “uncle” or “aunt” like you might in English. Instead, there are different words based on whether someone is older or younger, on your mother’s or father’s side, and more.
Even though modern Thai families might not follow every traditional rule, the vocabulary for Thai family members still reflects these cultural values like respect for age, male lineage, and social roles.
Ready to dive into some fascinating and useful words? Let’s get started! 🧡
Practice Thai with this Online Game:
| in Thai | in English | S |
|---|---|---|
| พ่อ (phâw) | Father (casual) | |
| คุณพ่อ (khun phâw) | Father (polite) | |
| แม่ (mâe) | Mother (casual) | |
| คุณแม่ (khun mâe) | Mother (polite) | |
| พี่ชาย (phîi-chaai) | Older brother (neutral/polite) | |
| พี่สาว (phîi-sǎao) | Older sister (neutral/polite) | |
| น้องชาย (nóng-chaai) | Younger brother (neutral/polite) | |
| น้องสาว (nóng-sǎao) | Younger sister (neutral/polite) | |
| ลูกชาย (lûuk-chaai) | Son (casual) | |
| บุตรชาย (bùt-chaai) | Son (formal/polite) | |
| ลูกสาว (lûuk-sǎao) | Daughter (casual) | |
| บุตรสาว (bùt-sǎao) | Daughter (formal/polite) | |
| ผัว (phŭa) | Husband (casual/informal) | |
| สามี (săa-mii) | Husband (polite/formal) | |
| เมีย (mia) | Wife (casual/informal) | |
| ภรรยา (pan-rá-yaa) | Wife (polite/formal) | |
| ปู่ (bpùu) | Grandpa (dad’s side, casual) | |
| คุณปู่ (khun bpùu) | Grandpa (dad’s side, polite) | |
| ย่า (yâa) | Grandma (dad’s side, casual) | |
| คุณย่า (khun yâa) | Grandma (dad’s side, polite) | |
| ตา (dtaa) | Grandpa (mom’s side, casual) | |
| คุณตา (khun dtaa) | Grandpa (mom’s side, polite) | |
| ยาย (yaai) | Grandma (mom’s side, casual) | |
| คุณยาย (khun yaai) | Grandma (mom’s side, polite) | |
| ลุง (lung) | Uncle (dad’s older brother, casual/polite) | |
| ป้า (bpâa) | Aunt (dad’s older sister, casual/polite) | |
| น้า (náa) | Aunt/Uncle (mom’s younger sibling, casual/polite) | |
| อา (aa) | Aunt/Uncle (dad’s younger sibling, casual/polite) | |
| ลูกพี่ลูกน้อง (lûuk-phîi-lûuk-nông) | Cousin (neutral/polite) |
What Are the Basic Family Terms in Thai and How Do You Use Them in Daily Life?
In Thai, family vocab is pretty straightforward but changes based on formality and age. These are the go-to words you’ll hear most often:
- Father: พ่อ (phôr)
- Mother: แม่ (mǽ)
- Older Brother: พี่ชาย (phî-chai)
- Younger Sister: น้องสาว (nòng-sʰ̄ao)
| 👪 English | 🇹🇭 Thai (Romanized) | Thai Script |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Phôo / Pâa | พ่อ |
| Mother | Mâe | แม่ |
| Older brother | Phîi chái | พี่ชาย |
| Older sister | Phîi sǎao | พี่สาว |
| Younger brother | Nɔ́ɔng chái | น้องชาย |
| Younger sister | Nɔ́ɔng sǎao | น้องสาว |
| Son | Lûuk chái | ลูกชาย |
| Daughter | Lûuk sǎao | ลูกสาว |
| Grandfather (paternal) | Pùu | ปู่ |
| Grandmother (paternal) | Yâa | ย่า |
| Grandfather (maternal) | Ta | ตา |
| Grandmother (maternal) | Yâi | ยาย |
👉 Quick Tip: In Thai, Phîi (พี่) means “older” and Nɔ́ɔng (น้อง) means “younger.” So even siblings aren’t just called “brother” or “sister” you always mark age too!
