This post was co-written by Erin Vincent (founder of Evi Mae) and Narisa Naropakorn (Thai language educator). Narisa is an expert at teaching Thai to foreigners and offers personalized private lessons online. Learn more at www.thaiskypeteacher.com
Intro
Just like in English, Thai has a variety of words and phrases for talking about your period—from formal medical terms to casual slang and playful euphemisms. Knowing which one to use depends on who you’re speaking with and the context.
Let’s walk through them, starting with the more formal words you’d hear at the doctor’s office, then moving into everyday casual Thai, and finally some slang and euphemisms.
Formal Words
These are the polite, standard terms you’d use in medical settings or when you want to sound more refined.
ประจำเดือน (bprà-jam deuan) – period
Literally: “regular + month = monthly”
The standard medical word for “period.”
📌 Example:
A doctor might ask:
ประจำเดือนมาปกติไหม (bprà-jam deuan maa bpòk-ga-dtì mái)
Do you have regular periods?
รอบเดือน (rôp deuan) – monthly cycle
Literally: “cycle + month.”
A more elegant or refined term, often used in writing such as health articles or ads for high-end women’s clinics.
📌 Example:
รอบเดือนที่ผิดปกติอาจเกิดขึ้นพร้อมปัญหาของผิว เช่นการเกิดสิว
(rôp deuan tîi phìt-bpòk-ga-dti àat gèrt-khûen phróm bpan-hăa khŏng phǐu chên gaan gèrt sĭw)
Irregular monthly cycles might occur alongside skin problems, such as acne.
Casual Everyday Word
This is the one you’ll hear most often when chatting with friends.
เมนส์ (men) – from “menstruation”
This is where it gets fun! Thai borrowed the word straight from English—but only kept the first syllable, men. It sounds short, casual, and it’s by far the most common way Thai women say “period” in everyday life.
📌 Example phrases:
ฉันเป็นเมนส์ (chǎn bpen men) = I’m on my period
เมนส์มา (men maa) = My period started
ปวดท้องเมนส์ (bpùat-thóng men) = I have period cramps
Slang & Euphemisms
Thai speakers also use softer or humorous ways to talk about their period, just like in English we might say “that time of the month.”
วันนั้นของเดือน (wan-nán khŏng deuan) – that time of the month
A polite, indirect phrase often used in advertising.
📌 Example:
ผ้าอนามัยแบบสอด Evi Mae ช่วยให้สบายขึ้น มั่นใจขึ้นในช่วงวันนั้นของเดือน
(pâa aa-na-mai bàep sàawt Evi Mae chûay hâi sa-baai khûen mân-jai khûen nai chûang wan-nán khŏng deuan)
Evi Mae tampons help you feel more comfortable and confident during that time of the month.
ป้าแดง (bpâa daeng) – Aunt Red
A playful nickname for your period. Connotes an unwelcome visitor.
📌 Example phrases:
ป้าแดงมาเที่ยวไม่สนุกเลย (bpâa daeng maa thîaw mâi sa-nùk loei) = Aunt Red ruined my vacation.
เดือนนี้ทำไมป้าแดงมาช้า (deuan níi tam-mai bpâa daeng maa cháa) = Why is Aunt Red late this month?
ขี่ม้า (khìi máa) – riding a horse
Old slang that refers to very bulky pads from the past, which felt like “riding a horse.” Today, it’s mostly used jokingly to contrast with modern products.
📌 Example:
สมัยนี้สาวๆ ไม่ต้องขี่ม้าแล้ว เพราะมีตัวช่วยที่สะดวกคือผ้าอนามัยแบบสอด Evi Mae
(sà-mǎi níi săao-săao mâi dtông khìi máa láew, phró raw mii dtua-chûay tîi sà-dùak kheuu pâa aa-na-mai bàep sàawt Evi Mae)
Nowadays, women don’t have to “ride a horse” anymore—there’s something more convenient: Evi Mae tampons.
Wrap-Up
Whether you’re at the doctor’s office, chatting with friends, or just reading Thai advertising, you’ll hear different words for “period.”
Use ประจำเดือน (bprà-jam deuan) or รอบเดือน (rôp deuan) when speaking formally.
Say เมนส์ (men) with friends or in everyday conversation.
And don’t be surprised to hear playful phrases like ป้าแดง (bpâa daeng) or วันนั้นของเดือน (wan-nán khŏng deuan).
Learning these words isn’t just helpful for vocabulary—it’s also a glimpse into how Thai culture talks about women’s health, from polite and indirect to casual and cheeky.