บ๊ายบาย
bai bai
The English phrase "bye bye" can be said in Thai as บ๊ายบาย (bai bai).
บ๊ายบาย is an informal way of saying goodbye when leaving someone. It is very common to use this phrase when hanging up a phone call with friends or leaving a social gathering.
Which one should you use?
บ๊ายบาย is casual and borrowed from English. In contrast, ลาก่อน is a more formal, traditional way to say goodbye that often implies a long-term or permanent parting. You may also encounter the shortened, informal version บาย, which is also a borrowed word from English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
บ๊ายบาย is an informal loanword from English used in casual settings among friends or with children. For more formal contexts, one might use สวัสดีครับ/ค่ะ to say goodbye in certain situations. To increase politeness in any phrase, males can add ครับ and females can add ค่ะ at the end.
How do you pronounce it?
bai bai
When do people say it?
It is a common practice to place palms together in a prayer-like gesture called wai when saying goodbye.
Did you know?
- Thai speakers may combine the borrowed บ๊ายบาย with a wai gesture, blending Western vocabulary with a deeply traditional Buddhist and Hindu-influenced social greeting.
- In Thailand, using the formal ลาก่อน can be startling because it often signals a final goodbye, such as a breakup or a permanent move.
- The word สวัสดี is used for both 'hello' and 'goodbye', making the borrowed บ๊ายบาย a way to specifically distinguish a departure from an arrival.
Examples in context
- หากมีโอกาสเราจะพบกันใหม่If there is a chance, we will meet again
- เจอกันอีกนะSee you again
- บ๊ายบายนะbai bai naBye bye.
- ไปก่อนนะ บ๊ายบายpai kon na bai baiI'm leaving now, bye bye.
- บ๊ายบายจ้าbai bai chaBye bye!
Example conversation
Sirin and Chonlasit are leaving a cafe after meeting.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinเจอกันพรุ่งนี้นะ ชลสิทธิ์ บ๊ายบายjoe kan phrung ni na Chonlasit bai baiSee you tomorrow, Chonlasit. Bye bye.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitโอเคครับ บ๊ายบายครับ สิรินทร์ok khrap bai bai khrap SirinOkay. Bye bye, Sirin.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinเดินทางปลอดภัยนะdoen thang plod phai naTravel safely.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitขอบคุณครับkhop khun khrapThank you.
