The Tattoo Thread - Western Names In Thai Script

[Songsak77]

My mother who was born in Bangkok recently passed away and I wanted to get her name tattooed on my arm.

Her name was Siripon ( though I understand another spelling might be Siriporn ) ... can someone help me translate this into Thai Script?

I think it's this: ศิริพร but I obviously want to make sure before I commit it to my arm.

I'm also considering adding years the 1947-2013 as well. Would this be correct? ๒๔๙๐ - ๒๕๕๖

Thank you.

[Neeranam]

How do you spell : Jalen Njoroge in Thai? The N on my last name is not silent btw

It would help if you told us how to pronounce your surname. Looks like an African name?

[Neeranam]

heyy could someone possibly tell me what my name would be in thai? its ainsley. much thanks! x

เอนสลีย์

but a staff member who has a masters in English says this roughly translates into 'Leaner Isley' guess there's no way of knowing is there?? Can you break that down phonetically??

And how would a Masters in English help with reading/writing Thai? is pronounced enslee IMHO.

เอนสลีย์ is pronounced enslee IMHO.

I would write it as เเอนส์ลี่

[robertpirao]

Hello. I'm trying to get a couple of things translated in to Thai for a tattoo. I have tried to do it with Google translator butI'm worried that the meaning may get lost in the translation 

This is what I wanted. 

You've only got one life. Live it

คุณมีเพียงชีวิตเดียวเท่านั้น อาศัยอยู่

 

One life one chance 

หนึ่งชีวิตหนึ่งโอกาส

 

You have only one life make the most of it 

คุณมีชีวิตเพียงหนึ่งเดียวที่ใช้ประโยชน์สูงสุด

 

 

And is the name Cristina 

คริสตินา                                                    Thanks in advance 

[KhunBENQ]

Christina, very close to what WiKi uses for Christina (Aguilar):

คริสติน่า

https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/คริสติน่า_อากีล่าร์

 

[robertpirao]

4 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Christina, very close to what WiKi uses for Christina (Aguilar):

คริสติน่า

https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/คริสติน่า_อากีล่าร์

 

Ok. Thanks

The other frases are what worry me

[Chou Anou]

1 hour ago, robertpirao said:

Ok. Thanks

The other frases are what worry me

And they should worry you, very much.

 

When one gets a tattoo in a language one can't read, the question must be asked: who is your intended audience; who do you want to read the tattoo and make sense out of it?  (please don't say "myself," because if that were the case, you'd be getting the tattoo in a language you're a fluent reader of).

 

I can only assume that your intended audience is literate Thais.  And, in my opinion--if there are any Thai native speakers reading this who disagree, feel free to correct me--most Thais would scratch their heads at these, and have no idea what you're trying to get across.  That's because these are not Thai sayings, and sayings of this nature (short and pithy, somewhat cryptic, with many cultural assumptions encoded within them) rarely translate very well between languages in the same medium (short and pithy).

 

The grammar and word choice is more or less okay, I guess...though ชาติ may be a better choice than ชีวิด in the second one...but to me, your much larger problem is that the sayings would not make sense to almost any Thai reader.  Actually, all of the sayings go quite strongly AGAINST Thai belief, since most Thais believe that one has many lives, not simply one!

 

My suggestion?  Work with a Thai speaker who also has a good command of English, and identify some Thai proverbs/sayings that come reasonably close in meaning/essence (though probably not in imagery/metaphor, and definitely not referencing the notion of only having "one life," which is antithetical to Thai belief) to the sayings in English that you've chosen.  Good luck!

Edited August 5, 2017 by Chou Anou

[robertpirao]

1 hour ago, Chou Anou said:

And they should worry you, very much.

 

When one gets a tattoo in a language one can't read, the question must be asked: who is your intended audience; who do you want to read the tattoo and make sense out of it?  (please don't say "myself," because if that were the case, you'd be getting the tattoo in a language you're a fluent reader of).

 

I can only assume that your intended audience is literate Thais.  And, in my opinion--if there are any Thai native speakers reading this who disagree, feel free to correct me--most Thais would scratch their heads at these, and have no idea what you're trying to get across.  That's because these are not Thai sayings, and sayings of this nature (short and pithy, somewhat cryptic, with many cultural assumptions encoded within them) rarely translate very well between languages in the same medium (short and pithy).

