태국어
taegugeo[tʰɛɡuɡʌ̹]
The English phrase 'thai' (referring to the language) is translated into Korean as 태국어 (taegugeo). If unsure, use 태국어. Wiktionary also lists 타이어 (taieo).
Meaning: language (name)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 태국어 | taegugeo | [tʰɛɡuɡʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [tʰe̞ɡuɡʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 타이어 | taieo | [tʰa̠iʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
To describe something as being Thai-style, you can use the term 태국풍.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 태국어 is composed of 태국, which means Thailand and 어, which means language.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
taegugeo
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 타이어 to refer to the Thai language. This word is a phonetic loanword for 'tire' (as in a car tire).
Did you know?
- In Korean, the word for Thailand, 태국, literally translates to 'Great Country'. The character 태 (泰) means 'great' or 'peaceful', which is why it is used as the name for the nation.
- While 태국어 is the standard way to name the language, a person might use the term 태국 말 in casual conversation. The word 말 is a native Korean word for 'speech' or 'language' used in everyday life.
- The word 태국어 uses a Sino-Korean root, where the character 태 (Thai) is paired with 국 (country) and 어 (language). This structure is identical to how many other East Asian languages name foreign tongues.
Examples in context
- 저는 태국 음식을 좋아해요.I enjoy Thai food.
- 요즘은 태국풍 마사지를 좋아하는 사람들이 많아졌어요.These days, there are many people who enjoy Thai-style massages.
- 태국어는 정말 어려워요.Taegugeoneun jeongmal eoryeowoyo.Thai is really difficult.
- 그는 태국어를 할 줄 알아요.Geuneun Taegugeoreul hal jul arayo.He knows how to speak Thai.
- 태국어 수업을 듣고 싶어요.Taegugeo sueobeul deutgo sipeoyo.I want to take a Thai language class.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about learning new languages at a cafe.
- 지훈 Ji-hun지은 씨, 태국어 공부해요?Jieun ssi, Taegugeo gongbuhaeyo?Jieun, are you studying Thai?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 요즘 태국어가 재미있어요.Ne, yojeum Taegugeoga jaemiisseoyo.Yes, Thai is fun lately.
- 지훈 Ji-hun와, 지은 씨 정말 대단해요!Wa, Jieun ssi jeongmal daedanhaeyo!Wow, you are amazing, Jieun!
- 지은 Ji-eun아니에요, 아직 많이 어려워요.Anieyo, ajik mani eoryeowoyo.No, it is still very difficult.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thai” translations and entries 태국어, 타이어, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 타이어, 태국어, CC BY-SA 4.0.
