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What do I call them? Thai family titles
Every title at a glance
| Who they are | You call them | They call you |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | ||
| Mum | แม่ mae | ลูก luuk |
| Dad | พ่อ phor | ลูก luuk |
| Grandparents | ||
| Mum’s mum | ยาย yaai | หลาน laan |
| Mum’s dad | ตา taa | หลาน laan |
| Dad’s mum | ย่า yaa | หลาน laan |
| Dad’s dad | ปู่ puu | หลาน laan |
| A great-grandparent | ทวด thuat | – |
| Aunts and uncles: mum’s side | ||
| Mum’s older sister | ป้า paa | หลาน laan |
| Mum’s older brother | ลุง lung | หลาน laan |
| Mum’s younger sister | น้า naa | หลาน laan |
| Mum’s younger brother | น้า naa | หลาน laan |
| Aunts and uncles: dad’s side | ||
| Dad’s older sister | ป้า paa | หลาน laan |
| Dad’s older brother | ลุง lung | หลาน laan |
| Dad’s younger sister | อา aa | หลาน laan |
| Dad’s younger brother | อา aa | หลาน laan |
| Brothers, sisters, cousins | ||
| Older sister or brother | พี่ phii | น้อง norng |
| Younger sister or brother | น้อง norng | พี่ phii |
| An older cousin | พี่ phii | น้อง norng |
| A younger cousin | น้อง norng | พี่ phii |
| The next generation | ||
| Your child | ลูก luuk | แม่ mae |
| Your grandchild, niece or nephew | หลาน laan | – |
| Not family | ||
| Someone a bit older (not family) | พี่ phii | – |
| Someone younger (not family) | น้อง norng | – |
| A woman about your parents’ age or older | ป้า paa | – |
| A man about your parents’ age or older | ลุง lung | – |
| Someone you’re unsure about | คุณ khun | – |
Not covered yet
We only show Thai that’s already in our app or our guides (so a native speaker reviews it in one place), and these aren’t there yet:
- Parents-in-law and brothers- and sisters-in-law
- Words that say both age and gender (“older brother”, “younger sister”)
- Your partner or spouse
- Step-parents and step-siblings
- A parent’s cousins
How this works
Thai family titles answer two questions English mostly skips:
- Older or younger? Than you, for siblings and cousins; than your parent, for aunts and uncles.
- Mum’s side or dad’s? For grandparents and for a parent’s younger siblings.
The words follow the side, not the nationality: if your dad isn’t Thai, his mother is still your ย่า when you speak Thai.
Titles usually come with a name or nickname after them, and family often use them instead of “I” and “you”. Regions and families vary, and when yours says it differently, your family is right.
The full story, with examples, is in our guide to Thai family words. Speaking Isan at home? See Isan family words.
Thai on this page comes from our app, Reply Thai, and our guides, and stays a draft until a native speaker has reviewed it. How we review Thai.
Questions people ask
What do you call your mum’s older sister in Thai?
ป้า (paa). A parent’s older sister is ป้า and a parent’s older brother is ลุง (lung), on either side of the family. She will call you หลาน (laan).
What do I call an aunt or uncle who is younger than my parent?
It depends on the side, not the gender: น้า (naa) if they are younger than your mum, อา (aa) if they are younger than your dad.
What is the difference between yaai and yaa?
ยาย (yaai) is your mum’s mother and ย่า (yaa) is your dad’s mother. Grandfathers work the same way: ตา (taa) on mum’s side, ปู่ (puu) on dad’s side.
What do you call a great-grandparent in Thai?
ทวด (thuat), on either side of the family.
What do Thai grandparents, aunts and uncles call you?
หลาน (laan): the same word means grandchild, niece and nephew. Your parents call you ลูก (luuk), child.
What should I call an older Thai person who isn’t family?
พี่ (phii) for someone a bit older, ป้า (paa) or ลุง (lung) for someone around your parents’ age or older. If you’re unsure, คุณ (khun) plus their name is the safe, polite choice.
Sources
All links read on .
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