Hello

How would you translate the word "spouse"

Rather than wife or husband

Thank you

In formal settings, the word ภรรยา is used for wife and for husband, it's สามี.

คู่สามีภรรยา or just สามีภรรยา would mean a married couple.

One can also use คู่สมรส as an alternative gender neutral word. By context this can mean both married couple or just one of the parts.

In day to day usage, most people just say แฟน which is a more polite word instead of ผัว and เมีย.

แฟน usually means girlfriend or boyfriend, but by context it's readily understood to mean married spouse or partner.

It can mean both of them or just one of the parts.

Example: เขาเป็นแฟนกัน or เธอเป็นแฟนผมครับ

This gender neutral word is also handy if the other part is in one of the 3rd genders...

However, if you do want to explicitly make sure that the meaning is married partner, you should use คู่สมรส.

Edited October 17, 201312 yr by Mole

Kuu som rot may also be appropriate คู่สมรส

Thank you

I guess that the most appropriate will be คู่สมรส as Praraya and Sammee are too specific

As you mention it, this appellation would fit a third gender, and therefore a couple of married men or married women

Edited October 17, 201312 yr by alyx

Is there a better approach?

As in Praraya compared to Mia

Note that both สามีภรรยา and คู่สมรส are really used only in very formal settings or official documents.

In everyday usage, you should just say แฟน. This would be equivalent of the English term "partner".

Ok thank you

How about คู่ครอง ?

คู่ครอง is really only used in special meanings such as horoscope or poetry.

It literal meaning is like spouse but it's understood more like a soul mate or a partner of your destiny.

Ah, ok

Thanks for the insight

Il stick to the first suggestion then

The only word that I have heard used in all situations is แฟน.

Uh, if it is a Thai wife we are talking about then perhaps เจ้าชีวิต

Sorry, I dont mean to be critical, perhaps the OP instead of beating about the bush should come straight out with what he is trying to say/explain.

My wife speaks damned good English, but even she has difficulty understanding PC English, an example being, how can someone be a chair.

At other times she has to give an explanation rather than a 2 or 3 word example, for the simple reason, it doesnt exist in Thai.

Thanks to everyone

My question has already been answered by Mole and Texas Rangers

I have used คู่ครอง in Bangkok and in some remote areas and this term seems to do the trick

Furthermore, knowing the term now, I have heard in a a couple of conversation