FamilyAuntie in Thai
“Auntie” in Thai is ป้าbpâa; you'll also hear น้าnáa (mother's younger sibling) and อาaa (father's younger sibling).
auntie (an older woman; also 'you' or 'I') noun older than your parent
- bpâa falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
Call a woman about your parents' age ป้าbpâa instead of 'you'; she'll call herself ป้าbpâa too.
aunt or uncle on your mother's side, younger than your mother noun mother's younger sibling
- náa high
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
aunt or uncle on your father's side, younger than your father noun father's younger sibling
- aa mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
Taught in Unit 5 · Lesson 1: At the food stall of the free course.
Practise it freeHow to use it
In the family, ป้าbpâa is an aunt who is older than your mother or father. A younger aunt has another name: น้าnáa on your mother's side and อาaa on your father's side, and both words are used for younger uncles too.
Beyond the family, ป้าbpâa is the friendly way to address any woman about your parents' age, like a market vendor or a neighbour, and she'll often call herself ป้าbpâa when she talks to you. Someone a little younger than your parents can be น้าnáa.
Other spellings you'll see
There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters. We mark the tone of every syllable; online you'll also find:
- pa
- bpa
- paa
Read more
More family in Thai
All family
Learn this word in Unit 5, free
Unit 5 · Street food · At the food stall. Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.
Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones