Greetings! If you’re interested in learning how to say “January” in Thai, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll explore both the formal and informal ways of referring to this month in Thai. While Thailand doesn’t have regional variations in terms of month names, we’ll focus on the standard Thai language.
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say January in Thai
When it comes to formal situations, such as business meetings or official contexts, Thais often use the word “January” directly borrowed from the English language. Therefore, you can confidently say “January” or slightly adjust it to Thai pronunciation as “Jan-ya-ree” (จันทร์ – ยานีร์) when you need to refer to this month formally.
Informal Ways to Say January in Thai
In informal settings, such as conversations with friends or acquaintances, Thais commonly use the words for numbers instead of borrowing from English.
Using Numerical Pronunciation:
1. The exact translation of “January” is “Motsa-nee” (มกราคม), which loosely means “one (month)”. The Thai word for “month” is “Motsa” (มกราคม).
2. Alternatively, you can use “Monka-ya-nee” (มังคาคม), which is another numerical representation of January in Thai. “Monka” (มังคา) means “eleven”, combined with “Motsa” (มกราคม) for “month”.
Using Abbreviation:
Thais often use abbreviations to refer to the months too. For January, the abbreviation is “Kra-phom” (ครม.). It’s derived from the term “Krasue-ma-nee” (กรกฎาคม), which is the corresponding abbreviation in Thai. The abbreviation is commonly used in written communication and informal conversations.
Tips and Cultural Insights
Celebrating the New Year:
In Thailand, January is an exciting month as it brings in the celebration of the New Year. The Thai New Year, also known as Songkran, takes place in April, but Thais also celebrate the international New Year on January 1st. It is a time when people come together, attend parties, and enjoy magnificent firework displays.
Talking about Seasons:
To express a season in Thai, simply add the word “ru” (ฤ) before the corresponding month. For example, to say “winter in January,” you would say “Puen ru Motsa-nee” (ฤเป็นมกราคม). This is a helpful tip if you want to talk about weather or plan your trips during specific seasons in Thailand.
Examples
Formal Examples:
ลงนัดหมายในเดือน January ได้ไหมครับ/ค่ะ (Long nat-maai nai deuan January dai mai khrap/ka?) – Can we schedule the appointment in January, please?
Informal Examples:
เดือนนี้คือ มกราคม (Deuan ni keu ma-khor-rm) – This month is January.
จัดปาร์ตี้ในเดือน มังคาคม (Jat party nai deuan mon-ka-ya-nee) – Let’s organize a party in January.
Remember, by using these phrases and words, you’ll be able to confidently discuss January in Thai, whether it’s a formal or informal setting. Enjoy your language learning journey and best of luck with practicing and incorporating these terms into your conversations!
