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Small words

แหละ (lae) in Thai: what it means and how to use it

แหละlàe adds emphasis: “that's it”, “exactly this one”.

แหละ làe

emphasis particle: just, exactly (that's it) particle

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

How to use it

แหละlàe puts weight on the word before it: "this one and no other". นั่นแหละnân làe is "that's it, exactly"; นี่แหละnîi làe, "this is the one". After ก็gâw it concedes a point: ก็ดีแหละgâw dii làe, it's fine, I suppose. Mind the tone: low แหละlàe is a particle, high และláe means "and".

Don't mix it up

  • และláe

    and (written and formal Thai)

    High tone: the written word for "and".

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:

  • leh
  • laeh

More small words in Thai

All small words
  • ผม pǒm I

    I, me (male speaker)

  • คุณ kun You
  • เขา kǎo He, she
  • เรา rao We

    we, us

  • พวกเขา pûak-kǎo They

    they, them

  • ทุกคน túk kon Everyone

    everyone, everybody

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