A1 Pronouns 3 min read Easy

Thai Demonstratives: That over there (noon)

Use noon to identify objects that are further away from both you and the listener.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'noon' to point to things that are far away from both the speaker and the listener.

  • Use 'noon' for objects far from both people: 'That (over there) is a car' -> 'noon khue rot'.
  • Place 'noon' after the noun to modify it: 'That house' -> 'baan noon'.
  • Combine with 'ni' (here) and 'nan' (there) to cover all distances.
Noun + noon (That over there)

Overview

You have probably seen nii, nan, and noon on street signs or menus and felt totally lost. These are Thai demonstratives, and noon is your secret weapon for talking about things that are 'over there' but still within your sight. Think of it like pointing your finger at a Starbucks cup across the room. If it is not in your hand and not right next to you, it is probably noon. It is the perfect tool for when you need to be specific without walking across the entire café.

How This Grammar Works

Thai uses a spatial system for demonstratives based on distance from the speaker. nii is 'this' (right here), nan is 'that' (near you), and noon is 'that over there' (further away). It acts as a pronoun or a determiner. You can use it to say 'that thing' or just 'that'. If you are trying to order food on an app and want to point at a photo, noon is your best friend. Just remember, if you cannot see it, noon might not be the right choice. It is like the 'there' in 'look over there'.

Formation Pattern

1
Identify the noun you are pointing at (e.g., 'bag').
2
Add the classifier if needed (Thai loves classifiers, like 'piece' or 'item').
3
Place noon immediately after the noun or classifier.
4
Example: gra-pao (bag) + bai (classifier) + noon = 'that bag over there'.

When To Use It

Use noon when you are physically pointing or directing attention to a distant object. It is super common when you are traveling and trying to tell a taxi driver which building is yours. It is also great for Instagram stories when you want to show your followers a cool shop across the street. If you are gaming and need to tell your teammate where the enemy is, noon helps you specify the location clearly. Keep it simple and clear.

Common Mistakes

Don't use noon for things you are currently holding. That is nii. Don't use noon for things inside your pocket. That is also nii or nan. A common mistake is using noon for abstract concepts, but it is strictly physical. Also, avoid overusing it; if you are talking about something in the past, noon is not the right word. Just keep it for things you can physically see or point at right now.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Compare nii (this), nan (that), and noon (that over there). nii is like your phone in your hand. nan is like the menu on your table. noon is the waiter standing by the door. It is a distance-based hierarchy. If you get them mixed up, people will still understand, but you might look a bit confused. Think of it as a sliding scale of distance from your body.

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I use noon for people? A: Yes, but it is slightly rude if you point directly. Q: Is it formal? A: It is neutral and works in almost any daily situation. Q: What if I am blind? A: You would likely use context words rather than spatial demonstratives. Q: Is noon used in writing? A: It is mostly for spoken language or casual texts. Q: Does it change based on gender? A: No, noon is gender-neutral and easy to use.

Demonstrative Usage

Thai English Distance
Ni
This
Near me
Nan
That
Near you
Noon
That over there
Far from both

Meanings

A demonstrative pronoun used to indicate an object or place that is distant from both the speaker and the listener.

1

Spatial distance

Indicating physical distance far from both parties.

“บ้านโน้นสวยมาก”

“คนโน้นเป็นใคร”

2

Abstract distance

Referring to a point in time or a topic previously mentioned as distant.

“สมัยโน้นเรายังเด็ก”

“เรื่องโน้นช่างมันเถอะ”

Reference Table

Reference table for Thai Demonstratives: That over there (noon)
Thai Meaning Distance Context
nii
this
close
in hand
nan
that
medium
near you
noon
that over there
far
out of reach

Formality Spectrum

Formal
บ้านหลังโน้น

บ้านหลังโน้น (Pointing at a house.)

Neutral
บ้านโน้น

บ้านโน้น (Pointing at a house.)

Informal
บ้านโน้นไง

บ้านโน้นไง (Pointing at a house.)

Slang
บ้านโน้นดิ

บ้านโน้นดิ (Pointing at a house.)

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Examples by Level

1

บ้านโน้นสวย

That house over there is beautiful.

2

คนโน้นเป็นใคร

Who is that person over there?

3

ไปทางโน้น

Go that way (over there).

4

รถโน้นของใคร

Whose car is that over there?

1

ร้านอาหารโน้นอร่อยมาก

That restaurant over there is very delicious.

2

เขาอยู่บ้านโน้น

He lives in that house over there.

3

ดูนกตัวโน้นสิ

Look at that bird over there.

4

โต๊ะโน้นว่างไหม

Is that table over there free?

1

สมัยโน้นเรายังเรียนอยู่เลย

Back in those days, we were still studying.

2

เรื่องโน้นช่างมันเถอะ

Forget about that (distant) matter.

3

วันโน้นฝนตกหนักมาก

It rained very hard that day (back then).

4

เขาเดินไปทางโน้นแล้ว

He already walked that way (over there).

1

ตึกโน้นคือที่ทำงานเก่าของฉัน

That building over there is my old workplace.

2

ถ้าไปทางโน้นจะเจอสวนสาธารณะ

If you go that way, you will find a park.

3

ความทรงจำสมัยโน้นยังชัดเจน

Memories from back then are still clear.

4

ทำไมเขาถึงเลือกไปทางโน้น

Why did he choose to go that way?

1

เหตุการณ์โน้นเปลี่ยนชีวิตฉันไปเลย

That event back then changed my life completely.

2

เขาชี้ไปที่ภูเขาลูกโน้น

He pointed at that mountain over there.

3

เราไม่ควรพูดถึงเรื่องโน้นอีก

We shouldn't talk about that matter anymore.

4

ทางโน้นมีทางออกไหม

Is there an exit that way?

1

ในยุคโน้น ผู้คนยังใช้ชีวิตแบบเรียบง่าย

In that era, people still lived simply.

2

เขาหายไปทางโน้นอย่างรวดเร็ว

He disappeared that way very quickly.

3

ความรู้สึกโน้นมันอธิบายยาก

That feeling back then is hard to explain.

4

จงมองไปที่จุดโน้น

Look at that point over there.

Easily Confused

Thai Demonstratives: That over there (noon) vs Nan vs Noon

Both mean 'that'.

Thai Demonstratives: That over there (noon) vs Ni vs Noon

Both are demonstratives.

Thai Demonstratives: That over there (noon) vs Noun order

English order.

Common Mistakes

✗

Noon baan

✓

Baan noon

Thai puts the noun before the demonstrative.
✗

Using 'nan' for everything

✓

Use 'noon' for far objects

Learners often default to 'nan'.
✗

Noon khue

✓

Noon khue [noun]

Needs a noun after the verb.
✗

Noon mai

✓

Noon [noun] mai?

Missing the noun.
✗

Noon is here

✓

Noon is there

Noon is for far objects.
✗

Baan ni noon

✓

Baan noon

Don't double up.
✗

Noon pai

✓

Pai tang noon

Pai (go) needs direction.
✗

Noon for time

✓

Samai noon

Needs a time marker.
✗

Noon for people

✓

Khon noon

Needs classifier.
✗

Noon in formal speech

✓

Use specific location

Noon is informal.
✗

Noon as a subject

✓

Noon [noun] as subject

Noon needs a noun.
✗

Noon for abstract

✓

Use context

Noon is mostly spatial.
✗

Noon in writing

✓

Use formal demonstrative

Noon is colloquial.

Sentence Patterns

___ โน้น คืออะไร

ไปทาง ___

สมัย ___ เรายังเด็ก

___ โน้น สวยมาก

Real World Usage

Travel very common

ทางโน้นมีวัดไหม

Texting common

ดูรูปโน้นดิ

Food Delivery occasional

บ้านโน้นครับ

Job Interview rare

สมัยโน้นผมทำงานที่...

Social Media common

วิวโน้นสวยมาก

Shopping common

เอาชิ้นโน้นครับ

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💡

Use your eyes

Always look or gesture toward the object when saying 'noon'.

Smart Tips

Use 'noon' and point with your finger or chin.

Baan nan (if far) → Baan noon (if far)

Use 'samai noon' for 'back then'.

Samai nan → Samai noon

Use 'tang noon' for 'that way'.

Pai nan → Pai tang noon

Use 'khon noon' for 'that person'.

Khon nan → Khon noon

Pronunciation

nóon

Tone

Noon has a high tone.

Question

Noon mai? (rising)

Asking for confirmation.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

N-I (near), N-A-N (near you), N-O-O-N (not near).

Visual Association

Imagine a person pointing at a distant mountain. The further the finger stretches, the more 'O's you add to the word.

Rhyme

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

Story

You are in a park. You point to a bench near you (Ni). You point to your friend (Nan). You point to a tree far away (Noon).

Word Web

NiNanNoonPaiTangBaan

Challenge

Point to 3 things in your room and say 'Ni', 'Nan', and 'Noon' for each.

Cultural Notes

Commonly used with a chin gesture.

Uses different markers but understands 'noon'.

Uses different markers.

Derived from ancient Tai spatial markers.

Conversation Starters

“

เห็นตึกโน้นไหม

“

คนโน้นเป็นใคร

“

สมัยโน้นคุณทำอะไร

“

ทำไมเขาถึงไปทางโน้น

Journal Prompts

Describe a place you see from your window.
Write about a childhood memory.
Give directions to a friend.
Reflect on a past decision.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank

I want ___ (that one over there).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: noon
Noon is used for things far away.

Score: /1

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

บ้าน ___ สวยมาก

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: โน้น
Noon is for far objects.
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: บ้านโน้น
Noun + Demonstrative.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

โน้นรถ

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: รถโน้น
Noun first.
Change to question. Sentence Transformation

บ้านโน้นสวย

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: บ้านโน้นสวยไหม
Add mai at end.
Match. Match Pairs

Match the distance.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Noon-Far
Spatial logic.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

โน้น / คือ / รถ

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: โน้นคือรถ
Pronoun structure.
Choose the best. Multiple Choice

___ คือใคร

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: คนโน้น
Noun + Demonstrative.
Fill in the blank.

สมัย ___ เรายังเด็ก

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: โน้น
Temporal distance.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

No, use 'ni' for things near you.

It is neutral and used in daily life.

It helps clarify the distance.

Yes, 'khon noon' means 'that person over there'.

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

Yes, 'samai noon' means 'back then'.

Yes, it is common in informal writing.

Add 'mai' at the end.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

allá

Thai is Noun + Demonstrative.

French high

là-bas

Thai is Noun + Demonstrative.

German moderate

dort

Thai is Noun + Demonstrative.

Japanese high

asoko

Thai is Noun + Demonstrative.

Arabic moderate

hunaka

Thai is Noun + Demonstrative.

Chinese high

nàli

Thai is Noun + Demonstrative.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Using 'That' (nan) in Thai
Next
Thai Demonstratives: This, That, and That Over There (nii, nan, noon)

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