Daily Thai Confidence: Using ลูกน้อง (lûuk-náwng)

Noun: ลูกน้อง (lûuk-náwng)
Meaning: subordinate / junior employee / someone who works under a boss

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the noun ลูกน้อง (lûuk-náwng), which means ‘subordinate,’ ‘junior employee,’ or ‘someone who works under a boss.’ It refers to a person who is under the authority or supervision of someone else in a workplace or organisation.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

k^hǎo mēe lûuk-náwng ^hlǎai k^hōn
Literal: He has subordinate many person.
He has many subordinates.

The quantifier หลาย (^hlǎai) means ‘many’ or ‘several’. It is used to indicate a large or indefinite number of people or things. In Thai, it must normally be followed by a classifier when counting nouns — noun+หลาย (^hlǎai) + classifier.  For example: นักเรียนหลายคน (nák-rīan ^hlǎai k^hōn = Many students.); หนังสือหลายเล่ม (^hnǎng-sěu ^hlǎai lêm = Many books.); บ้านหลายหลัง (bâan ^hlǎai ^hlǎng = Many houses.), etc.

jâo-nāai gām-lāng k^hūi gàb lûuk-náwng
Literal: Boss in the process of chatting to subordinate.
The boss is talking with the employees.

The helping verb กำลัง (gām-lāng) is used before the main verb to indicate an action that is in progress. It functions similarly to the present continuous tense in English — subject + กำลัง (gām-lāng) + main verb. For example: เขากำลังกินข้าว (k^hǎo gām-lāng gīn-k^hâow = He is eating.); ฉันกำลังอ่านหนังสือ (chǎn gām-lāng àan ^hnǎng-sěu = I am reading a book.); พวกเขากำลังทำงาน (p^hûak-k^hǎo gām-lāng t^hām-ngāan = They are working.), etc.

lûuk-náwng dtâwng rāai-ngāan p^hǒn gāan-t^hām-ngāan hâi hǔa-^hnâa
Literal: Subordinate must report result action of working for supervisor.
The employees must report the work results to the supervisor.

The modal verb ต้อง (dtâwng) means ‘must,’ ‘have to,’ or ‘need to’. It is used to express necessity, obligation, or something that is required to happen. It appears before the main verb and indicates that the action is necessary or required — subject + ต้อง (dtâwng)  + main verb. For example: ฉันต้องไปทำงาน (chǎn dtâwng bpāi t^hām-ngāan = I have to go to work.); เขาต้องเรียนภาษาไทย (k^hǎo dtâwng rīan p^hāa-sǎa Thāi = He has to learn Thai.); พวกเราต้องรีบ (p^hûak-rāo dtâwng rêeb = We have to hurry.), etc.

jâo-nāai sàng-ngāan lûuk-náwng
Literal: Boss order-work subordinate.
The boss is talking to the employees.

The verb สั่งงาน (sàng-ngāan) means ‘to assign work,’ ‘to give instruction,’ or ‘to order someone to do a task’. It is commonly used in workplace contexts when a boss, manager, or leader tells someone what work needs to be done.

Practise putting your newly learned Thai word into a sentence by translating the following sentences below.

1. One employee is waiting for the boss’s decision.
2. The manager assigns work to the employee every morning.
3. The boss praised the employees who worked hard.
4. The employees are discussing the new project.
5. The boss is observing the employees while they are working.

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