I'm fluent in both English and Thai but for the life of me can't come up with a good translation for:

Kreng Jai

Don't want to bother or disturb you.

or

Am afraid to bother or disturb you.

Edited March 29, 201511 yr by Costas2008

Based on what I've read, it's really not easily translatable into English. It's a concept somewhat relating to not wanting to offend or disturb somebody else. A literal translation of the two words simply won't help you.

If it's the concept you're trying to understand, then simply google "greng jai" and you'll find a lot of comments about it. If you get to the point of somewhat understanding it, consider that a victory.

kik yat

Don't want to bother or disturb you.

or

Am afraid to bother or disturb you.

That's the best I could come up with too, yet if you retranslate I don't want to bother/disturb you, you get mai yak robb gruan.

Don't want to bother or disturb you.

or

Am afraid to bother or disturb you.

That's the best I could come up with too, yet if you retranslate I don't want to bother/disturb you, you get mai yak robb gruan.

As I understand it, there is also an idea of respect and obedience - I'd say "deference" is pretty close

Not translatable into English (unless you go into a several sentence explanation to do so) because we don't have the concept in the West. One of the things the Thais are way better at than us (showing respect/consideration in human relationships). We're too focused on "stick up for yourself/don't let anyone push you around/be your own person" bullshit. Easily translatable into languages such as Khmer, which have the exact same concept.

Thoughtfulness, which in the West is shown by being considerate to others, whereas in Thailand is shown by not doing anything about the thoughtlessness of others.

Don't want to bother or disturb you.

or

Am afraid to bother or disturb you.

That's the best I could come up with too, yet if you retranslate I don't want to bother/disturb you, you get mai yak robb gruan.

If you are fluent why not write it in Thai?

Don't want to bother or disturb you.

or

Am afraid to bother or disturb you.

That's the best I could come up with too, yet if you retranslate I don't want to bother/disturb you, you get mai yak robb gruan.

As I understand it, there is also an idea of respect and obedience - I'd say "deference" is pretty close

I don't think respect is an ingredient of "greng jai". Perhaps, "the fear of causing someone to lose face" is better?

I think the word obeisance is useful but not many English speakers know what it means.