Wash in Thai

“Wash” in Thai is ล้างláang; you'll also hear ซักsák (wash (clothes)) and สระผมsà pǒm (wash your hair).

ล้าง láang

to wash, to rinse verb

láang high

High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.

ซัก sák

to wash (clothes) verb

sák high

High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.

ร้านซักรีดráan sák-rîit = laundry shop.

สระผม sà pǒm

to wash your hair verb

sà low
pǒm rising

Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”

You'll hear ซักsák in Phak Kon (พักก่อน).

How to use it

Thai has a different "wash" for different things. ล้างláang is washing with water: hands, face, dishes, a car (ล้างมือláang muue, ล้างหน้าláang nâa, ล้างรถláang rót). Clothes are ซักsák, as in ซักผ้าsák pâa, to do the laundry, and hair is สระsà: สระผมsà pǒm. A shower is อาบน้ำàap-náam.

Hair salons do a cheap and very relaxing wash and blow-dry, สระผมsà pǒm and เป่าผมbpào pǒm.

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:

lang
larng
sa phom

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

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