ท่าน
tânMeanings
1PronounA2
you (formal/polite)
a very polite or formal way to address someone as “you,” often in official or respectful contexts
Examples
ท่านtânท่านtân1you (formal/polite)2he; she (honorific)3sir; madam4honorific title5classifier (polite for persons)ต้องการdtɔ̂ng-gaanต้องการdtɔ̂ng-gaan1[to] want; desire2[to] need; requireน้ำnáamน้ำnáam1water2liquid; fluid3juice; extract4sauce; broth5bodily fluid (in compounds)ไหมmǎiไหมmǎi1yes–no question particle; or not?2silkครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)
Would you like some water, sir/madam?
3 more examplesShow less
Did you receive the documents yesterday, sir/madam?
What time is convenient for you tomorrow, sir/madam?
ขอความกรุณาkɔ̌ɔ-kwaam-gà-rú-naaท่านtânพิจารณาpí-jaa-rá-naaข้อเสนอkɔ̂ɔ-sà-nə̌əฉบับchà-bàpนี้níiด้วยdûuaiครับkráp
I kindly ask you to consider this proposal, sir/madam.
2PronounA2
he; she (honorific)
a respectful pronoun to refer to another person as “he” or “she,” implying high regard
Examples
ท่านtânท่านtân1you (formal/polite)2he; she (honorific)3sir; madam4honorific title5classifier (polite for persons)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)ผู้ที่pûu-tîiผู้ที่pûu-tîiperson who; those whoฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เคารพkao-rópเคารพkao-róp1[to] respect; honor2[to] obey; abide by3[to] pay respectsมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingท่านtânท่านtân1you (formal/polite)2he; she (honorific)3sir; madam4honorific title5classifier (polite for persons)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)ของฉันkɔ̌ɔng-chǎnของฉันkɔ̌ɔng-chǎnmy; mine
He/She is someone I respect greatly because he/she is my teacher.
3 more examplesShow less
Yesterday, he/she came to help at the school.
Tomorrow, he/she will visit the patients at the hospital.
ท่านtânทำงานtam-ngaanเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaชุมชนchum-chonมาตลอดmaa-dtà-lɔ̀ɔtและlɛ́ทุกคนtúk-konเคารพkao-rópท่านtânมากmâak
He/She has always worked for the community, and everyone respects him/her greatly.
3NounA2
sir; madam
a respectful form of address to someone of higher status or to show politeness; also used vocatively
Examples
เชิญchəənเชิญchəən1[to] invite2please; go ahead (polite imperative)3please …; kindly … (formal)ท่านtânท่านtân1you (formal/polite)2he; she (honorific)3sir; madam4honorific title5classifier (polite for persons)นั่งnângนั่งnâng1[to] sit; sit down2[to] take; ride [sth] (vehicle)ตรงนี้dtrong-níiตรงนี้dtrong-níi1here; right here2this place/spot; this location3this part; this section; this pointครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)
Please have a seat here, sir/ma’am.
3 more examplesShow less
May I respectfully invite you to the meeting at 2 p.m.
Would you like more tea, sir/ma’am?
ขอความกรุณาkɔ̌ɔ-kwaam-gà-rú-naaท่านtânแจ้งjɛ̂ɛngข้อเสนอแนะkɔ̂ɔ-sà-nə̌ə-nɛ́ภายในpaai-naiวันนี้wan-níiด้วยdûuaiครับkráp
We respectfully request that you provide your feedback within today.
4NounB1
honorific title
a respectful title used before a position or name (e.g., ท่านประธานท่านประธานtân-bprà-taan1Mr./Madam Chair (form of address)2the chairperson (honorific reference), ท่านผู้ว่าฯ)
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentท่านประธานtân-bprà-taanท่านประธานtân-bprà-taan1Mr./Madam Chair (form of address)2the chairperson (honorific reference)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เปิดbpə̀ətเปิดbpə̀ət1[to] open; uncover; unwrap2[to] turn on; switch on3[to] start; launch; open for businessการประชุมgaan-bprà-chumการประชุมgaan-bprà-chum1meeting; conference; assembly2session/sitting (of a formal body)เวลาwee-laaเวลาwee-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesเก้าโมงเช้าgâo-moong-cháoเก้าโมงเช้าgâo-moong-cháo9 AM; nine in the morning
Today the Chairperson will open the meeting at 9 a.m.
3 more examplesShow less
พิธีกรpí-tee-gonเชิญchernท่านtâanผู้ว่าฯpôo wâaขึ้นkêunกล่าวglàaoต้อนรับdtôn rápแขกผู้มีเกียรติkàek pôo mee gìiat
The host invited the Governor to deliver the welcome address to the honored guests.
ในnaiงานพระราชพิธีngaan-prá-râat-chá-pí-tiiเราraoจะjàได้เห็นdâai-hěnท่านtânรัฐมนตรีrát-tà-mon-dtriiนั่งnângตามลำดับdtaam-lam-dàp
At the royal ceremony, we will see the Ministers seated in order.
ข้อเสนอkɔ̂ɔ-sà-nə̌əของkɔ̌ɔngท่านtânเลขาธิการlee-kǎa-tí-gaanได้รับdâi-rápการบรรจุgaan-ban-jùเข้าสู่kâo-sùuวาระwaa-ráอย่างเป็นทางการyàang-bpen-taang-gaan
The Secretary-General’s proposal was formally placed on the agenda.
5ClassifierB1
classifier (polite for persons)
a polite classifier for people, often showing respect (e.g., หนึ่งท่าน, หลายท่านหลายท่านlǎai-tânmany people (formal))
Examples
ห้องอาหารhɔ̂ng-aa-hǎanห้องอาหารhɔ̂ng-aa-hǎan1restaurant (esp. in a hotel)2dining roomรับrápรับráp1[to] receive; get2[to] accept3[to] pick up; collect4[to] admit; confess5[to] take (a call/order/job)6[to] host; welcome7[to] withstand; bearลูกค้าlûuk-káaลูกค้าlûuk-káacustomer; clientได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerไม่เกินmâi-gəənไม่เกินmâi-gəənnot more than; up toยี่สิบyîi-sìpยี่สิบyîi-sìptwentyท่านtânท่านtân1you (formal/polite)2he; she (honorific)3sir; madam4honorific title5classifier (polite for persons)
The restaurant can accommodate no more than twenty people.
3 more examplesShow less
This tour has a total of thirty-five participants.
งานสัมมนาngaan-sǎm-má-naaมีmiiผู้ลงทะเบียนpûu-long-tá-biianแล้วlɛ́ɛoกว่าgwàa200ท่านtânกรุณาgà-rú-naaมาตรงเวลาmaa-dtrong-wee-laa
Over 200 people have registered for the seminar; please arrive on time.
ผู้pûuเข้าkâoประชุมbprà-chumหนึ่งnʉ̀ngท่านtânต่อdtɔ̀ɔชุดchútเอกสารèek-gà-sǎanเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiเพียงพอpiiang-pɔɔกับgàpทุกท่านtúk-tânที่มาtîi-maaร่วมงานrûuam-ngaan
One set of documents per attendee to ensure there is enough for everyone present.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
tân
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → Falling
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |