Unit 20 · Real conversations · B1
Unit 20: Fon's family
Talk about family, ages and jobs, show respect to elders, and give gifts and compliments.
6 lessons · about 46 min CEFR B1
The story
A week after Songkran, Mae Noi closes her restaurant early for a family dinner. Fon's father, her grandmother and a crowd of cousins and aunts all want to meet the foreigner who speaks Thai.
After this unit
- I can introduce my family and ask about someone else's: who they are, how old they are, what they do.
- I can say how people are related and use the right family words for people older and younger than me.
- I can give a gift, say who something is for and pay a compliment.
- I can use ให้ to give, to do something for someone, to let someone do something and to make a wish.
The 6 lessons
Each lesson takes 5-10 minutes. Read it here, then practise it in the app: free, no sign-up.
Words and phrases in Unit 20
Tap the speaker to hear each one. Tap any Thai word to see what it means.
The family
Lesson page- ครอบครัว krâwp-krua
family noun
A ครอบครัวใหญ่krâwp-krua yài (big family) often means three generations under one roof, like Fon's.
- พ่อ pâw
father, dad noun
Your father's parents are ปู่bpùu (grandpa) and ย่าyâa (grandma). Someone else's father is politely คุณพ่อkun pâw.
- แม่ mâe
mother, mum noun
Mothers call themselves แม่mâe with their children, so Mae Noi says แม่ทำเองmâe tam eeng (I made it myself). Someone else's mother is politely คุณแม่kun mâe.
- พี่น้อง pîi-náwng
brothers and sisters, siblings noun
Thai says older or younger rather than brother or sister. มีพี่น้องสามคนmii pîi-náwng sǎam kon usually counts you too: three children in the family.
- น้อง náwng
younger brother or sister; a friendly way to call someone younger noun
Like พี่pîi, it's also a title for anyone younger than you: young waiters and shop staff are น้องnáwng.
- พี่ชาย pîi-chaai
older brother noun
Add ชายchaai (male) or สาวsǎao (young woman) for brother or sister: พี่สาวpîi-sǎao older sister, น้องชายnáwng-chaai younger brother.
- น้องสาว náwng-sǎao
younger sister noun
- ลูก lûuk
child (your son or daughter) noun
ลูกชายlûuk-chaai is a son, ลูกสาวlûuk-sǎao a daughter. When Pa Daeng calls you ลูกlûuk, she means 'dear'.
- หลาน lǎan
grandchild; niece, nephew noun
Grandparents, aunts and uncles call all the children of the family หลานlǎan, and Fon's grandmother calls you that too.
- ยาย yaai
grandmother (your mother's mother); granny noun
How to say “grandma” in ThaiYour mother's parents are ยายyaai and ตาdtaa; your father's are ย่าyâa and ปู่bpùu. Any old woman can be called ยายyaai too.
- เด็ก dèk
child, kid; young noun
เด็กdèk is any child; ลูกlûuk is somebody's own child.
- แฟน faen
boyfriend, girlfriend; partner noun
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.
- แต่งงาน dtàeng-ngaan
to get married; married verb
Married? แต่งงานแล้วdtàeng-ngaan láew. Not yet? ยังyang. Thai relatives ask this the first time they meet you.
Relatives, respect and gifts
Lesson page- ญาติ yâat
relative(s) noun
Uncles and aunties have their own words: ลุงlung and ป้าbpâa are older than your parents, น้าnáa and อาaa younger.
- ลูกพี่ลูกน้อง lûuk-pîi-lûuk-náwng
cousin noun
Literally 'the children of older and younger siblings'. Day to day, cousins simply call each other พี่pîi and น้องnáwng.
- รู้จัก rúu-jàk
to know (a person or a place), to be acquainted with verb
For people and places. For facts, use รู้rúu: รู้จักฝนrúu-jàk fǒn (know Fon), but รู้ไหมrúu mǎi (do you know?).
- อายุ aa-yú
age; to be … years old noun
Just อายุaa-yú + the number: อายุยี่สิบแปดaa-yú yîi-sìp bpàet (I'm 28). Thais ask early, because your age decides whether you're พี่pîi or น้องnáwng.
- เกิด gòet
to be born verb
Your birthday is your วันเกิดwan gòet: สุขสันต์วันเกิดsùk-sǎn wan gòet Happy birthday!
- ให้ hâi
to give; to let, to have (someone do something) verb
You know ให้hâi as 'for' in ช่วยดูให้หน่อยchûay duu hâi nàwy. On its own it means 'give', and before a person and a verb, 'let'.
