Thai Swear Words: What You'll Hear

Yes, Thai has plenty of swear words, คำหยาบkam-yàap ("coarse words"), and you'll hear them in Thai rap, in dramas, at football matches and in street arguments. But swearing is much more taboo in Thai than in English: one strong word from a foreigner can end a friendship or start a fight. Learn to recognise these words, not to use them. This page is for learners aged 16 and over.

How Thai swearing works

Thai insults work differently from English ones:

• Animals. Calling someone an animal is the classic insult.
• Rude prefixes. ไอ้âi (for men) and อีii (for women) in front of a name or word make it insulting: ไอ้บ้าâi bâa is "you idiot".
• Family. Insults aimed at someone's parents, especially their mother, are among the worst things you can say. We won't print them.
• Rude pronouns. See กูguu and มึงmueng below.

The words you'll hear most

From 1 (mild) to 5 (never say it):

• บ้าbâa (1): crazy. บ้าจริงbâa jing is a mild "dammit".
• ซวยsuay (2): "damn, what bad luck"; ซวยแล้วsuay láew is "I'm in trouble now". Mind the tone: สวยsǔay with a rising tone means beautiful!
• โง่ngôo (2): stupid; rude when said about a person.
• ควายkwaai (3): water buffalo. Said about a person, it means a stupid oaf.
• แม่งmâeng (4): an all-purpose intensifier, close to the English f-word in feel. Very common in casual speech and songs, and very crude.
• สัตว์sàt (5): animal; ไอ้สัตว์âi sàt is a vicious insult.
• เหี้ยhîa (5): literally the water monitor lizard, and one of the strongest words in Thai. That's why polite Thais call the lizard ตัวเงินตัวทองdtua-ngoen-dtua-tawng, "the silver-and-gold creature", and so should you when you meet the big ones in Lumphini Park.

Gu and mueng: rude or friendly?

กูguu ("I") and มึงmueng ("you") are old Thai pronouns that are now rude in most situations: said to a stranger, they're a provocation. Between close friends, especially old school friends, they're normal and even warm. The relationship decides. As a learner, don't use them: a Thai friend who talks to you that way is showing closeness, not giving you permission.

Swearing in songs and dramas

Thai rap and rock use strong words freely, and drama fights are full of ไอ้âi, อีii, กูguu and มึงmueng. The song lessons explain the slang you'll hear without asking you to repeat the rude parts.

What to say instead

Thais use softer words when something goes wrong:

• โอ๊ยóoi: ouch, argh
• ตายแล้วdtaai láew: oh my god! (literally "dead already")
• แย่แล้วyâe láew: oh no!
• อุ๊ยúi: oops
• เซ็งseng: what a drag, I'm fed up
• หงุดหงิดngùt-ngìt: irritated, grumpy

And when you really are annoyed, stay calm, keep a polite ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ and say clearly what you need. In Thailand, a cool head wins more arguments than a strong word.