คุณ

You — Polite

Level 1

คุณ (khun) is the standard polite way to say 'you' in Thai. It also acts as a title (Mr./Ms./Mrs.) when placed before someone's first name or nickname.

How It Works

คุณ (mid-tone) can be used as a polite pronoun, a courtesy title, or before a kinship term. Do not confuse it with ขุน (rising-tone), a historical noble title.

1. As a Pronoun: It is a polite, gender-neutral way to say 'you'. It can be used when meeting someone or in a business conversation. With people who usually choose a name or kinship term, it may sound more distant. The relationship, tone, and setting affect its interpretation; the word alone does not guarantee warmth, irritation, or formality.

2. As a Title: It precedes a person's first name or nickname in the examples here (e.g., Khun Somchai). A foreign surname can also follow it. In the plain self-introduction exercise, give your name without adding this courtesy title to yourself.

3. With Kinship Terms: You can add คุณ before family words like แม่ (mother) to become Khun Mae, a respectful way to refer to or address a mother. The phrase alone does not establish a fixed degree of formality.

Note: When the listener can be identified from context, speakers can use pronoun dropping or use the person's name instead of an explicit 'you'.

Examples (5)

  1. คุณสบายดีไหมครับ?

    Are you well?

    Word by Word: You comfortable good [question] [polite:male]

    Here, 'khun' is used as a polite second-person pronoun (you).

  2. คุณสมชายไม่อยู่ที่นี่ค่ะ

    Mr. Somchai is not here.

    Word by Word: Title Somchai not stay at here [polite:female]

    In this case, 'khun' acts as a title (Mr.) before the first name Somchai.

  3. คุณแม่รักคุณพ่อมาก

    Mother loves Father very much.

    Word by Word: Title mother love title father very

    Here, 'khun' before the kinship terms respectfully refers to Mother and Father. It does not by itself establish a fixed level of formality.

  4. ขอดูกระเป๋าของคุณหน่อยได้ไหมครับ?

    May I see your bag, please?

    Word by Word: Request see bag of you a little can [question] [polite:male]

    Using 'khun' with the possessive marker khăwng to mean 'your'.

  5. คุณชื่ออะไรคะ?

    What is your name?

    Word by Word: You named what [polite:female-question]

    A standard polite way to ask a stranger their name using 'khun'.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding 'Khun' to your own name in this plain self-introduction.

    สวัสดีครับ ผมคุณจอห์น
    สวัสดีครับ ผมจอห์น

    The exercise asks for a plain self-introduction. Give your name after the first-person pronoun without adding 'Khun' to yourself. The courtesy title is used when addressing or referring respectfully to another person; this example does not establish a rule about every quotation of a name or title.

  • Using the surname instead of the requested given name in this courtesy-title exercise.

    คุณสมิธ (Khun Smith)
    คุณจอห์น (Khun John)

    This exercise asks for the given-name form, so use 'Khun John'. Thai names and nicknames can follow the courtesy title. A foreign surname can also follow it, so 'Khun Smith' is possible in an appropriate context and is not universally wrong.

  • Using the ordinary 'Khun' question instead of the requested respectful greeting to a monk.

    คุณสบายดีไหมครับ (to a monk)
    นมัสการครับหลวงพ่อ

    The exercise asks for a respectful greeting to a monk, so use the displayed greeting and religious form of address. Monks are addressed with suitable religious or honorific terms; choose the term for the monk and situation rather than treating an ordinary 'Khun' question as the requested greeting.

How It Connects

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คุณLevel 1You — Polite

Learn This First

To understand 'คุณ', a learner needs to be familiar with the Thai script and the concept of register, as this word functions both as a polite second-person pronoun and a respectful title before names.

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คุณคุณ