Daily Thai Confidence: Using เรียก (rîak)

Verb: เรียก (rîak)
Meaning: to call / to call for

In this Thai lesson, we learn how to use the verb เรียก (rîak), which means ‘to call’ or ‘to call for.’ It is used when someone calls a person, summons someone, names something, or requests someone to come. The exact meaning depends on the context.

The verb เรียก (rîak) is often used when someone asks another person to come, respond, or pay attention. In this sense, it refers to the act of calling out to someone, summoning them, or getting their attention, usually by speaking their name, raising one’s voice, or making a request for them to come closer. The action may be done from a distance, such as calling someone from another room, or in a situation where someone in a position of authority asks another person to come and speak with them.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: subject + เรียก (rîak) + person.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

แม่เรียกลูกให้มากินข้าว

mâe rîak lûuk hâi māa gīn-k^hâow
Literal: Mother call child for come eat-rice.
The mother calls her child to come and eat.

The verb phrase กินข้าว (gīn-k^hâow) means ‘to eat a meal’ or ‘to eat’. It is often used in everyday conversation to refer to having a meal in general, even if the food being eaten is not rice.)

หัวหน้าเรียกลูกน้องมาคุยเรื่องงาน

hǔa-^hnâa rîak lûuk-náwng māa k^hūi rêuang ngāan
Literal: Supervisor call subordinate come chat topic about work.
The supervisor calls his subordinate in to discuss work.

The word เรื่อง (rêuang) is a very common Thai word that can function as a noun, and it generally means ‘story,’ ‘matter,’ ‘topic,’ or ‘issue’. Its exact meaning depends on the context, but it always refers to something being talked about or happening — เรื่อง (rêuang) + noun / verb phrase (that show about something).

ครูเรียกนักเรียนเข้าห้องเรียน

k^hrūu rîak nák-rīan k^hâo hâwng-rīan
Literal: Teacher call student to enter into classroom.
The teacher calls the students into the classroom.

The verb เข้า (k^hâo) means ‘to go in’ or ‘to enter’. It describes movement from the outside into a place, space, or situation.

The verb เรียก (rîak) can also mean ‘to call something’ or ‘to refer to something by a particular name.’ In this sense, it is sued when explaining what something is called or how people name or refer to a person, place, object, or concept. This usage often appears when introducing the name of something or explaining how a word is used in a language.

In Thai, this structure frequently includes the word ว่า (wâa). It is used as a complementiser that introduces the name, term, or statement that follows the verb เรียก (rîak). It functions similarly to the English word ‘that’ or the quotation marker used when reporting speech or naming something.

When Thai speakers use เรียก…ว่า (rîak…wâa), the word ว่า (wâa) signals that what comes next is the name or label used to refer to the noun before it. In other words, it separates the objects being named from the name that people use for it.

The typical structure usually follows the pattern: subject + เรียก (rîak) + noun + ว่า (wâa) + name.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

คนไทยเรียกผลไม้นี้ว่า “มะม่วง”

k^hōn Thāi rîak p^hǒn-lá-mái née wâa má-mûang
Literal: People Thai call fruit this that “mango”.
Thai people call this fruit “má-mûang”.

In this sentence, the word ว่า (wâa) introduce the name that follows. The word มะม่วง (má-mûang = mango) is the name assigned to the noun ผลไม้นี้ (p^hǒn-lá-mái née = this fruit). Using ว่า (wâa) makes the sentence sound more natural and complete in Thai.

ทุกคนเรียกแม่น้ำนี้ว่า “แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา”

t^húk-k^hōn rîak mâe-nám née wâa “mâe-nám jâo-p^hrá-yāa”
Literal: Every-person call river this that “river jâo-p^hrá-yāa”.
The supervisor calls his subordinate in to discuss work.

In this sentence, the word ว่า (wâa) introduce the name that follows. The phrase แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา (mâe-nám jâo-p^hrá-yāa = Chao Phraya River) is the name assigned to the noun แม่น้ำนี้ (mâe-nám née = this river). Using ว่า (wâa) makes the sentence sound more natural and complete in Thai.

เพื่อนของฉันเรียกแมวของเขาว่า “เจ้าดำ”

p^hêuan k^hǎwng-chǎn rîak māew k^hǎwng-k^hǎo wâa “jâo dām”
Literal: Friend belonging to-me call cat belonging to-him that “jâo dām”.
My friend calls his cat “jâo dām”.

In this sentence, the word ว่า (wâa) introduce the name that follows. The phrase เจ้าดำ (jâo dām = equivalent to “Blackie”) is the name assigned to the noun แมวของเขา (māew k^hǎwng-k^hǎo = his cat). Using ว่า (wâa) makes the sentence sound more natural and complete in Thai.

The verb เรียก (rîak) can also mean ‘to call for something’ or ‘to request a service or assistance.’ In this usage, the verb refers to the act of asking for someone or something to come and help, provide a service, or respond to a situation. It is commonly used in everyday situations when someone needs assistance or wants a particular service.

For examples (ตัวอย่างเช่น — dtūa-^awyàang chên)

เขากำลังเรียกแท็กซี่

k^hǎo gām-lāng rîak t^háek-sêe
Literal: He is in the process of calling for taxi.
He is calling for a taxi.

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.

ฉันต้องเรียกหมอเมื่อคืนนี้เพราะว่าเขาไม่สบาย

chǎn dtâwng rîak ^hmǎw mêua-k^hēun-née p^hrót wâa k^hǎo mâi sà-bāai
Literal: I must call for doctor last night because he not well.
I had to call for the doctor last night because he wasn’t feeling well.

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.

พนักงานต้อนรับโทรเรียกช่างแล้ว

p^há-nák-ngāan dtâwn-ráb t^hōo rîak châng láew
Literal: Staff welcome phone call for technician already.
The receptionist has already called a technician.

The verb โทร (t^hōo) means ‘to call’ or ‘to phone someone’. It is usually used as a verb before mentioning the person you are calling. In this sentence, it is placed before the verb เรียก (rîak), emphasising that the action is done through telephone communication.

Homework (การบ้าน — gāan-bâan)

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

1. They called a taxi to take them to the airport.
2. We called a doctor last night to come to the house.
3. She called her friend from another room.
4. The security guard called for help when he saw the problem.
5. The manager called the technician to fix the air conditioner.

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