อีแม่
ii-mɛ̂ɛMeaning
1NounB2
mother; mom (Northern/Isan; neutral there, can sound rude in Standard Thai)
A colloquial term in Northern and Northeastern Thai used to refer to or address one's mother. In those dialects it is neutral; in Standard Thai, the prefix 'อีอีii1vulgar female prefix2familiar female prefix (dialectal)-' is vulgar, so the term can sound rude.
Examples
อีแม่ii-mɛ̂ɛอีแม่ii-mɛ̂ɛmother; mom (Northern/Isan; neutral there, can sound rude in Standard Thai)วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoกับข้าวgàp-kâaoกับข้าวgàp-kâao1side dishes; viands2food (colloquial, esp. home meals)อะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2what; what kind of (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)กินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] take medicine (colloquial)4[to] consume; use up5[to] corrode; erode; eat into6[to] take (a bribe); pocketบ้างbâangบ้างbâang1some; any (unspecified, small set)2sometimes; occasionally3plural/variety marker (after question/request)4somewhat; at least a little
(In a Northern/Northeastern dialect context) Mom, what's for dinner today?
3 more examplesShow less
(In a Northern/Northeastern dialect context) Mom, can I have some money to buy snacks?
เวลาway-laaเหนื่อยๆnèuay nèuayทีไรtee raiก็gâwคิดถึงkít tĕungกับข้าวgàp-kâaoฝีมือfĕe meuอีแม่ee mâeที่têeบ้านนอกbâan nôkทุกทีtúk teeเลยloie
Whenever I'm tired, I always think of the food my mom used to make back home in the countryside.
ถึงtʉ̌ngคนkonภาคกลางpâak-glaangจะjàฟังfangว่าwâaหยาบyàapแต่dtɛ̀ɛสำหรับsǎm-ràpคนอีสานkon-ii-sǎanการเรียกgaan-rîiakอีแม่ii-mɛ̂ɛคือkʉʉการเรียกgaan-rîiakด้วยdûuaiความรักkwaam-rákและlɛ́สนิทสนมsà-nìt-sà-nǒm
Although Central Thais might hear it as vulgar, for people from Isan, calling their mother 'Ee Mae' is a way of showing love and closeness.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
ii
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
+
แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; basemother; momPart 2
อีแม่ii-mɛ̂ɛอีแม่ii-mɛ̂ɛmother; mom (Northern/Isan; neutral there, can sound rude in Standard Thai)mother; mom (Northern/Isan; neutral there, can sound rude in Standard Thai)Word