FamilyWife in Thai
“Wife” in Thai is ภรรยาpan-rá-yaa; you'll also hear เมียmia (casual) and แฟนfaen (partner).
wife (polite) noun
- pan mid
- rá high
- yaa mid
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
Classifier: คนkon · person, people
wife (casual, blunt) noun
- mia mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
partner: girlfriend, boyfriend, or wife or husband noun
- faen mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
From English 'fan'. It also covers a husband or wife in casual talk; formally a husband is สามีsǎa-mii and a wife ภรรยาpan-rá-yaa.
แฟนfaen is taught in Unit 20 · Lesson 1: The family of the free course.
Practise it freeHow to use it
ภรรยาpan-rá-yaa is the polite word: use it with people you don't know, at work and on forms. เมียmia is the everyday word between friends and in the countryside, but it sounds blunt, even crude, in polite company.
Many couples simply say แฟนfaen, "partner", for a wife or husband as well as a girlfriend or boyfriend. It's warm and always safe: นี่แฟนผมnîi faen pǒm, this is my partner.
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:
- phanraya
- panraya
- phan ra ya
- pan ra ya
- mea
- meia
More family in Thai
All family- ครอบครัว krâwp-krua Family
- พี่ pîi Older brother or sister
- น้อง náwng Younger brother or sister
Learn this word in Unit 20, free
Unit 20 · Fon's family · The family. 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