Example sentence: แม่รักข้าวพี่ชายเป็นคนดี (Mǽ rák khâo phî-chai pen khon-dî) = Mom loves his older brother, he’s a good guy.
When and Why Should You Learn Extended Family and Relative Terms in Thai?
If you want to connect more deeply with Thai culture or make friends and meet their families, you’ll need these terms. Thai people value family a lot, and showing respect starts with using the right words:
- Grandfather (father’s side): ป่อ (bpòr)
- Grandmother (mother’s side): ย่า (yâa)
- Uncle (younger brother of parent): ลุง (lûng)
- Aunt (older sister of parent): ป้า (bpâa)
Here’s why it’s worth learning the extended family vocab in Thai:
🔹 1. Thai culture is super family-centered.
People often live in multi-generational homes, visit extended relatives regularly, and refer to family members a lot in daily conversation.
🔹 2. There’s no one-size-fits-all for “uncle” or “aunt.”
In Thai, you don’t just say “uncle.” You say something like lûung (ลุง) or náa (น้า) depending on whose side of the family they’re on and whether they’re older or younger than your parent.
🔹 3. It shows respect and helps build real relationships.
Calling someone by the right title shows you understand Thai social structure, which goes a long way in earning respect or making Thai people feel understood.
🔹 4. It’s useful in work, friendships, and travel.
Whether you’re talking to your Thai friend’s family, chatting with locals, or watching Thai dramas (👀), knowing the right word for “cousin” or “mother-in-law” makes things click faster.
Example: หลาน้องไปบ้าบ้ามาออม (hlâa nòng bpai bpâa bâan mâo om) = My little sister went to Auntie Mao’s house to sleep over.
When to start learning them?
Once you’re comfy with basic family vocab and beginner sentence structure, it’s a good time to dive into extended terms. Not all at once just layer it in as you go. Tools like LangLandia or flashcards can help you make it a game instead of a memorization chore.
Where Do Terms for In-Laws Show Up and How Do You Respectfully Use Them?
If you’re learning Thai and planning to date, marry, or even just talk with someone’s family… get ready: Thai has a lot of specific terms for in-laws. But don’t stress they’re actually super useful once you get the hang of them!
📍 Where Do These Terms Show Up?
- Family introductions (when meeting your partner’s parents)
- Everyday conversations (Thai people often talk about their family by role, not name)
- Social media captions (people will say things like “Went to lunch with khâa-sǎai phûu-yǐng – my sister-in-law”)
- In TV dramas or real life where respect and roles matter a lot
👂 Examples of In-Law Terms:
| English | Thai (Romanized) | Thai Script |
|---|---|---|
| Father-in-law | Phôo sǎm-ráy | พ่อตา / พ่อสามี |
| Mother-in-law | Mâe sǎm-ráy | แม่ยาย / แม่สามี |
| Brother-in-law | Phîi chái khâa-sǎai or Nɔ́ɔng chái khâa-sǎai | พี่ชาย/น้องชายของคู่สมรส |
| Sister-in-law | Phîi sǎao khâa-sǎai or Nɔ́ɔng sǎao khâa-sǎai | พี่สาว/น้องสาวของคู่สมรส |
Example: แม่ยายทำอาหาร่วงสุดแล้ว (mǽ yâai tham ā-hāan râo sùt-lǽo) = My mother-in-law already made dinner.
Note: There are two forms depending on whether the relative is on your partner’s side (like แม่ยาย = your wife’s mom) or your own side (like แม่สามี = your husband’s mom). Thai makes those distinctions!
🙏 How to Use Them Respectfully
- Always include the appropriate prefix (like khun, คุณ) and polite particle (khráp for males, khâ for females) when speaking to or about in-laws.
- Avoid first names unless you’re invited to use them titles are a sign of respect, especially with elders.
- If you’re unsure, ask your partner or just use khun + role (e.g., khun mâe, คุณแม่) until you’re more confident.
Langlandia’s Classroom Mode lets you practice polite speech vs informal speech in mock dialogues with family roles super helpful!
