Need in Thai

“Need” in Thai is ต้องการdtâwng-gaan; you'll also hear ต้องdtâwng (need to (do)).

ต้องการ dtâwng-gaan

to need, to want (a thing) verb

dtâwng falling
gaan mid

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

ต้อง dtâwng

must, have to, need to verb need to (do)

dtâwng falling

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

It goes before the verb; you already know it from ต้องไปแล้วdtâwng bpai láew (I have to go) and ไม่ต้องmâi dtâwng (no need).

ต้องdtâwng is taught in Unit 16 · Lesson 2: Medicine and the doctor of the free course.

Practise it free

How to use it

For a thing, ต้องการdtâwng-gaan is polite and a little formal: it's the word of shops, hotels and forms. Among friends, Thais say อยากได้yàak dâi, "want to get", or just ask with ขอkǎw, may I have. "Do I need…?" is often ต้องใช้dtâwng chái, "must use": ต้องใช้พาสปอร์ตไหมdtâwng chái páat-sà-bpàwt mǎi, do I need my passport?

Before a verb, "need to" is ต้องdtâwng: ต้องไปแล้วdtâwng bpai láew, I need to go. "Don't need to" is ไม่ต้องmâi dtâwng, which is also how you say "no thanks".

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:

tongkan
tong kan
tong karn

More verbs in Thai

All verbs

เป็น bpen Be
to be (a nationality, a job, a role)
มี mii Have
to have
ไป bpai Go
to go
มา maa Come
to come
กิน gin Eat
to eat
ดื่ม dùuem Drink
to drink

Learn this word in Unit 16, free

Unit 16 · At the clinic · Medicine and the doctor. Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.

Practise it free (2 min) See Unit 16

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