Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| กรุณา | gà-rú-naa | /ka˨˩.ru˦˥.naː˧/ |
| โปรด | bpròot | /proːt̚˨˩/ |
The words used for "please" in Thai vary based on whether you are making a formal request, a written announcement or a casual favor. In a formal setting, you might use กรุณา to issue a polite command or instruction. For highly formal written notices or public announcements, โปรด is the standard. In casual spoken Thai, people often use the structure ช่วย (help) + verb + หน่อย (a little) to make a request, such as in the phrases ช่วยหน่อย when asking for help or ปิดหน่อย when asking someone to close something.
Which one should you use?
กรุณา is used for polite requests and instructions in standard or formal situations. โปรด is more formal and often appears in written notices, announcements or highly polite requests.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
English speakers often mistakenly use กรุณา at the end of a sentence like 'Yes, please', but in Thai, it is almost always placed before the verb it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gà-rú-naa. It consists of 3 syllables with the IPA /ka˨˩.ru˦˥.naː˧/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid placing กรุณา at the end of a sentence as you might in English. Instead, place it before the verb it is modifying.
Did you know?
- The formal word for 'please', กรุณา, shares its origin with the word 'compassion'. It literally means to act with 'mercy' or 'kindness' toward someone.
- In Thai, politeness is often managed more by sentence-ending particles like 'khrap' or 'kha' rather than the word for 'please' itself.
- Because กรุณา is so formal, using it in a casual setting with friends can actually make you sound strange, as if you are being unintentionally dramatic or overly serious.
Examples in context
- โปรดเถิดPlease.This example shows the use of โปรด in a short request.Tatoeba #8669263 by pastelite, translation #393357 by shanghainese
- กรุณานั่งPlease take a seat.This example shows how to use กรุณา to ask someone to take a seat.Tatoeba #8692069 by pastelite, translation #38593 by CK
- โปรดอาบน้ำPlease take a bath.This example shows how to use โปรด to request an action.Tatoeba #8817758 by pastelite, translation #326916 by CK
- กรุณาช่วยด้วยPlease help me.
- โปรดปิดประตูPlease close the door.
- ขอน้ำด้วยPlease give me water.
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Pimon is asking Theeraphat to help her carry a box.
- พิมล Pimonกรุณาช่วยถือกล่องนี้หน่อยค่ะkaruna chuay thue klong nee noy khaPlease help me carry this box.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatได้ครับ วางไว้ตรงไหนดีครับdai krap wang wai trong nai dee krapSure. Where should I put it?
- พิมล Pimonกรุณาวางบนโต๊ะตัวนั้นค่ะkaruna wang bon toh tua nan khaPlease put it on that table.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatเรียบร้อยแล้วครับriap roy laew krapIt's all done.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries กรุณา, โปรด, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries กรุณา, โปรด, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
