How to say “I miss you” in Thai

Kit tueng: when your thoughts reach someone

คิดkít means to think and ถึงtǔeng means to reach or arrive, so คิดถึงkít-tǔeng is your thoughts reaching someone. It means both "to miss" and "to think of": คิดถึงคุณตลอดkít-tǔeng kun dtà-làwt is "I think of you all the time". It works for people, places, food and good old days: คิดถึงบ้านkít-tǔeng bâan (I miss home), คิดถึงส้มตำkít-tǔeng sôm-dtam (I miss som tam).

Thais say it a lot, and not just in romance

คิดถึงkít-tǔeng is the go-to affectionate phrase in Thailand. Couples text it every day, friends shout คิดถึงจังkít-tǔeng jang when they meet after a few weeks, grandparents say it on the phone, and students write it to old teachers. It's lighter than รักrák (love), so it's safe with friends and family, and it's often how Thais say "I love you" without saying it. If a Thai friend tells you คิดถึงนะkít-tǔeng ná, the warm answer is คิดถึงเหมือนกันkít-tǔeng mǔean gan.

In messages

On LINE it comes in every shape: คิดถึงนะkít-tǔeng ná, the stretched and cute คิดถึงน้าkít-tǔeng náa, doubled คิดถึงๆkít-tǔeng-kít-tǔeng, or a sticker of a sad bear. Couples add อยากเจอจังyàak joe jang, "I want to see you so much". In Isan songs you'll hear คิดฮอดkít-hâwt, the northeastern word for the same feeling.

Pronunciation

Kít is high and short, with a t you stop without releasing. Tǔeng rises (start low, finish high) and has the vowel learners find hardest: say "oo", then spread your lips into a smile without moving your tongue. It ends in "ng" as in "sing". Spellings like kit tueng, kid tung and khid thueng all try to show this word; the "h" letters only mark breathy sounds.

Common mistakes

• Saying คิดkít alone: that's just "think".
• Using it for missing a bus or a chance. That's a different verb: ตกรถdtòk rót (to miss the bus, literally "fall off the vehicle") and พลาดplâat (to miss an opportunity).
• Waiting until you're in love. Between friends and family, คิดถึงนะkít-tǔeng ná is normal and warm.