Whenever in Thai

“Whenever” in Thai is ทีไรtii rai.

ทีไร tii rai

every time, whenever conjunction

  • tii mid
  • rai mid
  • Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.

After what happens: กินเผ็ดทีไรgin pèt tii rai… = every time I eat spicy food…

You'll hear it in Som San (ซมซาน).

How to use it

ทีไรtii rai goes after what happens, not before it like English "whenever": เจอเขาทีไรjoe kǎo tii rai…, whenever I see him… The result often has ก็gâw, then, or ทุกทีtúk tii, every time, and the whole sentence sounds a little exasperated or amused. To put "every time" first, or in writing, Thais say ทุกครั้งที่túk kráng tîi: ทุกครั้งที่ฝนตกtúk kráng tîi fǒn dtòk, every time it rains.

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:

  • tee rai
  • thi rai

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More small words in Thai

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