VerbsSay in Thai
“Say” in Thai is พูดpûut; you'll also hear บอกbàwk (say to, tell) and ว่าwâa (say (that)).
to speak, to say verb
- pûut falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
to tell, to say (to someone) verb
- bàwk low
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
บอกbàwk + person: บอกฝนbàwk fǒn tell Fon. บอกว่าbàwk wâa + what was said: แม่บอกว่าอร่อยmâe bàwk wâa à-ràwy Mum says it's delicious.
that (after think, say, hope: think that …) conjunction
- wâa falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
It links a verb to what you think or say: คิดว่าkít wâa (think that). Casually, Thais drop the verb: ผมว่าpǒm wâa or ฉันว่าchǎn wâa means 'I reckon'. You know it from แปลว่าbplae wâa and เรียกว่าrîak wâa.
Taught in Unit 2 · Lesson 2: Where are you from? of the free course.
Practise it freeHow to use it
Thai picks "say" by what comes next. พูดpûut is saying words out loud: พูดว่าอะไรนะpûut wâa à-rai ná, what did you say? บอกbàwk is saying something to someone: เขาบอกว่าจะมาkǎo bàwk wâa jà maa, she said she'd come. ว่าwâa introduces the words, like "that", and in quick speech it's "say" on its own: ว่าไงwâa ngai, what's up?, or what do you say?
To ask how something is said in Thai, use ภาษาไทยเรียกว่าอะไรpaa-sǎa tai rîak wâa à-rai, what's it called in Thai?
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:
- phut wa
- poot waa
- bok wa
- bawk waa
More verbs in Thai
All verbs
Learn this word in Unit 2, free
Unit 2 · Nice to meet you · Where are you from? Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.
Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones