Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| พระเจ้า | prá-jâao | /pʰra˦˥.t͡ɕaːw˥˩/ | |
| เทพ | têep | /tʰeːp̚˥˩/ /tʰeːp̚˥˩./ |
|
| ผี | pǐi | /pʰiː˩˩˦/ | archaic |
The term for God depends heavily on the religious context. พระเจ้า is used to refer to the single, monotheistic God found in Christianity and Islam. If you are referring to deities or celestial beings within polytheistic traditions, such as Hindu or Buddhist mythology, use เทพ.
What does it mean word for word?
The term พระเจ้า is composed of the prefix พระ, which denotes something sacred or royal and เจ้า, meaning lord or master, literally translating to a sacred lord or being.
Which one should you use?
พระเจ้า is the specific term for the monotheistic God. In contrast, เทพ refers to deities or celestial beings in polytheistic contexts. The word ผี is an archaic form that can mean a spirit or deity in animistic contexts, but in modern usage, it primarily refers to a ghost or spirit.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as prá-jâao (/pʰra˦˥.tɕaːw˥˩/). It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- The Thai word เทพ shares a common ancient ancestor with the English word 'deity'. Both originate from the Proto-Indo-European root *deywós, meaning 'the celestial one'.
- While พระเจ้า is used for the monotheistic God, the same word เจ้า (lord/master) is used in everyday Thai to refer to someone who owns a shop or a business. This creates a linguistic bridge between divine ownership and earthly commercial ownership.
- If you look at the word พระเจ้า, the prefix พระ is a versatile honorific used for many things that are not just divine, including royalty and high-ranking priests. It marks the subject as being of a much higher, more sacred status than ordinary people.
Examples in context
- พระเจ้ามีอยู่จริงGod exists.This sentence is useful for stating the existence of พระเจ้า.Tatoeba #8692101 by pastelite, translation #433457 by CK
- พระเจ้าเท่านั้นที่รู้Only God knows.This sentence is useful for expressing that only พระเจ้า possesses certain knowledge.Tatoeba #8719771 by pastelite, translation #269633 by Eldad
- พระเจ้าสร้างโลกในหกวันGod created the earth in six days.This sentence is useful for describing the creation of the world by พระเจ้า.Tatoeba #8669306 by pastelite, translation #1102783 by CM
- พระเจ้าของโลกGod of the World
- พระเจ้าของชีวิตGod of Life
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their spiritual beliefs at a cafe.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanคุณเชื่อในพระเจ้าไหม?khun chuea nai phra chao mai?Do you believe in God?
- วิทวัส Witthawatผมเชื่อครับ.phom chuea khrap.I do.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanฉันก็เชื่อเหมือนกัน.chan ko chuea muean kan.I believe too.
- วิทวัส Witthawatมันทำให้จิตใจสงบดีครับ.man tham hai chit chai sa ngop di khrap.It makes the mind peaceful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God” translations and entries พระเจ้า, เทพ, ผี, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ผี, พระเจ้า, เทพ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