 

The grammar and word choice is more or less okay, I guess...though ชาติ may be a better choice than ชีวิด in the second one...but to me, your much larger problem is that the sayings would not make sense to almost any Thai reader.  Actually, all of the sayings go quite strongly AGAINST Thai belief, since most Thais believe that one has many lives, not simply one!

 

My suggestion?  Work with a Thai speaker who also has a good command of English, and identify some Thai proverbs/sayings that come reasonably close in meaning/essence (though probably not in imagery/metaphor, and definitely not referencing the notion of only having "one life," which is antithetical to Thai belief) to the sayings in English that you've chosen.  Good luck!

Thank you verry much.

That is the reason why I asked. I don't what to offend anyone and I am well aware that the Thai believe in many lifes.

What about somthig like: Make the most of your life??

 

I don't want to go back to Thailand and get and looks

Thank you again

[Chou Anou]

9 minutes ago, robertpirao said:

Thank you verry much.

That is the reason why I asked. I don't what to offend anyone and I am well aware that the Thai believe in many lifes.

What about somthig like: Make the most of your life??

 

I don't want to go back to Thailand and get and looks

Thank you again

Like I said, if you're really intent on getting a tattoo of a saying/proverb in Thai, make it a traditional Thai proverb. Work with a native-speaking Thai who knows English well to find the closest Thai proverb that captures the meaning you want to convey...I think that's your best bet.  There are also books out there about Thai proverbs, which explain them in English...websites as well.  Here's one of many:

 

http://www.thai-language.com/id/589868

[robertpirao]

28 minutes ago, Chou Anou said:

Like I said, if you're really intent on getting a tattoo of a saying/proverb in Thai, make it a traditional Thai proverb. Work with a native-speaking Thai who knows English well to find the closest Thai proverb that captures the meaning you want to convey...I think that's your best bet.  There are also books out there about Thai proverbs, which explain them in English...websites as well.  Here's one of many:

 

http://www.thai-language.com/id/589868

Thank you very much. I'll give it a look.

Thanks again for all your help 

[robertpirao]

2 hours ago, robertpirao said:

Thank you very much. I'll give it a look.

Thanks again for all your help 

Hi. I have found this on the link you sent me

ตีเหล็กเมื่อแดง กินแกงเมื่อร้อน ( Strike while the iron is hot) 

what do you think??  It is a ripe of carpe diem which is what I want

sorry and thanks

Edited August 5, 2017 by robertpirao

[Deserted]

Are there any sites on-line where I can find Thai script for tattoos? I know how to translate what I want, its how its done that is the main point behind the question. 

[mrblonde]

Can someone please translate the name

 

Glen

 

into Thai please?  Putting my trust in you who read/write it than Google  :) 

[KhunBENQ]

On 26.9.2017 at 11:23 PM, mrblonde said:

Can someone please translate the name

 

Glen

 

into Thai please?  Putting my trust in you who read/write it than Google  :) 

เกล็น

(e-g-l-n)

It's a single syllable in Thai.

The marker above the "l" is needed to make a short "e".

 

There are a couple of examples for "Glenn" (double "n") like this:

เกล็นน์

(second "n" with a silent marker)

 

เกล็น จอห์นสัน = Glen Johnson, somewhat famous (?) footballer:

https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/เกล็น_จอห์นสัน

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Johnson

 

[KMCLP]

Hi! 

Is it possible to have a surname transcribed into Thai?

The name is: Calapa

In English (with American accent), it is pronounced "cuh- laah- puh". I've been having a tough time with it because it's not a common name.

Thank you so much! It's much appreciated!

[KMCLP]

22 hours ago, KMCLP said:

Hi! 

Is it possible to have a surname transcribed into Thai?

The name is: Calapa

In English (with American accent), it is pronounced "cuh- laah- puh". I've been having a tough time with it because it's not a common name.

Thank you so much! It's much appreciated!

For the "cuh/kah" sound, Would it be one of the following? ข, ฃ, ค, ฅ, ฆ 

For the "ah" sound, would it be: [−ะ/−ั−]

For the "laah" sound, would it be one of the following: ล, ฦ, ฬ

For the "ah" sound, it's a little longer sounding, would it be: [แ−ะ/แ−็−]

For the "pah/puh" sound, would one of these be it? ผ, พ, ภ

For the "ah" sound, would it be: [−ะ/−ั−].

