| name | thai-translate |
| description | Use this skill for any task involving English-Thai or Thai-English translation, localization, or rewording. Trigger whenever the user asks to: translate text between Thai and English, localize content for a Thai audience, render English idioms in Thai (or vice versa), pick the right pronouns and register, choose between keeping a term in English vs āļāļąāļāļĻāļąāļāļāđ, or fix awkward translations. Also trigger for requests like "āđāļāļĨāđāļāđāļāđāļāļĒ", "āđāļāļĨāļāļąāļāļāļĪāļĐāđāļāđāļāđāļāļĒ", "āļāđāļ§āļĒāđāļāļĨāļŦāļāđāļāļĒ", "localize Thai", "translate this", "Thai version", or any variation. If the task involves moving meaning between Thai and English at any level â word, sentence, document â use this skill. |
āđāļāļĨāđāļāļĒ-āļāļąāļāļāļĪāļĐ (Thai â English Translation)
Overview
āđāļāļĨāļ āļēāļĐāļēāđāļĄāđāđāļāđāđāļāđāđāļāļĨāļĩāđāļĒāļāļāļģ āđāļāđāļāđāļāļāđāļĨāļ·āļāļāļĢāļ°āļāļąāļāļ āļēāļĐāļē āļŠāļĢāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄ āđāļĨāļ°āļāļģāļāļąāļāļĻāļąāļāļāđāđāļŦāđāđāļŦāļĄāļēāļ°āļāļąāļāļāļđāđāļāđāļēāļ. Translation is register selection first, word selection second â Thai forces you to commit to a social relationship before you finish the sentence.
When to use
- āđāļāļĨāđāļāļāļŠāļēāļĢ āļāļĩāđāļĄāļĨ āđāļāļŠāļāđ āļāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄ āļĢāļ°āļŦāļ§āđāļēāļāđāļāļĒ-āļāļąāļāļāļĪāļĐ
- Localizing UI, marketing copy, contracts for a Thai audience
- āđāļĨāļ·āļāļāļŠāļĢāļĢāļāļāļēāļĄ "I/you" āļāļĩāđāđāļŦāļĄāļēāļ°āļāļąāļāļāļĢāļīāļāļ
- āļāļąāļāļŠāļīāļāđāļāļ§āđāļēāļāļ°āļāļąāļāļĻāļąāļāļāđ āļāļģāđāļŦāļ āļŦāļĢāļ·āļāđāļāđāļāļ āļēāļĐāļēāļāļąāļāļāļĪāļĐāđāļ§āđ
- āđāļāđāļāļģāđāļāļĨāļāļĩāđ "āļāđāļēāļāđāļĨāđāļ§āļĢāļđāđāļ§āđāļēāđāļāļĨāļĄāļē" āđāļŦāđāđāļāđāļāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļāļī
Core conventions
1. Register matrix â pick BEFORE translating
| Register | When to use | Example greeting | I / you |
|---|
| āļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ / royal | govt letters, āļāļĢāļāļāļĢāļ°āđāļāļĢāļīāļ, āļĢāļēāļāļŠāļģāļāļąāļ | āļāļĢāļēāļāđāļĢāļĩāļĒāļ | āļāļĢāļ°āļāļĄÂ·āļāļīāļāļąāļ â āļāđāļēāļ |
| āļŠāļļāļ āļēāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ business | external emails, contracts, press | āđāļĢāļĩāļĒāļāļāļļāļâĶ | āļāļĄÂ·āļāļīāļāļąāļ â āļāļļāļ·āļāđāļēāļ |
| āļāļķāđāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ workplace | colleagues, Slack, internal docs | āļŠāļ§āļąāļŠāļāļĩāļāļĢāļąāļ·āļāđāļ° | āļāļĄÂ·āđāļĢāļē â āļāļļāļ·āļāļĩāđ·āļāđāļāļ |
| āļĨāļģāļĨāļāļ casual | friends, social posts | āļŦāļ§āļąāļāļāļĩ | āđāļĢāļē â āļāļēāļĒ·āđāļāļ·āļāļ·āđāļ |
| āļāļąāļāđāļāļ intimate | close friends only | āļāļīāđ·āđāļŪāđāļĒ | āļāļđ â āļĄāļķāļ or first names |
Rule: when in doubt, go ONE step more formal than English source. English "Hi" â Thai "āļŠāļ§āļąāļŠāļāļĩāļāļĢāļąāļ", not "āļŦāļ§āļąāļāļāļĩ", unless context says otherwise.
2. Keep-in-English vs āļāļąāļāļĻāļąāļāļāđ
- Keep English: tech (API, deploy, server, KPI, deadline, email, meeting), brands (Apple, Shopee), units (GB, USD), proper nouns, acronyms.
