ภรรยา
pan-yaa/pʰan˧.jaː˧/
The Thai word for wife is ภรรยา (pan-yaa). Wiktionary also lists ภริยา (pá-rí-yaa) and เมีย (miia).
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ภรรยา | pan-yaa | /pʰan˧.jaː˧/ /pʰan˧.ra˦˥.jaː˧/ |
|
| ภริยา | pá-rí-yaa | /pʰa˦˥.ri˦˥.jaː˧/ | |
| เมีย | miia | /mia̯˧/ | impolite, possibly |
This noun refers to a female partner in a marriage.
Which one should you use?
While ภรรยา is the standard term, ภริยา is a more formal version used in official or legal contexts. Conversely, เมีย is a colloquial form used in casual settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ภริยา is a highly formal version typically found in legal or official documents. ภรรยา is the standard and polite term suitable for most formal and everyday contexts. เมีย is an informal, colloquial term that can be considered impolite. It is generally used among close friends.
How do you pronounce it?
pan-yaa
Did you know?
- While ภรรยา is the standard term, Thai speakers often use the word for 'mother' แม่ as a respectful term of endearment for a wife in certain family contexts.
- The term เมีย can be used in compound words to describe specific types of wives, such as 'minor wives', which reflects historical polygyny in Thai society.
- The word เมีย is a very ancient term that has been preserved in the Tai language family for thousands of years, descending from Proto-Tai roots.
Examples in context
- คุณเป็นภรรยาที่ดีYou're a good wife.This sentence shows how to use ภรรยา to describe a good wife.Tatoeba #10578961 by Somsak, translation #6274145 by CK
- เธอจะสร้างภรรยาที่ดีShe'll make a good wife.This sentence demonstrates the use of ภรรยา in a future context.Tatoeba #7784166 by pastelite, translation #317458 by CK
- ภรรยาของทอมสนับสนุนเขาTom's wife supports him.This sentence illustrates how to use ภรรยา to show possession.Tatoeba #10468956 by Somsak, translation #5155139 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a social gathering where two colleagues are talking.
- วิทวัส Witthawatภรรยาของคุณมาด้วยไหมครับphan-ra-ya khong khun ma duai mai khrapDid your wife come with you?
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanไม่ค่ะ ภรรยาของฉันติดงานmai kha phan-ra-ya khong chan tit nganNo, my wife is busy with work.
- วิทวัส Witthawatน่าเสียดายจังครับna sia dai chang khrapThat's a pity.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanค่ะ ไว้โอกาสหน้าค่อยเจอกันkha wai o-kat na khoi choe kanYes, maybe next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries ภรรยา, ภริยา, เมีย, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ภรรยา, ภริยา, เมีย, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
