The word ‘To know’ can be divided into two words in Thai which are รู้ (and ทราบ) and รู้จัก (róo, sâap, róo jàk). In this article, we will discover the differences between these words.
To know a person, a place, a thing = รู้จัก róo jàk
รู้จัก róo jàk is used to express familiarity or acquaintance (or lack thereof) with a person, place, or thing. For example, you can know, or be acquainted with a movie, a book, a country, a place, or a certain person.
You will understand more from the examples below.
Examples:
- Which Thai singers do you know?
รู้จักนักร้องไทยคนไหนบ้าง
róo jàk nák-róng-tai kon năi bâang - I know Beyonce.
รู้จักบียอนเซ่
róo jàk bee yon sây - I don’t know you.
ฉันไม่รู้จักเธอ
chăn mâi róo jàk ter - Do you know this road?
รู้จักถนนเส้นนี้ไหม
róo jàk tà-nŏn-sâyn-née măi - How much do you know about Thailand?
รู้จักประเทศไทยมากเท่าไร
róo jàk bprà-tâyt tai mâak tâo rai
To know (knowledge) = รู้ róo
รู้ róo is used to talk about facts or information you know.
รู้ róo is usually followed by the word ว่า wâa which means ‘that’ = “I know that ….”.
ทราบ sâap has exactly the same definition and is used in exactly the same situations. The only difference is ทราบ is more formal.
In the below examples, you can replace รู้ with ทราบ and it would mean the same.
Examples:
- I know that you didn’t understand.
ฉันรู้ว่าเธอไม่เข้าใจ
chăn róo wâa ter mâi kâo jai - I know who he is.
ฉันรู้ว่าเขาเป็นใคร
chăn róo wâa kăo bpen krai - Do you know that I like you?
เธอรู้ไหมว่าฉันชอบเธอ
ter róo măi wâa chăn chôp ter - What do you know about Thailand?
รู้อะไรเกี่ยวกับประเทศไทยบ้าง
róo à-rai gìeow gàp bprà-tâyt tai bâang - Do you know the way back home?
รู้ทางกลับบ้านไหม
róo taang glàp bâan măi
⭐️ If you know about someone but you don’t know them personally, you can say:
I know who he is but I don’t know him.
ฉันรู้ว่าเขาเป็นใครแต่ฉันไม่รู้จักเขา
chăn róo wâa kăo bpen krai dtàe chăn mâi róo jàk kăo
I hope you now know the differences between รู้, รู้จัก, and ทราบ (róo, róo jàk, sâap) and when to use each.