PeopleBurmese in Thai
“Burmese” in Thai is พม่าpá-mâa; you'll also hear เมียนมาmian-maa (official).
Myanmar, Burma; Burmese noun everyday
- pá high
- mâa falling
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
Myanmar (official) name
- mian mid
- maa mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
How to use it
Most Thais say พม่าpá-mâa for the country, its people and its language; official Thai now uses เมียนมาmian-maa, Myanmar, in the news and in documents. Several million people from Myanmar live and work in Thailand, so you'll hear Burmese in markets, on building sites and in border towns like Mae Sot.
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:
- phama
- pama
- pa ma
- phamaa
More people in Thai
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones