Oneself (formal) in Thai

“Oneself (formal)” in Thai is ตนเองdton-eeng; you'll also hear ตนdton (written).

ตนเอง dton-eeng

oneself (formal) pronoun

dton mid
eeng mid

Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.

ตน dton

self; one's own (formal) pronoun written

dton mid

Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.

How to use it

ตนเองdton-eeng and the shorter ตนdton are the written forms of ตัวเองdtua-eeng, "oneself". ตนdton mostly appears in set phrases like ของตนkǎwng dton, one's own, and in news reports, where it refers back to the person the sentence is about.

In conversation always say ตัวเองdtua-eeng, or เองeeng after the verb for "by yourself": ทำเองtam eeng, I'll do it myself.

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:

ton eng
ton-eng
ton eeng

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