Thai dating slang terms
Are you dating a Thai person right now, or have you ever thought about dating one while residing in Thailand? Knowing a few Thai dating slang terms could impress your date and add an element of surprise to your conversations.
Check out these 10 Thai dating slang terms that you can use with your Thai boyfriend/girlfriend or even your Thai mates to thrive in the dating culture of Thailand and blend in like a local.
1. ไอ้ต้าว (Ai-tao) — endearment term to call your cute boyfriend/girlfriend
Image credit: LINE Today
If you feel like you should call your Thai lover with a cute Thai term, try calling them “ไอต้าว (Ai-tao)” and see their reaction.
This word has cuteness in it and is used commonly to call partners. Not only that, we can also use this word to call cute animals, such as cats, dogs, rabbits etc. We sometimes add adjective words or a person’s name after the word “Ai tao”. For example, you can say “Ai-tao Na Rak”, which means a cute or lovely person.
Used in a sentence:
A: Good morning, Ai-tao! Have you eaten anything?
B: I just have Pad Kapao Kai ja, Ai-tao. How about you?
A: I’m about to grab something to eat on the way to my office.
2. หลัว (Luo) — originated from “ผัว” which means “husband”
Image credit: Promotions
หลัว (Lou) originates from ผัว (Pou), meaning a husband in Thai. Normally, people use this word instead of ผัว to refer to their husbands. However, it is also used to refer to hot or sexy guys whom a speaker wishes to date. Say, you spot an attractive guy, and you feel like he has a feature of being lou for you, meaning you want him to be your husband (but not in a serious way).
Used in a sentence:
Example 1: A: Look at that guy. He is so handsome and stylish.
B: True, he has an aura of “luo” for me.
Example 2: A: Every time I check out my Instagram, I always see one of my friends posting stories with her luo.
B: She must be in love these days.
3. โดนเท (Don Tay) — get dumped/ditched
Image credit: Sanook
โดนเท (Don Tay) simply refers to getting dumped by your partner or match on a dating app. You can use this word when your Tinder match ghosted you and doesn’t reply to your messages anymore. Also, you can use it to talk about a situation when you have an appointment with your friend, but then they cancel it and don’t show up. You know you don tay already.
Used in a sentence:
A: *Crying & looking at the phone*
B: What’s the matter? Are you okay?
A: I’ve been “don tay” already. TT.
B: Oh no. It’s going to be okay. You’ll find someone new.
4. กิ๊ก (Gig) — a third party lover/affair
Image credit: posttoday
กิ๊ก (Gig) has been used for a very long time in Thai society. We’ve heard this word since we were just a kid. The word is a noun and bears the meaning of an affair, so if your boyfriend or girlfriend has กิ๊ก, they are cheating on you and having an affair. It’s a like soft, cool word to use instead of ชู้ (Shu). Saying someone is having ชู้ is harsher and sounds more traditional in our opinion. Anyway, they basically mean the same thing.
Used in a sentence:
A: No offence, but I think James has gig?
B: What? Why’d you say that?
A: I saw him walking with another girl two days ago.
B: I gotta ask him and find out!
5. ตั้ลล้าก (Thahn Lahk) — very cute
Image credit: Dailynews
When you want to compliment your bae, ตั้ลล้าก is another term you should try saying. It means “you’re really cute”. Similar to น่ารัก (Na Rak), it’s a positive word to use with your lover when they do something adorable for you, and you just say ตั้ลล้าคอ่า (Thuhn Lahk Ah). Believably, your darling will show an expression of surprise.
Used in a sentence:
A: Sweetheart, I have bought a gift for you.
B: Oh very nice of you, Thuhn Lahk Ahhh..
A: Hope you like it!
6. ผัวทิพย์ (Puo Tip) — an imaginary husband
Image credit: Pinterest
ผัวทิพย์ (Puo Tip) means someone you imagine to be your husband/boyfriend. Let’s say you like an idol so much that you think he is your imaginary BF even if they don’t know you at all. Or, you can use it when someone pretends to have a bf on social media but he doesn’t actually exist. So, they have an imaginary boyfriend.
Used in a sentence:
A: Check out this guy!
B: He’s cute. Do you like him?
A: Yeah. I cherish him. You can say he’s my puo tip. Hahaha
7. ใจบาง (Jai Bahng) — a strong liking for something
Screenshot: Genierock via YouTube
If you have ever felt melted and weak when seeing your crush in public, that’s when you ใจบาง (Jai Bang). It’s a feeling of being attracted by someone you have an affection for.
Used in a sentence:
A: I see you smile at Bank every time he walks past you.
B: He’s so nice to me. I always feel jai-bang when I see him.
A: Go hit on him then!
8. เตง (Teng) — sweetheart
Image credit: สมาชิกหมายเลข 5257000 via Pantip
You can call your SO using the term “เตง (Teng)” which is a short version of ตัวเอง (Tou Aeng). This term serves as an affectionate pronoun for couples to use when addressing each other, adding sweetness and cuteness to the conversation.
Used in a sentence:
A: Teng! Can you cook something for me? I’m so hungry.
B: Of course, I’ll make spaghetti for you. It will be done in 10 minutes na.
A: Thanks, babe.
9. ไม่ตรงปก (Mai Tong Pok) — does not look the same as the pic
Screenshot: JOKER FAMILY via YouTube
If you go on a date with someone you meet on a dating app but when they show up and look completely different from the pic used on the app, you know they ไม่ตรงปก (Mai Tong Pok).
This slang word is often used among people who are disappointed by good-looking people they meet online, and they turn out to not look good when met in person. It is similar to ‘catfish’ in English. You can also use this word for products you order online that don’t look the same upon arrival.
Used in a sentence:
Example 1: A: I talked to someone on Tinder, and we saw each other at Ped Ped Restaurant.
B: How was it going?
A: It’s sad to say that she mai tong pok. She looked gorgeous in the pic on Tinder, but in reality, she’s quite the opposite.
Example 2 A: I ordered a new pair of pants from Shopee last week, but when they arrived, I was shocked.
B: What happened?
A: They mai tong pok. The ones I got looked horribly designed!
10. นก (Nok) — to get rejected by someone you like
Image credit: @The-Iron-Pancake via Reddit
นก (Nok) used to be a popular slang word in the last five or six years ago, but we barely hear it nowadays. The word is used in a situation where a person fails to be in a relationship with someone after having flirted with them. To put it simply, if you นก (Nok), you are rejected by your crush.
We found out that the word came from a very old Thai song in 1994. The name of the song is นกตลอด. The lyrics refer to a man hitting on a woman but he feels ignored as if he was just a bird.
Used in a sentence:
A: Nond, did you hear about Pokpek and the woman he flirted with?
B: Yeah, I heard that he nok because she became another man’s girl, right?
A: Right! I feel bad for him, but I know he can find a new one.
Try these Thaii dating slang terms with your Thai partner
Now that you have learned these Thai dating slang words, it’s time to use them with your date or friends in Thailand. They’ll likely be surprised and curious about where you learned the words.
Hope these dating slang terms help you feel like a local more.
For more fun articles to read, explore Thai cheesy pick-up lines that’ll work on Thais, legendary romantic Thai films that are worth watching, and Bangkok love shrines to seek good fortune in love.
Cover image adapted from: Pinterest and สมาชิกหมายเลข 5257000 via Pantip
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