- ของขวัญ kǎwng-kwǎn
gift, present noun
A present for a birthday or a visit. ของฝากkǎwng-fàak is what you bring back from a trip.
- ห่อ hàw
to wrap; parcel, package verb
Takeaway food is wrapped too: ห่อกลับบ้านhàw glàp bâan is to take it home.
- เกรงใจ greeng-jai
to be considerate, not want to trouble someone (kreng jai) verb
The feeling that stops you imposing on people. Hosts answer it with ไม่ต้องเกรงใจmâi dtâwng greeng-jai: don't be shy, help yourself.
- ใจดี jai-dii
kind, good-hearted adjective
Lots of feelings are built on ใจjai (heart): ใจดีjai-dii, เกรงใจgreeng-jai, and เข้าใจkâo-jai (understand).
- รัก rák
to love verb
For the people and places you really love. For food and hobbies, Thais just say ชอบมากchâwp mâak.
- น่ารัก nâa-rák
cute, lovely, sweet adjective
How to say “cute” in ThaiLiterally 'lovable': for children, pets and clothes, and for kind people: น่ารักมากnâa-rák mâak can mean 'that's so sweet of you'.
- แข็งแรง kǎeng-raeng
strong; healthy, fit adjective
The word for good health, especially in older people: ขอให้แข็งแรงนะkǎw-hâi kǎeng-raeng ná is a lovely wish for an elder.
Grammar: Give, let and for: ให้
- ยาย yaaiให้ hâiขนม kà-nǒmหลาน lǎan
Grandma gives the grandkids sweets.
- อันนี้ an níiให้ hâiยาย yaai
This one is for Grandma.
- ซื้อ súueของขวัญ kǎwng-kwǎnมา maaให้ hâiยาย yaaiครับ kráp
I've brought Grandma a present.
Men ซื้อของขวัญมาให้ยายครับ Women ซื้อของขวัญมาให้ยายค่ะ
Dialogue: Dinner with Fon's family
A week after Songkran, Mae Noi has closed her restaurant early. The whole family is eating around one big table: Fon's dad, her grandmother Yai, her older brother home from Bangkok, cousins, aunties and a mountain of food.
14 lines · tap a line to hear it
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Fonฝน
นี่ nîiพ่อ pâwฝน fǒnค่ะ kâพ่อ pâwขับ kàpรถแดง rót-daengThis is my dad. He drives a red songthaew.
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You
ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก yin-dii tîi dâi rúu-jàkครับ krápNice to meet you.
Men ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักครับ Women ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักค่ะ
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Fonฝน
นี่ nîiยาย yaaiค่ะ kâอายุ aa-yúเจ็ด jètสิบ sìpแปด bpàetแล้ว láewยัง yangแข็งแรง kǎeng-raengมาก mâakAnd this is my grandma. She's 78 and still really strong.
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You
ซื้อ súueของขวัญ kǎwng-kwǎnมา maaให้ hâiยาย yaaiครับ krápGrandma, I've brought you a present.
Men ซื้อของขวัญมาให้ยายครับ Women ซื้อของขวัญมาให้ยายค่ะ
Culture note: Family words for everyone
In Thailand almost everyone is family, at least in words. Anyone a little older than you is พี่pîi and anyone younger is น้องnáwng; an older man is ลุงlung, an older woman ป้าbpâa, and an elderly woman can be ยายyaai. The same words work as 'I' and 'you': Mae Noi calls herself แม่mâe, and Yai calls you หลานlǎan.
At a family meal the elders sit down first and get the best pieces, and the younger ones fetch the rice and the water. Dishes are shared, and someone will keep putting food on your plate: try a little of everything, and leave a little at the end to show you're full.
Don't be thrown by the questions: How old are you? Are you married? How much do you earn? Your age tells people which family word to use for you, and the rest is friendly interest. A smile and a vague answer are always fine.
AI role-play: Mae Noi wants to know
At the end of the unit you talk with Mae Noi, an AI character who answers in natural Thai and helps when you get stuck.
The scene
After dinner, Mae Noi sits down next to you and wants to hear all about your family back home. Answer her questions, give her the gift you brought and thank her for the meal.
Mae Noi starts
Are you full yet, dear? Come and sit and chat with me for a bit.
Your goals
- 1Say who is in your family and how old they are
- 2Say what two of your family members do
- 3Give Mae Noi your gift and say who it's for
- 4Thank her and wish her good health