แฟน
fɛɛn/fɛːn˧/gender neutral
The Thai word for girlfriend is แฟน (fɛɛn). Wiktionary also lists แฟนสาว (fɛɛn-sǎao).
Meaning: a female partner in a romantic relationship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| แฟน | fɛɛn | /fɛːn˧/ | gender neutral |
| แฟนสาว | fɛɛn-sǎao | /fɛːn˧.saːw˩˩˦/ |
The term is used to describe a female partner in a romantic relationship. In other contexts, แฟน can also refer to a 'fan' or enthusiast of a celebrity or a sport.
What does it mean word for word?
In the form แฟนสาว, the part สาว means young woman.
Which one should you use?
แฟน is a gender-neutral term that can mean either a boyfriend or a girlfriend. If you want to specifically denote a female partner, you can use the colloquial form แฟนสาว.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
แฟน is an informal term used for both boyfriends and girlfriends. The form แฟนสาว is also colloquial.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can turn the phrase into 'ex-partner' by adding เก่า (old) after แฟน, resulting in แฟนเก่า.
How do you pronounce it?
fɛɛn
Did you know?
- In English, 'fan' implies someone who admires, but in Thai, this English loanword was adopted to represent the 'devotion' felt in a romantic relationship.
- In Thai culture, referring to a partner as แฟน can imply a serious commitment, as there is no distinct word for 'boyfriend' versus 'fiancé' in casual speech.
- To describe a 'secret girlfriend', Thai speakers add the word ลับ (secret), creating แฟนลับ, which is a common trope in Thai soap operas.
Examples in context
- แมรี่เป็นแฟนเก่าของฉันMary is my ex-girlfriend.This sentence is useful for describing an ex-partner using แฟน.Tatoeba #8675727 by pastelite, translation #2645036 by CK
- แฟนของฉันเป็นนักเต้นที่ดีMy girlfriend is a good dancer.This sentence is useful for describing a partner using แฟน.Tatoeba #8675708 by pastelite, translation #250280 by mamat
- แฟนของฉันชื่อออมMy girlfriend's name is Om.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a weekend plan.
- วิทวัส Witthawatสุดสัปดาห์นี้คุณจะไปไหนsut sap da khni khun cha pai naiWhere are you going this weekend?
- พิมล Pimonฉันจะไปเที่ยวกับแฟนค่ะchan cha pai thiao kap faen khaI am going on a trip with my girlfriend.
- วิทวัส Witthawatไปที่ไหนกันเหรอpai thi nai kan roWhere are you guys going?
- พิมล Pimonเราจะไปทะเลด้วยกันค่ะrao cha pai tha le duai kan khaWe are going to the beach together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girlfriend” translations and entries แฟน, แฟนสาว, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries แฟน, แฟนสาว, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
