Different in Thai

“Different” in Thai is ต่างกันdtàang-gan; you'll also hear คนละkon-lá (a different one).

ต่างกัน dtàang-gan

different (from each other) adjective

dtàang low
gan mid

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

คนละ kon-lá

different, separate (one each) adjective

kon mid
lá high

High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.

How to use it

Thai often says "not the same", ไม่เหมือนกันmâi mǔean-gan. ต่างกันdtàang-gan is "differ from each other", and the formal แตกต่างdtàek-dtàang appears in writing. "A different one" is คนละkon-lá before the counting word: คนละคนkon-lá kon, different people, คนละเรื่องkon-lá rûeang, a different matter. Our page on "same same but different" explains the Tinglish version.