The most widely used Thai word for thank you is ‘kɔ̀ɔp kun’. When speaking Thai to children or subordinates, ‘kɔ̀ɔp jai’ may be used instead, and ‘kɔ̀ɔp prá-kun’ when speaking to those of a higher social status, or when wishing to be especially polite. All of these forms can be intensified by adding mâak (‘much’) or mâak mâak if ‘very thank-full’.
- ขอบคุณ (ครับ/คะ) / kɔ̀ɔp kun (kráp/kâ) = Thank you.
- ขอบใจ (ครับ/คะ) / kɔ̀ɔp jai (kráp/kâ) = Thank you (to children and subordinates).
- ขอบพระคุณ (ครับ/คะ) / kɔ̀ɔp prá-kun (kráp/kâ) = Thank you (especially polite and to superiors).
- Thanking someone for doing something is expressed by the pattern ‘kɔ̀ɔp kun + tîi + verb’:
- ขอบคุณที่บอกล่วงหน้า (ครับ/คะ) / kɔ̀ɔp kun tîi bɔ̀ɔk lûang nâa (kráp/kâ) = Thank you for telling me in advance.
- Thanking someone for something is expressed by the pattern ‘kɔ̀ɔp kun + sǎm-ràp + Noun’:
- ขอบคุณสำหรับทุกสิ่งทุกอย่าง (ครับ/คะ) / kɔ̀ɔp kun sǎm-ràp túk sìng túk yàang (kráp/kâ) = Thank you for everything.
Thanks can be acknowledged (a) silently, with a smile or a nod; (b) by kráp(male speakers) or kâ(female speakers); or (c) by mâi bpen rai(‘never mind; that’s alright; don’t mention it’):
A: ขอบคุณมากครับ / kɔ̀ɔp kun mâak kráp = Thank you very much.
B: ไม่เป็นไรค่ะ / mâi bpen rai kâ = That’s alright.
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By Prae
Thai Language teacher