- āļāļąāļāļĻāļąāļāļāđ established: āļāļāļĄāļāļīāļ§āđāļāļāļĢāđ, āļāļīāļāđāļāļāļĢāđāđāļāđāļ, āļāļĩāđāļĄāļĨ, āđāļāđāļāļāļļāđāļ, āđāļāļ, āđāļ§āđāļāđāļāļāđ, āđāļĨāļāđ, āđāļāļāļāļļāđāļ. Use these in mainstream/consumer copy.
- Translate: abstract concepts (freedom â āđāļŠāļĢāļĩāļ āļēāļ), institutional terms (board of directors â āļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĢ), legal terms (use Royal Institute glossary).
- Audience test: government/elderly â translate or use Royal Institute spelling. Tech/youth â keep English or short āļāļąāļāļĻāļąāļāļāđ.
3. Pronouns (no 1:1 mapping with I/you)
| Thai "I" | Speaker | Context |
|---|
| āļāļĄ | male | default polite |
| āļāļīāļāļąāļ | female | formal business, written |
| āļāļąāļ | female (or neutral) | semi-formal, song lyrics |
| āļŦāļāļđ | female younger â senior | family, school, junior staff |
| āđāļĢāļē | any | casual, also plural |
| āļāļĢāļ°āļāļĄ | male | very formal, to superiors |
| āļāļđ | any | rough/intimate only |
| Thai "you" | Use when |
|---|
| āļāļļāļ | safe default, polite |
| āļāđāļēāļ | very formal, to elders/officials |
| āļāļĩāđ | addressee is older/senior |
| āļāđāļāļ | addressee is younger/junior |
| āđāļāļ | casual, romantic, female-to-anyone |
| āļāļēāļĒ | casual male, or "you" in light tone |
| first name + āļāļĩāđ·āļāđāļāļ | most natural in workplace |
Pitfall: defaulting "you" â "āļāļļāļ" in casual contexts sounds cold. Use āļāļĩāđ·āļāļ·āđāļ instead.
4. āļāļĢāļąāļ / āļāđāļ° particles
- Per-utterance, NOT per-sentence. In writing, ~1 āļāļĢāļąāļ·āļāđāļ° per paragraph is normal.
- Spoken/chat: end most turns with āļāļĢāļąāļ·āļāđāļ°.
- Written articles, news, captions: usually drop entirely.
- āļāļĢāļąāļ (male), āļāđāļ° (female), āļāļ° (female questions: "āļāļĢāļīāļāļŦāļĢāļāļāļ°").
5. Idiom equivalents (don't translate literally)
| Thai | English equivalent |
|---|
| āļāđāļģāļāļķāđāļāđāļŦāđāļĢāļĩāļāļāļąāļ | strike while the iron is hot |
| āļāļāđāļāļāļ°āļĨāļē | frog in a well / narrow worldview |
| āļāļĩāđāļāđāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļąāđāļāđāļāļ | sledgehammer to crack a nut |
| āļāđāļģāļāđāļ§āļĄāļāļēāļ | tongue-tied / can't speak up |
| āđāļāđāđāļŦāđāļāļāļĩāļāļāļđ āļāļđāđāļŦāđāļāļāļĄāđāļāđ | they know each other's secrets |
| āļāļīāļāļāļāļāļŦāļĨāļąāļāļāļĢāļ° | doing good unseen / unsung hero |
| āļāļąāļāđāļĄāđāļāđāļģāļāļąāđāļāļŦāđāļē | beat around the bush |
| āļŦāļāļĩāđāļŠāļ·āļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļ°āđāļāđ | out of the frying pan into the fire |
Examples
INPUT: "Hi team, just a quick reminder our deadline is Friday EOD."
OUTPUT (āļāļķāđāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ workplace): "āļŠāļ§āļąāļŠāļāļĩāļāļĩāļĄ āđāļāđāļāļĒāđāļģāļāļĩāļāļāļĢāļąāđāļāļāļ°āļāļĢāļąāļ deadline āļāļāļāđāļĢāļēāļāļ·āļāļ§āļąāļāļĻāļļāļāļĢāđāļāđāļāļāđāļĨāļīāļāļāļēāļāļāļĢāļąāļ"
INPUT: "We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful."