Who Uses Romantic and Marital Relationship Terms in Thai and How Are They Different?
Romantic terms in Thai are both sweet and very structured. Whether you’re talking about your partner to friends or family, context matters:
These are more casual, sweet, and used in dating or newer relationships:
| English | Thai (Romanized) | Thai Script | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyfriend | faen | แฟน | Literally “fan,” used for both bf/gf |
| Girlfriend | faen | แฟน | Yep, same word! Gender-neutral |
| Darling / Babe | tîi-rák | ที่รัก | Means “my love,” often used in texts |
| Sweetheart | dèk rák | เด็กรัก | Kind of a cute/slangy way to say “cutie” |
Example: แฟนเพิ่งชนะรักกัน (fæn pêeng chán rák kan) = My boyfriend and I love each other.
💡 Tip: Thai people don’t always say “I love you” like in English. They might just say “miss you” (kít tǔng) or use tone and actions instead. Super romantic in a subtle way.
These words are more for married couples or when talking about your husband/wife respectfully:
| English | Thai (Romanized) | Thai Script | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Husband | สามี (sǎa-mii) | สามี | Formal or legal term |
| Wife | ภรรยา (phan-rá-yaa) | ภรรยา | Formal/legal too |
| Hubby (casual) | phûu-sâa | ผู้ชาย (as “the man”) | Spoken casually |
| Wifey (casual) | mêe-sâa | เมีย (but be careful – tone matters!) | Can sound rude if said wrong |
🙋♀️ Who Uses What, and When?
- Young couples: Use faen, tîi-rák, or even cute nicknames like หมูอ้วน (“fat pig” 😆… yes, it’s oddly cute in Thai).
- Older or formal speech: You’ll hear sǎa-mii and phan-rá-yaa, especially in the news, workplace, or when introducing a spouse to elders.
- Everyday Thai couples: Often use nicknames, or just khun + first name. Super polite and safe for any context.
How Are Children and Descendants Referred to in Thai and Why Does It Matter?
If you’re talking about kids or even your own lineage, Thai has sweet and respectful terms:
👶 How Are Children and Descendants Referred to in Thai?
In Thai, there’s more than just one way to say “child.” It all depends on the relationship, formality, and sometimes gender.
Here are the basics:
| English | Thai (Romanized) | Thai Script | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child / Son or Daughter | lûuk | ลูก | General term for “child” |
| Son | lûuk chái | ลูกชาย | Literally “child-male” |
| Daughter | lûuk sǎao | ลูกสาว | Literally “child-female” |
| Grandchild | lûuk lǎan | หลาน | Can also mean niece/nephew depending on context |
| Descendants | lûuk lǎan lǎan | ลูกหลาน | Often used to talk about “future generations” |
Example: ลูกชายเล่นสมาร์ท (lûuk-chai lên sà-môrn) = My son is playing smartly.
Why Does It Matter?
💡 1. Respect & Family Hierarchy
In Thai culture, age and relationship status really influence how people talk about each other. Using the right word—especially when referring to someone else’s children shows respect and cultural understanding.
💡 2. Context in Conversation
Words like lûuk pop up everywhere people use it when introducing their kids, talking about their upbringing, or even making jokes (like, lûuk mâi phâi! = “my kid’s not spoiled!” 😆).
💡 3. Thai as a High-Context Language
Sometimes, people won’t say “my daughter,” they’ll just say lûuk sǎao with no name assuming the listener understands who they mean. Knowing the structure helps you keep up.
💡 4. Useful in Real-Life Scenarios
Whether you’re meeting your Thai friend’s family, watching Thai TV shows, or working with Thai clients, you’ll hear these terms often. They’re part of the social fabric.
How Can You Learn Thai Family Names Quickly Without Getting Confused?
Langlandia gives you:
- PvP Battles to challenge friends and learn faster
- Langlympics for fun team-based vocabulary events
- Clan Wars for long-term strategy-based reviews
- Classroom Mode for formal vs informal family dialogue training
