Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ดนตรี | don-dtrii | /don˧.triː˧/ |
| เพลง | pleeng | /pʰleːŋ˧/ |
In Thai, the word used depends on whether you are discussing music as a concept or as a specific piece of audio. ดนตรี refers to music as an art form, a field of study or an abstract concept. เพลง is used for specific songs, tracks or the audible melodies people listen to. For a more poetic or sensory expression, such as 'the sound of music,' you can use the phrase เสียงเพลง.
Which one should you use?
ดนตรี is used when referring to the abstract concept or the art of music itself. In contrast, เพลง is the everyday term used for a specific song or a piece of music.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word เพลง does not change its form to indicate plurality. The number of songs is indicated by the context or the use of a classifier.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is don-dtrii.
Did you know?
- Thai music traditionally uses a seven-tone equidistant scale, which differs from the Western twelve-tone system.
- In traditional Thai music, the 'conductor' is often the drummer, who controls the tempo and signals changes through rhythmic patterns.
- Traditional Thai music is often played in ensembles called วง, which literally translates to 'circle', referring to the physical arrangement of musicians.
Examples in context
- เพลงหยุดแล้วThe music stopped.This sentence shows the use of เพลง to describe music that has ceased.Tatoeba #10200315 by Somsak, translation #2257533 by CK
- ฉันชอบดนตรีแจ๊สI like jazz music.This sentence demonstrates the use of ดนตรี when discussing a specific genre of music.Tatoeba #8679084 by pastelite, translation #253907 by CK
- ฉันรักเสียงเพลงI love music.This sentence uses the poetic phrase เสียงเพลง to express a love for the sound of music.Tatoeba #8720308 by pastelite, translation #2245965 by CK
- เพลงตอนนี้ดีมากThe music right now is very good.
- ร้องเพลงไทยสนุกมากSinging Thai songs is a lot of fun.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking in a music studio.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitคุณเล่นดนตรีเก่งมากkhun len don-tree keng maakYou play music very well.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinขอบคุณค่ะ แต่ฉันยังต้องฝึกอีกkhop khun kha tae chan yang tong fuek eekThank you, but I still need to practice.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitดนตรีของคุณเพราะมากจริงๆdon-tree khong khun phraw maak jing jingYour music is truly beautiful.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinดีใจที่ได้ยินแบบนั้นค่ะdee jai thee dai yin baep nan khaI am happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “music” translations and entries ดนตรี, เพลง, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