OUTPUT (āļŠāļļāļ āļēāļāļāļēāļāļāļēāļĢ): "āļāļēāļāļāļĢāļīāļĐāļąāļāļāļāđāļāđāļāļāđāļ§āļĒāļāļ§āļēāļĄāđāļŠāļĩāļĒāđāļāļ§āđāļē āđāļāļŠāļĄāļąāļāļĢāļāļāļāļāđāļēāļāļĒāļąāļāđāļĄāđāļāđāļēāļāļāļēāļĢāļāļīāļāļēāļĢāļāļēāđāļāļāļĢāļąāđāļāļāļĩāđ"
INPUT: "555 āļĄāļēāļāđāļēāļāļĩāļāđāļĨāđāļ§ āđāļāļĩāđāļĒāļ§āļāļđāđāļāļāđāļāļāļāļ°"
OUTPUT (casual EN): "Lol late again â I'm heading out first."
INPUT: "She always plays it safe â total frog-in-a-well thinking."
OUTPUT: "āđāļāļāđāļāļāļāļąāļ§āđāļāļāļāļĨāļāļ āļāļīāļāđāļāļāļāļāđāļāļāļ°āļĨāļēāđāļĨāļĒ"
Common mistakes
- Translating "the / a" â Thai has no articles. Drop them.
- Pluralizing nouns Thai keeps singular: "āļŦāļāļąāļāļŠāļ·āļ 3 āđāļĨāđāļĄ" not "āļŦāļāļąāļāļŠāļ·āļs".
- Auto-using "āļāļļāļ" for every "you" â sounds stiff in chat/social.
- Ending every Thai sentence with āļāļĢāļąāļ·āļāđāļ° in written articles â over-polite.
- Translating "We are excited to announceâĶ" â "āļāļ§āļāđāļĢāļēāļāļ·āđāļāđāļāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļ°āļāļĢāļ°āļāļēāļĻâĶ" (literal/awkward). Use "āļāļēāļāđāļĢāļēāļāļāļāļĢāļ°āļāļēāļĻâĶ" or "āļĒāļīāļāļāļĩāļāļĒāđāļēāļāļĒāļīāđāļāļāļĩāđāļāļ°āđāļāđāļāļ§āđāļēâĶ"
- Using āļāļīāļāļąāļ in casual chat â sounds like 1980s newscaster. Use āļāļąāļ·āđāļĢāļē.
- Mixing registers within one paragraph (āļāļĢāļ°āļāļĄ + āļāļēāļĒ together).
- Using common āđāļāđ / āđāļŦāđ / āļāļīāļ / āļāļđāļ when translating royal context â must shift to āļĢāļēāļāļēāļĻāļąāļāļāđ (āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļ / āđāļŠāļ§āļĒ / āļāļĢāļąāļŠ). See royal vocabulary section.
- Accepting a sworn-translation, medical-label, or patent request without referring to a certified specialist â high-stakes domains require certified providers, not general LLM translation.
āļĢāļēāļāļēāļĻāļąāļāļāđ minimum (Royal vocabulary basics)
Use when translating content involving the Thai royal family, royal news, royal events, or formal references to His Majesty / Her Majesty / āļŠāļĄāđāļāđāļāļāļĢāļ°āļāļĢāļĄāļ§āļāļĻāđ. Wrong register or familiar vocabulary in royal context is legally and culturally serious in Thailand â when in doubt, escalate.
| English | Thai (common) | āļĢāļēāļāļēāļĻāļąāļāļāđ (royal) |
|---|
| to go | āđāļ | āđāļŠāļāđāļ / āđāļŠāļāđāļāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļģāđāļāļīāļ |
| to say / speak | āļāļđāļ | āļāļĢāļąāļŠ / āļĢāļąāļāļŠāļąāđāļ / āļĄāļĩāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļģāļĢāļąāļŠ |
| to think | āļāļīāļ | āļāļĢāļāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļģāļĢāļī / āļĄāļĩāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļģāļĢāļī |
| to give / grant | āđāļŦāđ | āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļ |
| to eat | āļāļīāļ | āđāļŠāļ§āļĒ / āļāļĢāļāđāļŠāļ§āļĒ |
| to sleep | āļāļāļ | āļāļĢāļĢāļāļĄ |
| to be born | āđāļāļīāļ | āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļŠāļĄāļ āļ (king/queen) / āļāļĢāļ°āļŠāļđāļāļī (princes·princesses) |
| to bestow a gift | āļĄāļāļāđāļŦāđ | āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļ / āđāļāļĢāļāđāļāļĨāđāļēāļŊ āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļēāļ |
| hand | āļĄāļ·āļ | āļāļĢāļ°āļŦāļąāļāļāđ |
| head | āļŦāļąāļ§ | āļāļĢāļ°āđāļĻāļĩāļĒāļĢ |
| hair | āļāļĄ | āļāļĢāļ°āđāļāļĻāļē |
| face | āļŦāļāđāļē | āļāļĢāļ°āļāļąāļāļāļĢāđ |
