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Formal words

Know (polite) in Thai

The polite way to say “know” in Thai is ทราบsâap, what staff and officials say; with friends it's รู้rúu.

ทราบ sâap

to know (polite, formal) verb

  • sâap falling
  • Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”

How to use it

ทราบsâap is the polite and formal "know": staff, officials and well-mannered people use it with customers, elders and bosses. ไม่ทราบว่าmâi sâap wâa, "I don't know whether …", is a gentle way to start a question to a stranger. แจ้งให้ทราบjâeng hâi sâap, to let someone know, is on every notice, and ทราบแล้วsâap láew means "noted".

With friends, "know" is รู้rúu. The spelling has the letters for t and r, but the word is said with an s.

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:

  • sap
  • sarp
  • sab

Read more

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