เนี่ย (nia) in Thai: what it means and how to use it

เนี่ยnîa is spoken “this”, and at the end of a sentence it adds surprise or emphasis.

เนี่ย nîa

this (spoken); adds surprise or emphasis at the end particle

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

How to use it

เนี่ยnîa is the spoken form of นี่nîi and นี้níi, this: อันเนี่ยan nîa, this one. At the end of a sentence it adds feeling, often surprise or mild annoyance: ทำอะไรอยู่เนี่ยtam à-rai yùu nîa, what on earth are you doing? After a topic it points at it, like "this … thing": เรื่องเนี่ยrûeang nîa, this whole business. It belongs to relaxed speech; in writing and careful talk, นี้níi is the word.

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:

  • niea
  • nea
  • niaa

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