| about this site | who we are | site map | reading tips | teaching tips | student tips | build vocab |
| teaching vocab | hot links | visit Thai school | Bangkok Post | Post books | student weekly | home

Chai:

Fráenk  phǒm thǎm àrāi nòi  khām wâ “krēngchāi” phāsǎ āngkrìt chái wâ àrai

á¿Ã§¡ì ¼Á¶ÒÁÍÐäÃ˹èÍÂ
¤ÓÇèÒ
à¡Ã§ã¨ ÀÒÉÒÍѧ¡ÄÉ
ãªéÇèÒÍÐäÃ

Frank, let me ask you one thing. What’s the English term for “krengchai”?

Frank:

ēh … mâi mī khām thî plāe dâi trōng kān thī dīao ná  tàe mī khwāmmǎi khlái khlái kàp “be afraid of offending; consider the feelings of (others); be respectful; to feel obliged”

àÍäÁèÁÕ¤Ó·Õèá»Åä´éµÃ§¡Ñ¹
·Õà´ÕÂǹРáµèÁÕ¤ÇÒÁËÁÒÂ
¤ÅéÒÂæ ¡Ñº
be afraid of offending; consider the feelings of (others); be respectful; to feel obliged”

Eh … There’s no direct translation, but it’s close to “be afraid of offending; consider the feelings of (others); to feel obliged”

Chai:

ūem  chái yâk háe

Í×ÍÁì ãªéÂÒ¡áÎÐ

Um! That’s difficult to say.

Frank:

phǒm ēng kô mâi khôi nâechāi wēlā chái nāi phāsa thāi  thâ phûeanbân phǒm pòet plēng dāng mâk thúkwān

¼Áàͧ¡çäÁè¤èÍÂá¹èã¨àÇÅÒãªéã¹
ÀÒÉÒä·Â ¶éÒà¾×è͹ºéÒ¹¼Áà»Ô´
à¾Å§´Ñ§ÁÒ¡·Ø¡Çѹ

I’m not yet confident of the full meaning and proper usage of the word, either. For example, what should I say if my neighbours play their music very loud?

Chai:

khūn kô phût dâi wâ  khōn phûak ní “mâi rú chàk krēngchāi khrāi”  rǔe  “mâi ru chak krēngchāi khōn ùen lōei”

¤Ø³¡ç¾Ù´ä´éÇèÒ ¤¹¾Ç¡¹Õé
äÁèÃÙé¨Ñ¡à¡Ã§ã¨ã¤ÃËÃ×Í
äÁèÃÙé¨Ñ¡à¡Ã§ã¨¤¹Í×è¹àÅÂ

You may say they “don’t know how to krengchai others”.

Frank:

thâ phûean mā chūan pāi thîo dûai kān  phǒm mâi yàk pāi  tàe mâi yàk hâi khǎo sǐachāi  phǒm kô lōei pāi

¶éÒà¾×è͹ÁҪǹä»à·ÕèÂÇ´éÇ¡ѹ
¼ÁäÁèÍÂÒ¡ä» áµèäÁèÍÂÒ¡ãËéà¢Ò
àÊÕÂ㨠¼Á¡çàÅÂä»

Suppose a friend asks me to go to a party with him, and I really don’t want to go; but I go anyway so as not to hurt his feelings. How’d you describe that?

Chai:

khūn kô “pāi dûai khwām krēngchāi phûean”

¤Ø³¡çä»´éǤÇÒÁà¡Ã§ã¨à¾×è͹

That means you go because you krengchai your friend.

Frank:

wēla phǒm hâi khǒng kàe dèk dèk  khǎo krēngchāi mâi klâ ráp

àÇÅÒ¼ÁãËé¢Í§á¡èà´ç¡æ
à¢Òà¡Ã§ã¨äÁè¡ÅéÒÃѺ

When I offer children something they really want, but they krengchai and don’t take it. What’s that?

Chai:

khūn kô tông phût wâ “râp pāi thòe  mâi tǒng krēngchāi”

¤Ø³¡çµéͧ¾Ù´ÇèÒ ÃѺä»à¶ÍÐ
äÁèµéͧà¡Ã§ã¨

You’ve got to say, “Please take it. Don’t feel krengcha”.

Frank:

láe thâ phûean khǎo tēmchāi chīng chīng  chūan rāo pāi bân khǎo bòi bòi  láe rāo kô tēmchāi dûai

áÅжéÒà¾×è͹à¢ÒàµçÁ㨨ÃÔ§æ
ªÇ¹àÃÒ仺éÒ¹à¢ÒºèÍÂæ
áÅÐàÃÒ¡çàµçÁ㨴éÇÂ

And if a friend willingly invites me to his home very often, and I also enjoy spending time with him, what can I say?

Chai:

khūn kô phût wâ “ngán phǒm mâi krēngchāi lâ ná”

¤Ø³¡ç¾Ù´ÇèÒ
§Ñé¹¼ÁäÁèà¡Ã§ã¨ÅèйÐ

In that case you say, “I won’t feel krengchai then”.

Frank:

ōkē  Chāi  ngán phǒm mâi krēngchāi lâ ná  chà mā bân khūn bòi bòi

âÍठªÑ §Ñé¹¼ÁäÁèà¡Ã§ã¨ÅèйÐ
¨ÐÁÒºéÒ¹¤Ø³ºèÍÂæ

Okay, Chai, I won’t feel krengchai then. I’ll drop by more often.

Language check

How do you reply, with krengchai, to these statements in Thai?

1.      Drop by any time. You’re always welcomed, really! = ………………

2.      I’m sorry I’ve kept your book for a long time. = ………………

3.      Is there anything I can do for you, Frank? = ……………… Can you drive me to the hospital, please?

Answer key

1.      (khòpkhūn mâk) ngán chǎn/ phǒm mâi krēngchāi lâ ná

2.      (mâi pēn rāi) mâi tǒng krēngchāi (ròk)

3.      phǒm krēngchāi, chīng chīng


  • This lesson was prepared by Acharn Sunee Siidao, Educational Specialist.

    Back to our home page

    Read our other phuut phaasaa Thai columns here.

    | Comments to Ajaan Sunee at suneec@bangkokpost.co.th |
    | © The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd.
    All rights reserved 2006

    Last modified: November 24, 2006
    |

  • Welcome back to a new adaptation of Phût Phāsǎ Thāi after our transitional Songkran break. As per the valued suggestions of our readers, the transliterations now follow the Royal Institute's system (http://www.royin.go.th/th/profile/index.php), which includes tone markers. In terms of content, the column will continue to provide you with everyday language on specific topics.

    òø phruetsachikayon òõôù   ( 28 November 2006)     

    Phût phāsǎ Thai

    To be considerate of others … / krēngchāi

    During Songkran festival, you don't have to krengchai revelers before you throw water on them.Tawatchai Kemgumnerd and Jetjaras na Ranong

    Some Thai terms are difficult in concept to explain because there are no direct translations for them in English. The term krengchai is at the top of that list.

    Let's look at the two syllables of the term: kreng (à¡Ã§) means 'fear' or 'to be afraid of'; and chai (ã¨) means 'heart'. Therefore we say krengchai (à¡Ã§ã¨) because we 'are afraid of offending another or causing inconvenience' to them. And if the other side feels that the action referred to will cause no inconvenience or offence, theym may say, "äÁèµÑͧà¡Ã§ã¨" — "There's no need to krengchai".

    There are more uses of krengchai in today's conversation.