Formal wordsTherefore in Thai
“Therefore” in Thai is จึงjueng before the verb, or ดังนั้นdang-nán at the start of a sentence; in conversation you'll hear เพราะฉะนั้นpráw-chà-nán and ก็เลยgâw-loei.
so, therefore (before the verb of the result) conjunction formal
- jueng mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
therefore (at the start of a sentence) conjunction written
- dang mid
- nán high
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
so, that's why (at the start of a sentence) conjunction spoken
- práw high
- chà low
- nán high
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
How to use it
จึงjueng comes after the reason and right before the verb of the result: เขาป่วยจึงไม่มาkǎo bpùay jueng mâi maa, he's ill, so he isn't coming. ดังนั้นdang-nán opens a new sentence, like "therefore", and the two often appear together: ดังนั้นเราจึงdang-nán rao jueng …
Both belong to writing, speeches and the news. In conversation Thais put ก็เลยgâw-loei where จึงjueng would go, and start a sentence with เพราะฉะนั้นpráw-chà-nán, "so, that's why", which also works in writing.
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:
- jeung
- chueng
- jung
- phro chanan
More formal words in Thai
All formal words
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones