A1 Pronouns 3 min read Fácil

Demostrativos en tailandés: Esto, eso y aquello (nii, nan, noon)

Thai demonstratives follow the noun and change based on how far away the object is.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Thai uses three distance markers based on proximity to the speaker: 'ni' (here), 'nan' (there), and 'noon' (over there).

  • Use 'ni' for things close to you: 'khong ni' (this thing).
  • Use 'nan' for things near the listener: 'khong nan' (that thing).
  • Use 'noon' for things far from both: 'khong noon' (that thing over there).
Noun + (Classifier) + Demonstrative (นี่/นั้น/โน่น)

Overview

Visión general
¿Alguna vez has señalado tu teléfono mientras le enseñabas un TikTok a un amigo y no sabías cómo decir 'este teléfono'? En tailandés, no solo usas una palabra para 'esto' o 'eso'. Depende de qué tan lejos esté el objeto de tu mano.
Dominar nii, nan y noon es como aprender a usar el emoji correcto para el ambiente adecuado. Si te equivocas, podrías sonar como un robot perdido en Bangkok. Manténlo simple y sonarás como un local en poco tiempo.

Meanings

Demonstratives identify the location of an object relative to the speaker and listener.

1

Proximity

Indicating objects in immediate reach.

“ปากกานี้”

“บ้านนี้”

2

Distance

Indicating objects further away.

“โต๊ะนั้น”

“รถคันนั้น”

Demonstrative Distance Table

Distance Thai Word English Meaning Usage Context
Near Speaker นี่ (ni) This In hand or immediate reach
Near Listener นั้น (nan) That Near the person you talk to
Far from both โน่น (noon) That over there Far away from both people

Reference Table

Reference table for Demostrativos en tailandés: Esto, eso y aquello (nii, nan, noon)
Thai Meaning Distance Usage
nii this Close Holding or touching
nan that Medium Across a table
noon that over there Far Across the street

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
หนังสือเล่มนี้

หนังสือเล่มนี้ (General)

Neutral
หนังสือเล่มนี้

หนังสือเล่มนี้ (General)

Informal
หนังสืออันนี้

หนังสืออันนี้ (General)

Jerga
เล่มนี้แหละ

เล่มนี้แหละ (General)

Thai Demonstratives

Noun

Distance

  • nii this (close)
  • nan that (medium)
  • noon that (far)

Distance Levels

Near
nii this
Mid
nan that
Far
noon that (far)

Choosing the right word

1

Is the object in your hand?

YES
Use `nii`
NO
Is it across the room?
2

Is it across the room?

YES
Use `nan`
NO
Use `noon`

Demonstrative Usage

📱

Daily Life

  • • Phone in hand (nii)
  • • Menu on table (nan)
  • • Car in distance (noon)
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Examples by Level

1

อันนี้คืออะไร

What is this?

2

เอาอันนั้น

I want that one.

3

ร้านโน่นอร่อย

That shop over there is delicious.

4

คนนี้เพื่อนผม

This person is my friend.

1

หนังสือเล่มนี้แพงมาก

This book is very expensive.

2

รถคันนั้นของใคร

Whose car is that?

3

บ้านหลังโน่นสวยจัง

That house over there is so beautiful.

4

ปากกาด้ามนี้เขียนดี

This pen writes well.

1

นี่คือเหตุผลที่ผมมา

This is the reason I came.

2

ตอนนั้นผมยังเด็ก

At that time, I was still young.

3

เรื่องโน้นช่างมันเถอะ

Forget about that matter over there (distant/past).

4

อันนี้แหละที่อยากได้

This is exactly what I wanted.

1

สถานการณ์นั้นซับซ้อนเกินไป

That situation is too complex.

2

เราต้องจัดการเรื่องนี้ก่อน

We must handle this matter first.

3

เป้าหมายโน้นไกลเกินเอื้อม

That goal over there is out of reach.

4

คนเหล่านั้นไม่เข้าใจเรา

Those people do not understand us.

1

ทัศนคตินี้สะท้อนถึงอดีต

This attitude reflects the past.

2

ประเด็นนั้นถูกยกขึ้นมาถกเถียง

That issue was brought up for debate.

3

วิสัยทัศน์โน้นดูเลื่อนลอย

That vision over there seems vague.

4

การกระทำนี้มีผลตามมา

This action has consequences.

1

บริบทนี้มีความนัยซ่อนอยู่

This context has hidden implications.

2

ยุคสมัยนั้นเปลี่ยนไปมาก

That era has changed a lot.

3

อุดมการณ์โน้นล้าสมัยแล้ว

That ideology over there is obsolete.

4

ความเชื่อนี้ฝังรากลึก

This belief is deeply rooted.

Easily Confused

Thai Demonstratives: This, That, and That Over There (nii, nan, noon) vs Ni vs Nan

Learners mix up proximity.

Thai Demonstratives: This, That, and That Over There (nii, nan, noon) vs Nan vs Noon

Both mean 'that'.

Thai Demonstratives: This, That, and That Over There (nii, nan, noon) vs Demonstrative vs Classifier

Learners forget the classifier.

