พ่อแม่
pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛ/pʰɔː˥˩.mɛː˥˩/
In Thai, the phrase for "mom and dad" is พ่อแม่ (pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛ).
พ่อแม่ is used as a collective noun to mean "parents." While it literally refers to a father and a mother, it is the standard way to refer to one's biological or adoptive parents in a general sense.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a compound of พ่อ (father) and แม่ (mother).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
พ่อแม่ is the standard, everyday term for parents. If you need to be more polite and respectful, such as when addressing your own parents directly or speaking about someone else's parents, you can use คุณพ่อคุณแม่. For highly formal contexts like official documents or formal speech, the term บิดามารดา is used.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛ. It consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word พ่อ ('father') can be used in certain regional dialects as a term of endearment for children or younger people, regardless of their gender.
- In Thai, kinship terms like พ่อ and แม่ are often used for people who are not related to you at all, such as a kind stranger or a shopkeeper, to show affection or closeness.
- The formal version of 'parents', บิดามารดา, uses the words for 'father' and 'mother' that are derived from Sanskrit and Pali, rather than the everyday Thai words.
Examples in context
- ฉันรักพ่อแม่มากchan rak pho mae makI love my mom and dad very much.
- พ่อแม่ของฉันอยู่ที่เชียงใหม่pho mae khong chan yu thi chiang maiMy mom and dad are in Chiang Mai.
- คุณต้องดูแลพ่อแม่ให้ดีนะkhun tong du lae pho mae hai di naYou should take good care of your mom and dad.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their upcoming holiday plans.
- วิทวัส Witthawatวันหยุดนี้คุณจะไปไหนครับwan yut ni khun cha pai nai khrapWhere are you going this holiday?
- ณิชา Nichaฉันจะกลับไปหาพ่อแม่ค่ะchan cha klap pai ha pho mae khaI am going back to see my mom and dad.
- วิทวัส Witthawatดีเลยครับ พ่อแม่คงดีใจdi loei khrap pho mae khong di chaiThat's great, your mom and dad will be happy.
- ณิชา Nichaใช่ค่ะ ฉันคิดถึงท่านมากchai kha chan khit thueng than makYes, I miss them very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry พ่อแม่, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