| speech / royal address | āļāļģāļāļđāļ·āļŠāļļāļāļāļĢāļāļāļāđ | āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļāļģāļĢāļąāļŠ / āļāļĢāļ°āļāļĢāļĄāļĢāļēāđāļāļ§āļēāļ |
| photograph / portrait | āļĢāļđāļ·āļ āļēāļāļāđāļēāļĒ | āļāļĢāļ°āļāļĢāļĄāļāļēāļĒāļēāļĨāļąāļāļĐāļāđ (king·queen) / āļāļĢāļ°āļāļēāļĒāļēāļĨāļąāļāļĐāļāđ (royals) |
| birthday | āļ§āļąāļāđāļāļīāļ | āļ§āļąāļāļāļĨāđāļēāļĒāļ§āļąāļāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļŠāļĄāļ āļ (king·queen) / āļ§āļąāļāļāļĨāđāļēāļĒāļ§āļąāļāļāļĢāļ°āļŠāļđāļāļī (princes·princesses) |
| to do (auxiliary) | â | āļāļĢāļ + verb (e.g., āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļ, āļāļĢāļāļāļāļāļĢāļĩ, āļāļĢāļāļĄāđāļē) |
The auxiliary āļāļĢāļ prefixes many ordinary verbs to lift them into royal register (āļāļĢāļāļāļēāļ = "works", āļāļĢāļāļāļĢāļ°āļāļąāļāļĐāļĢ = "writes/studies"). Do not stack āļāļĢāļ with a verb that already has a royal form (write āļāļĢāļąāļŠ, not āļāļĢāļāļāļĢāļąāļŠ).
Tiered system â important caveat. āļĢāļēāļāļēāļĻāļąāļāļāđ is not one vocabulary set but several tiers used for different ranks: āļāļĢāļ°āļĄāļŦāļēāļāļĐāļąāļāļĢāļīāļĒāđ·āļŠāļĄāđāļāđāļāļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļīāļāļĩ (highest) â āļŠāļĄāđāļāđāļāđāļāđāļēāļāđāļē â āļāļĢāļ°āļāļāļāđāđāļāđāļē â āļŦāļĄāđāļāļĄāđāļāđāļē (lower royal). Vocabulary differs across tiers (e.g., āļāļĢāļ°āļĢāļēāļāļŠāļĄāļ āļ vs. āļāļĢāļ°āļŠāļđāļāļī above). This skill provides a working minimum for journalistic / informational translation. For ceremonial, state, palace, or official royal-household content, consult the Royal Institute (āļŠāļģāļāļąāļāļāļēāļāļĢāļēāļāļāļąāļāļāļīāļāļĒāļŠāļ āļē, orst.go.th) reference or an experienced specialist translator. Do not improvise.
Scope note â when NOT to use this skill
This skill covers general ENâTH translation, localization, and register selection. Bow out and recommend a specialist for:
- Legal contracts & sworn translation â Thai courts, immigration, and government agencies often require sworn / NAATI-equivalent / Department of Consular Affairsâcertified translation (consular.mfa.go.th). General LLM output is not admissible.
- Medical records, prescriptions, drug labels, clinical trial documents â patient safety risk; use a qualified medical translator.
- Patent filings, technical specifications, regulatory submissions â highly domain-specific terminology; mistranslation has legal/financial consequences.
- Royal / state ceremonial content â beyond the āļĢāļēāļāļēāļĻāļąāļāļāđ minimum above; consult the Royal Institute (orst.go.th) or an experienced palace-affairs specialist.
- Pali / Sanskrit / Buddhist scripture (āļāļĢāļ°āđāļāļĢāļāļīāļāļ, āļāļāļŠāļ§āļāļĄāļāļāđ) â language outside everyday Thai; requires a scholar of Buddhist canonical languages.
- Northern / Northeastern / Southern dialects (āļāļģāđāļĄāļ·āļāļ, āļāļĩāļŠāļēāļ, āļāļąāļāļĐāđāđāļāđ) and Pak Tai variants â this skill covers Central Thai (āļ āļēāļĐāļēāļāļĨāļēāļ) only. Dialectal work needs a native speaker of that region.
- Old Thai / Sukhothai-era scripts, jindamani, ancient inscriptions â academic specialty.
When the user asks for any of the above, name the limitation explicitly, then point them to: Royal Institute (orst.go.th) for vocabulary/style, Department of Consular Affairs (consular.mfa.go.th) for sworn certification, or a relevant domain expert. Declining gracefully beats shipping an inaccurate translation in a high-stakes domain.
