Father (formal) in Thai

“Father (formal)” in Thai is บิดาbì-daa.

บิดา bì-daa

father (formal: forms, documents) noun

bì low
daa mid

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

How to use it

บิดาbì-daa is the formal word for a father, used on forms, birth certificates and in the news. Together with มารดาmaan-daa, mother, it makes บิดามารดาbì-daa maan-daa, parents, in formal writing.

In speech everyone says พ่อpâw, or politely คุณพ่อkun pâw.

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:

bida
bi da
beeda

More formal words in Thai

All formal words

การ gaan Kaan (prefix)
-ing, -tion: turns a verb into a noun (the act of …)
ความ kwaam Kwaam (prefix)
-ness (turns a verb or adjective into a noun)
ผู้ pûu Phu (prefix)
person (who …): makes words for people, like -er
นัก nák Nak (prefix)
-er, -ist: someone who does it (as a job or a passion)
ซึ่ง sûeng Who, which (formal)
which, who (adds information; formal, written)
เมื่อ mûea When (formal)
when, once (formal)

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