Lead (go first, guide) in Thai

“Lead (go first, guide)” in Thai is นำnam.

นำ nam

to lead; to bring, to take (formal) verb

nam mid

Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.

How to use it

นำnam means "to lead": ผู้นำpûu-nam is a leader and นำทางnam taang is to lead the way. In formal Thai it's also "to bring, to take", which is why signs say ห้ามนำอาหารเข้ามาhâam nam aa-hǎan kâo maa, don't bring food in.

In conversation Thais say เอามาao maa (bring) and เอาไปao bpai (take), or พาpaa for taking a person somewhere. The same นำnam hides in แนะนำnáe-nam, to recommend.

Don't mix it up

น้ำnáam

water; drink, juice

High tone and a long vowel: water.

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:

num
nahm

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)
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)
จึง jueng Therefore
so, therefore (before the verb of the result)

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