สระ
sàMeanings
1NounA2
pond; pool
a small body of still water, natural or artificial
Examples
ข้างบ้านkâang bâanข้างบ้านkâang bâan1next door; at the neighboring house2the house/people next door; neighbors3by the side of the house4next-door; neighboring (as a modifier)มีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoสระsàสระsà1pond; pool2vowel (Thai)3[to] wash hair; shampooเล็กlékเล็กlék1small; little2young; younger; youngest3minor; slightๆ-
There is a small pond next to the house.
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Yesterday we sat by the pond in the evening.
Tomorrow Dad will clean the pond behind the house.
ในnaiฤดูแล้งrʉ́-duu-lɛ́ɛngชาวบ้านchaao-bâanช่วยกันchûuai-ganขุดkùtสระsàเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaกักเก็บgàk-gèpน้ำnáamใช้chái
In the dry season, villagers help dig ponds to store water for use.
2NounB1
vowel (Thai)
a vowel sound or written vowel symbol, especially in Thai orthography
Examples
ภาษาไทยpaa-sǎa-taiภาษาไทยpaa-sǎa-tai1Thai language2Thai-language; in Thai3Thai (school subject)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoสระsàสระsà1pond; pool2vowel (Thai)3[to] wash hair; shampooหลายlǎaiหลายlǎaimany; severalตัวdtuuaตัวdtuua1body; self; person (colloq.)2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3character; figureเช่นchênเช่นchên1for example; such as2like; asอาaaอาaa1paternal uncle/aunt (younger than one’s father)2uncle; aunt (familiar address)3prefix (Pali/Skt.): toward; near; throughoutอิìอิìshort vowel /i/; Thai vowel sign ◌ิอุùอุù1exclamation of pain/surprise/effort2prefix (Pali/Skt.): up; out
Thai has many vowels, such as aa, i, u.
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เวลาwee-laaเขียนkǐianอย่าลืมyàa-lʉʉmวางwaangสระsàให้hâiตรงdtrongตำแหน่งdtam-nɛ̀ngเหนือnʉ̌ʉaใต้dtâaiหน้าnâaหรือrʉ̌ʉหลังlǎngพยัญชนะpá-yan-chá-ná
When writing, don't forget to place vowels in the correct positions above, below, before, or after consonants.
ผู้เรียนpûu riianต่างชาติdtàang châatมักmákสับสนsàp-sŏnสระเอะกับgàpเอeเพราะpráwเสียงsĭiangใกล้glâiกันganมากmâak
Foreign learners often confuse the vowels 'e' (short) and 'ee' because the sounds are very similar.
3VerbB1
[to] wash hair; shampoo
to wash the hair; to shampoo
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)สระผมsà-pǒmสระผมsà-pǒm[to] wash hair; [to] shampooตอนเย็นdtɔɔn-yenตอนเย็นdtɔɔn-yen1evening; early evening2in the eveningหลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: building; house; structureออกกำลังกายɔ̀ɔk-gam-lang-gaaiออกกำลังกายɔ̀ɔk-gam-lang-gaai[to] exercise; work out
Today I’ll wash my hair in the evening after exercising.
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หมอmŏrบอกให้bòk hâiสระผมsà pŏmด้วยdûuayแชมพูchaem-pooอ่อนònๆ-สัปดาห์sàp-daaละláสองsŏngครั้งkrángเพราะpráwหนังศีรษะnăng sĭi-sàแพ้ง่ายpáe ngâai
The doctor told me to shampoo with a mild shampoo twice a week because my scalp is sensitive.
เธอtəəสระผมsà-pǒmแล้วlɛ́ɛoเป่าลมbpào-lomเย็นyenเพื่อไม่ให้pʉ̂ʉa-mâi-hâiผมpǒmเสียsǐiaจากjàakความร้อนkwaam-rɔ́ɔn
She washed her hair and then used a cool blow-dry to prevent heat damage.
ช่างทำผมchâng-tam-pǒmแนะนำให้nɛ́-nam-hâiสระผมsà-pǒmสองsɔ̌ɔngครั้งkrángในnaiแต่ละdtɛ̀ɛ-láครั้งkrángโดยรอบdooi-rɔ̂ɔpแรกrɛ̂ɛkล้างláangสิ่งสกปรกsìng-sòk-gà-bpròkและlɛ́รอบrɔ̂ɔpสองsɔ̌ɔngโฟมfoomจะjàทำงานtam-ngaanได้dâaiเต็มที่dtem-tîi
The hairstylist recommended shampooing twice each time: the first wash removes dirt and the second allows the lather to work fully.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is สระ said สะ?
sà
- Hidden vowelส has no written vowel, so it takes a short “a”.Silent letterThe ร after ส is not pronounced.
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Low tone
sà
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
High class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
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 | — | — |