โทรศัพท์
too-rá-sàp/tʰoː˧.ra˦˥.sap̚˨˩/
In Thai, the phrase 'phone' can be expressed as โทรศัพท์ (too-rá-sàp). Wiktionary also lists โทร (too).
Meaning: to call (someone) on the telephone (verb)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| โทรศัพท์ | too-rá-sàp | /tʰoː˧.ra˦˥.sap̚˨˩/ |
| โทร | too | /tʰoː˧/ |
The word โทรศัพท์ functions as both a noun (the device) and a verb (to telephone), though in modern spoken Thai, the shortened โทร is more common for the action.
Which one should you use?
While โทรศัพท์ is the full noun/verb for 'telephone', the shortened form โทร is frequently used as a verb meaning 'to call' in casual speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The formal way to say 'phone' in Thai is โทรศัพท์. The informal shorthand for 'phone' in Thai is โทร.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb โทร (to call) to indicate the recipient, it is common to add หา (to find/seek) to form โทรหา, meaning 'to call [someone]'.
How do you pronounce it?
too-rá-sàp
Did you know?
- The word โทรศัพท์ literally translates to 'distant sound' or 'remote word' in English.
- While โทรศัพท์ is the official term, the clipping โทร is so dominant in speech that the full word can sound overly stiff in casual settings.
- The word ศัพท์ in โทรศัพท์ can also mean 'term' or 'vocabulary' in other contexts.
Examples in context
- เอาโทรศัพท์คุณให้ฉันGive me your phone.This sentence uses the form โทร to refer to a phone.Tatoeba #8714384 by pastelite, translation #1845500 by CK
- ฉันทิ้งโทรศัพท์ไว้ในรถI left my phone in the car.Tatoeba #3573412 by ojiisan, translation #2377303 by CK
- คุณควรโทรหาทอมให้เร็วที่สุดYou should phone Tom as soon as you can.This sentence uses the form โทร to describe the action of calling.Tatoeba #10161997 by Somsak, translation #4663577 by CK
- คุณใช้โทรศัพท์รุ่นไหนอยู่?What phone model are you using?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “phone” translations and entries โทรศัพท์, โทร, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries โทร, โทรศัพท์, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
