Interjections

Ever wondered what Thai people mean when they suddenly say อุ๊ย (úi) or โอ้โห (ôo-hǒo)? This lesson explores Thai interjections, the little words that express annoyance, joy, pity, shock, embarrassment, disgust, doubt, pain and amazement, with examples of when native speakers use each one. You’ll also hear a funny way to tell where someone in Thailand is from just by how they react to pain. Finally, you’ll discover interjections that have no meaning at all: some stretch a word out for emphasis, and others add rhythm and beauty to Thai poetry.

Thai Vocabulary:
ชิ (chí) – Hmph! (displeasure)
ไชโย (chai-yoo) – Hooray!
ว้าย (wáai) – Eek! (shock)
อ๋อ (ǒo) – Oh, I see!
อี๋ (ǐi) – Eww!
โอ๊ย (óoi) – Ouch!

Learning these small words will help you understand the feelings behind everyday Thai conversations, and help you sound more natural when you speak!

Intermediate Culture Dialects Emotions Exclamations Expressions Feelings Humor Interjections Isaan Literature Poetry Regional Thai Shakespeare Spoken Thai

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Interjections

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