VerbsBe in Thai
“Be” in Thai is เป็นbpen; you'll also hear คือkuue (is, means (explaining)) and อยู่yùu (be somewhere).
to be (a nationality, a job, a role) verb who or what someone is
- bpen mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
Only for what someone is, never before adjectives: 'I'm fine' is just สบายดีsà-baai dii.
is, means (identifying or defining) verb is, means (explaining)
- kuue mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
คือkuue identifies or explains what something is; for jobs and nationalities use เป็นbpen.
to be (somewhere); to live, to stay verb
- yùu low
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
Only for where things are or where you live, never for 'is' + an adjective: ร้อนráwn alone already means 'it's hot'.
Taught in Unit 2 · Lesson 2: Where are you from? of the free course.
Practise it freeHow to use it
English "be" is three Thai words, and before an adjective there's none at all: ร้อนráwn alone means "it's hot", and เขาใจดีkǎo jai-dii is "she's kind".
เป็นbpen says what someone is: a nationality, a job, a role (เป็นคนไทยbpen kon tai, is Thai). คือkuue identifies or explains (นี่คืออะไรnîi kuue à-rai, what is this?). อยู่yùu says where something is (อยู่ที่ไหนyùu tîi-nǎi, where is it?).
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:
- khue
- kue
- yu
- yoo
More verbs in Thai
All verbs
Learn this word in Unit 2, free
Unit 2 · Nice to meet you · Where are you from? 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