มัน
man/man˧/
The Thai word for the English pronoun 'it' is มัน (man).
มัน is a pronoun used for inanimate objects or animals.
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Which one should you use?
While English uses 'it' for both objects and animals, in Thai, using มัน for a person is often perceived as dehumanizing or disrespectful.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
มัน is an informal pronoun. The pronoun มัน is used for inanimate objects or animals, but is considered informal or even rude when referring to people.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In many natural Thai sentences, the pronoun มัน is often omitted entirely if the subject is already understood from the context.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is man.
What mistakes should you avoid?
The pronoun มัน is considered informal or even rude when referring to people.
Did you know?
- Thai has another word มัน that refers to a 'yam' or tuber.
- While มัน is generally rude for people, it is often used affectionately by close friends or when talking to a pet.
- Using มัน to refer to a person you dislike is a common way to express contempt without using a curse word.
Examples in context
- ลองมันTry it.This sentence shows how to use มัน with a verb meaning 'try'.Tatoeba #7784313 by pastelite, translation #4756252 by cairnhead
- ทำลายมันBeat it.This sentence shows how to use มัน with a verb meaning 'beat' or 'destroy'.Tatoeba #7784323 by pastelite, translation #37902 by CM
- ฉันชอบมันI like it.This sentence shows how to use มัน as the object of 'like'.Tatoeba #8669200 by pastelite, translation #1520245 by ABChessel
- 147 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chonlasit and Pimol are looking at a small gadget on the table.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitมันคืออะไร?man khue arai?What is it?
- พิมล Pimonมันคือเครื่องเล่นเพลงอันใหม่ค่ะman khue khrueang len phleng an mai khaIt is a new music player.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitมันดูน่าสนใจมากman du na son chai makIt looks very interesting.
- พิมล Pimonใช่ค่ะ พิมลเพิ่งซื้อมาchai kha, pimon phoeng sue maYes, Pimol just bought it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it” translations and entries มัน, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries มัน, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
