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Family
ครอบครัว
Parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Thai family terms tell age and side.
Thai families come labelled
Age and side are baked into the word.
English lumps everyone together (uncle, aunt, grandma). Thai splits them by which side of the family they're on, and whether they're older or younger than your parent. This is the mental model you need.
Two rules
1. ปู่ / ย่า are your dad's parents. ตา / ยาย are your mum's parents.
2. พี่ is anyone older, น้อง is anyone younger. Add ชาย for male and สาว for female.
Grandparents · ปู่ ย่า ตา ยาย
ปู่bpùu
grandfather (father's side)
ย่าyâa
grandmother (father's side)
ตาdtaa
grandfather (mother's side)
ยายyaai
grandmother (mother's side)
Parents & aunts/uncles
พ่อphɔ̂ɔ
father
แม่mɛ̂ɛ
mother
ลุงlung
uncle (older than parent)
ป้าbpâa
aunt (older than parent)
น้าnáa
aunt/uncle (younger than mother)
อาaa
aunt/uncle (younger than father)
Siblings & self
พี่ชายphîi-chaai
older brother
พี่สาวphîi-sǎao
older sister
น้องชายnɔ́ɔng-chaai
younger brother
น้องสาวnɔ́ɔng-sǎao
younger sister
Partner & children
สามีsǎa-mii
husband
ภรรยาphan-rá-yaa
wife
แฟนfɛɛn
partner / boyfriend / girlfriend
ลูกชายlûuk-chaai
son
ลูกสาวlûuk-sǎao
daughter
Tip
You'll also call strangers by family terms.
Thai hospitality works partly through family labels. A vendor who's older than you might be พี่. Your grandma's friend is ป้า. It is warm, not weird.
Drill it