How to Say Similar in Thai

If you’ve been to Thailand before you might have heard the phrase “same same” and “same same but different” (maybe you even bought the t-shirt!).  

In this post we’re going to learn how to say “similar” and “the same” in Thai.  These words can come in handy in everyday conversations if you want to say something like “we’re wearing similar shirts” or “I feel the same”. 

เหมือนมั้ย

Similar in Thai – The Quick Answer

If you’re looking for a quick answer, the way to say similar in Thaiซ

• คล้ายๆ กัน (klaai klaai kkan)

• คล้าย (klaai) – means “similar to” or “alike”.  

• ๆ- is a Thai symbol which indicates that the preceding word should be repeated (some Thai words can be repeated to add emphasis or to intensify the meaning).  

• กัน (kkan) – means “together” or “each other”

Example sentence:

• เราใส่เสื้อคล้ายๆ กัน (rao sai seua klaai klaai kkan) – We’re wearing similar shirts

Doubled Up Thai Words

In Thai, some adjectives can be repeated in order to emphasize, or intensify the meaning. Here are some examples:

• คล้ายๆ (klaai klaai) – similar
• สวยๆ (suai suai) – beautiful
• น่ารักๆ (naa-rak naa-rak) – cute
• เร็วๆ (raew raew) – quickly
• เบาๆ (bao bao) – gently

Different Ways to Say Similar in Thai

Although in many situations คล้ายๆ กัน (klaai klaai kkan) will be the best way to say similar in Thai, you may hear a number of different variations of this:

• คล้าย (klaai)
• คล้ายๆ (klaai klaai)
• คล้าย กับ (klaai kkap)
• คล้ายๆ กับ (klaai klaai kkap)

All of these variations can be used interchangeably to mean “similar to”.

The word กับ (kkap) means “with” – though when it is combined with คล้าย (klaai), it just means “similar to”.

Examples Sentences:

All 4 of these sentences mean “Thai language is similar to Lao language.”

• คล้าย (klaai)
  • ภาษาไทยคล้ายภาษาลาว (phaa-saa thai khlaai phaa-saa laao) 
• คล้ายๆ (klaai klaai)
  • ภาษาไทยคล้ายๆ ภาษาลาว (phaa-saa thai khlaai-khlaai phaa-saa laao) 
• คล้าย กับ (klaai kkap)*
  • ภาษาไทยคล้ายกับภาษาลาว (phaa-saa thai khlaai kap phaa-saa laao) 
• คล้ายๆ กับ (klaai klaai kkap)*
  • ภาษาไทยคล้ายๆ กับภาษาลาว (phaa-saa thai khlaai-khlaai kap phaa-saa laao) 

* กับ functions like “with” in these patterns.

Vocabulary:

• ภาษา (phaa-saa) – language
  • ภาษาไทย (phaa-saa thai) – Thai language
  • ภาษาลาว (phaa-saa laao) – Lao language
• ไทย (thai) – Thai
• ลาว (laao) – Lao(s)

How to Say The Same in Thai

Now that we know the Thai word for “similar” let’s look at how to say “the same” in Thai.  The word เหมือน (muean) can also mean similar, but it tends to be stronger (and closer to being the same) then saying คล้าย (khlaai).   

So it’s important to remember that เหมือน while technically meaning “same” is often used as “very similar to” or “like”

• หน้าเหมือนแม่ (naa muean mae)- (your) face is like your mom’s.

The Thai word for “the same,” but it has a couple forms depending on what you want to say. 

• เหมือนกัน (muean kkan) 

Example sentence:

• ผมก็รู้สึกแบบนั้นเหมือนกัน (phom ruu-suk baep nan muean kan) – I feel the same (as you)

Just like the Thai word for “similar”, you may also hear a couple of different variations of the Thai word for “the same”.

Here the English sentence is:

“He has the same shoes as his older brother”

• เหมือน (meuan)
  • เขามีรองเท้าเหมือนพี่ชายของเขา (kao mii rawng tao muean pii chai kawng kao) 
• เหมือนกับ (muean kkap)
  • เขามีรองเท้าเหมือนกับพี่ชายของเขา (kao mii rawng tao muean kkap pii chai kawng kao)

How to Say “The Usual Please” 

If you go to the same coffee shop every day and order the same drink, after a while the staff will know you well enough to remember your order.  So you can just tell them “I’ll have the usual please”.

The way to say this in Thai is:

เอา เหมือนเดิม ครับ / ค่ะ (ao muean duem khrap / kha) – I’ll have the usual please (+ polite particle)

We use the phrase เหมือนเดิม (muean duem) when we are referring to something that is the same as before.  

Here are some other examples:

• คนเดิม (kon duem)  – same person (as before)
  • ยังคบกับคนเดิมรึเปล่า (yang yuu kkap kon duem rue pplao) – Are you still with the same person

• ที่เดิม (tii duem) – same place (as before)
  • ยังทำงานที่เดิมใช่มั้ย (yang tam-gnaan tii duem chai mai) – You’re still working at the same place right?  

Same Same But Different

There doesn’t seem to be a consensus on where the phrase “same same but different” came from.  While this phrase can be heard in tourist areas all across Thailand, it’s by no means exclusive to this country – it can also be heard in a number of other South East Asian countries.  

However, since this is a Thai language blog, we’re going to throw in our two baht on how this phrase could have originated in Thailand.

Here goes…

In Thai language, there is a phrase that is used when things are similar but not exactly the same:

• คล้ายๆแต่ไม่เหมือน (klaai klaai ttae mai muean) – Literally: similar but not the same

Same same but different could be a rough translation of this Thai phrase.  Although, in the original Thai, the word “similar” ( คล้ายๆ – klaai klaai) is used, but in the English version the word “same same” is used.  This could be because when Thai words are repeated for emphasis, they tend to be short, one or two syllable words. 

So “same same” is simply easier and faster for Thai people to say than “similar similar”. 

While “same same but different” sounds funny to us in English, the original Thai version actually makes a lot more sense. 

What do you think?  Are we on the right lines or do you have a different theory on where this phrase originated?

Conclusion

Hopefully you know how to say the same and similar in Thai now.  So you can get out there and start practicing what you’ve learned!