Errores comunes

✗

ni khong

✓

khong ni

Demonstrative must follow the noun.
✗

nan (for something in hand)

✓

ni

Use 'ni' for things in hand.
✗

noon (for something near listener)

✓

nan

Use 'nan' for listener's space.
✗

khong ni (without classifier)

✓

khong an ni

Classifiers make it natural.
✗

ni-an

✓

an-ni

Word order is reversed.
✗

nan-noon

✓

nan or noon

Don't combine them.
✗

ni (for people)

✓

khon ni

Use classifier 'khon' for people.
✗

ni (as a subject without context)

✓

an ni

Needs a noun or classifier.
✗

nan (for current time)

✓

ni

Use 'ni' for current time.
✗

noon (for abstract ideas)

✓

nan

Use 'nan' for abstract references.
✗

ni (in formal writing)

✓

siao ni

Formal writing needs more specific nouns.
✗

nan (in literary descriptions)

✓

noon

Use 'noon' for distant imagery.
✗

ni (as a filler)

✓

ni (as a deictic)

Don't overuse as a filler.

Sentence Patterns

___ คืออะไร

ผมชอบ ___

___ ใช่ไหม

___ สำคัญมาก

Real World Usage

Shopping constant

เอาอันนี้

Texting very common

อันนี้ดี

Job Interview common

เรื่องนี้สำคัญ

Travel common

ไปร้านโน้น

Food Delivery very common

เอาอันนั้น

Classroom common

ข้อนี้ยาก

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💡

The Finger Point

Thais often point with their lips or a slight nod of the head rather than a finger. It's polite!
⚠️

Don't point at people

Pointing your index finger directly at a person is considered rude. Use an open palm instead.
💬

Context is King

If you are unsure, nan is the safest middle-ground word to use.

Smart Tips

Use your chin to point.

Pointing with a finger. → Pointing with a chin gesture.

Say 'ao' + object + demonstrative.

I want this. → Ao an ni.

Use 'noon' for things you can barely see.

Using 'nan' for far things. → Using 'noon' for far things.

Use specific nouns instead of just 'ni'.

Ni is good. → Karn kratham ni is good.

Pronunciación

ni (falling), nan (falling), noon (falling)

Tone marks

Ni, Nan, and Noon have specific tones.

Question

ni... mai?

Rising pitch at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Ni is Near, Nan is Near-you, Noon is Not-here.

Visual Association

Imagine holding a pen (Ni), pointing to your friend's pen (Nan), and pointing to a tree far away (Noon).

Rhyme

Ni is near, Nan is there, Noon is way over there.

Story

I hold this apple (Ni). You hold that apple (Nan). We look at the apple tree over there (Noon).

Word Web

นี่นั้นโน่นอันนี้คนนั้นที่โน่น

Desafío

Point to 3 things in your room and say their names using 'ni', 'nan', and 'noon'.

Notas culturales

Standard usage.

Uses 'ni' but with different tones.

Uses 'ni' with shorter vowels.

Derived from ancient Tai deictic markers.

Conversation Starters

“

อันนี้คืออะไร

“

คุณชอบอันนั้นไหม

“

ร้านโน้นอร่อยไหม

“

เรื่องนี้สำคัญไหม

Journal Prompts

Describe 3 things on your desk using ni/nan.
Write about a place you see far away.
Compare this job and that job.
Discuss a past event using 'nan'.
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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank

I want to buy ___ (this) pen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pen nii
In Thai, the demonstrative comes after the noun.
Which sentence is correct? Opción múltiple

Choose the correct way to say 'that car (over there)':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rot noon
noon is used for things far away, and it must follow the noun.
Find and fix the mistake Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

nii khao suay (This rice is pretty)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: khao nii suay
The demonstrative nii must follow the noun khao.

Score: /3

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

ปากกา___ (This pen)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: นี้
Ni is for 'this'.
Choose the correct one. Opción múltiple

Which is 'that' (near listener)?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: นั้น
Nan is for 'that'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

นี้ปากกา

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ปากกานี้
Noun first.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

อัน / นี้ / คือ / อะไร

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: อันนี้คืออะไร
Correct order.
Translate to Thai. Traducción

That shop over there.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ร้านโน้น
Noon is for far.
Match the word. Match Pairs

Ni = ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: This
Ni means this.
Fill in the blank.

รถคัน___ (That car over there)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: โน้น
Noon is for far.
Choose the correct one. Opción múltiple

Which is 'this'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: นี้
Ni is for this.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

5 exercises
Fill in the blank Completar huecos

___ (That) cat is cute. (Medium distance)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: maeo nan
Fix the word order Error Correction

noon rot yai (That car over there is big)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: rot noon yai
Choose the right demonstrative Opción múltiple

You are holding a phone. What do you say?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: phone nii
Translate to Thai Traducción

This book.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: nangsue nii
Match the term to the distance Match Pairs

Match Thai to distance

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: nii:Close,nan:Medium,noon:Far

Score: /5

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

Nan is near the listener, noon is far from both.

Yes, they make your Thai sound natural.

Yes, use 'khon ni'.

It is neutral.

You might be putting the demonstrative before the noun.

Use 'an nai'.

Yes, very common.

Yes, 'ton ni' means 'now'.

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

este/ese/aquel

Thai uses classifiers.

French moderate

ceci/cela

Thai has three.

German moderate

dieser/jener

Thai has no cases.

Japanese high

kore/sore/are

Thai word order is different.

Arabic moderate

hatha/thalika

Thai has no gender.

Chinese moderate

zhe/na

Thai has three.

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