[tgeezer]

I seldom look here so have just found this.
Apart from introducing แอะ and แอ็ which is used to shorten the vowel แอ in a closed syllable which your name doesn't appear to need, you just use any letters you like and teach people how to say your name on a case by case basis.
I think that you know how to write well enough so rather than take what you find here as 'gospel' try out various versions คลาถะ คะลาภะ, คละภะ คลาเภอะ etc. on different people and choose the one you like.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[mogandave]

Have it done with a sharpie first and see if the girls laugh...

[mogandave]

Have it done with a sharpie first and see if the girls laugh...

[Katia]

Are there "standard" ways of choosing how to spell a name?  For example, probably not many people with my last name in Thailand so it's possible that when they put it on my ID cards, they're not going from any other precedent.  Is it possible to really just "choose" how to spell one's name?  Or could there be ways that either make less sense than others due to standard conventions, or could indeed be strange or offensive if one of the syllables, with that spelling, has another meaning (coworker Jim sometimes got a kick out of introducing himself to Thais...)?

 

(For that matter, I wish they had asked how they should spell my first name, because the way they spell it, the pronunciation is off.  And it's not like there aren't Thai vowels that would allow correct pronunciation... they just chose not to use them.  But, I'm sure, there probably IS a standard way to spell the first name, even if incorrect, so I wasn't going to argue it.)

[ketsana]

Hi guys, I’d like to honor my late mother with a tattoo. I don’t have any Thai relatives or friends nearby who could transcribe her name into Thai letters. Can anyone help me out? Her name is ThongVan. If someone could write her name in Thai letters, I would very much appreciate it. (Would be cool to see my name Ketsana in Thai letters as well :)) thank you in advance!!

[mogandave]

I would recommend you go back and forth with a Thai and say it back and forth 100 times until they pronounce it perfectly, and then have them write it down.

Did your mother like tattoos?

[Nakmuay887]

This is a super cool thread. 

 

What would my name be? It's Joshua or Josh 

[chickenslegs]

28 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

This is a super cool thread. 

 

What would my name be? It's Joshua or Josh 

ปอรหนล ?

Just joking - Google translate says โจชัว

 

[Lois123]

Hi all,

 

I absolutely love Thailand and am considering to get my name tattoo'd on myself in Thai.

 

However, after much research on Google.. my name is nowhere to be found.

 

Can anyone help me translate Lois in thai?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Lois

[1FinickyOne]

11 minutes ago, Lois123 said:

Hi all,

 

I absolutely love Thailand and am considering to get my name tattoo'd on myself in Thai.

 

However, after much research on Google.. my name is nowhere to be found.

 

Can anyone help me translate Lois in thai?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Lois

You are going to run into a couple of problems... the l sound in the beginning may come out more as an r or rolled r sound and then the S on the end, is likely silent... they seem to drop it so entirely that I had to over-empthasize the sound to get my niece and wife to make plurals... cat sssss as their instinct is to drop it... as in mickey mouse is mickey mou... and house becomes hou... it was almost as if they could not hear the sss at the end...

 

When a Thai says Lois - - how does is sound? I think that is going to be quite difficult... 

 

have you considered changing your name to Noy? 

Edited September 6, 2019 by kenk24

[alejju]

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I would like to translate this sentence in thai language: "As long as you love, you will still have hope"

 

Can someone can help me please?

 

Best Regards.

[tmanx]

Hi

Looks like an old thread - but still active.

 

Am interested in having daughter's names translated. Intention is for a tattoo. 

 

Leila is the first (pronounced ley-la).  It looks like there is a 'Leila Amulets' jewelry brand in Thailand so hoping there is a possible translation. I am concerned about the L as I don't think this converts well?

 

Phoebe is the second name (pronounced phe-be / fe-be)

 

It would be great if Holly could also be translated (pronounced Hol-ee)

 

Appreciate Google Translate can do this nowadays - but would rather not rely on that.  

 

Many thanks in advance

[Dan O]

Stupid question here but why would you want your own name tattooed in thai on yourself????? In case you get alzheimers and forget who you are?  Secondarily it's bad luck to tattoo a name

[Daffy D]

Pad Thai Script:-