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Verbs

Break in Thai

“Break” in Thai is แตกdtàek; you'll also hear พังpang (break down, wreck) and หักhàk (snap (a bone)).

แตก dtàek

to break, to shatter, to crack (glass, a screen) verb

  • dtàek low
  • Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
พัง pang

to break down, to be wrecked; broken verb break down, wreck

  • pang mid
  • Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
หัก hàk

to break, to snap (a bone, a stick) verb

  • hàk low
  • Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.

How to use it

Thai breaks things by how they break. Glass, plates and phone screens แตกdtàek, shatter. Machines and plans พังpang, fall apart, and something that has simply stopped working is เสียsǐa. Bones and sticks หักhàk, snap. Breaking something yourself puts ทำtam in front: ทำแก้วแตกtam gâew dtàek, I broke a glass.

อกหักòk-hàk, a "broken chest", is a broken heart.

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:

  • taek
  • phang

More verbs in Thai

All verbs
  • เป็น bpen Be

    to be (a nationality, a job, a role)

  • มี mii Have

    to have

  • ไป bpai Go

    to go

  • มา maa Come

    to come

  • กิน gin Eat

    to eat

  • ดื่ม dùuem Drink

    to drink

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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones