อำลา
say goodbye
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 say goodbye、bid farewell、take one's leave
This word means to formally say goodbye and leave a person, place, career, or other part of one's life behind. It usually suggests a meaningful or definitive farewell rather than a casual goodbye.
say goodbye、bid farewell、take one's leave
To formally say goodbye to someone or take leave of a person or place.
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กล่าวอำลา klàaw amlaa say a few words of farewell กล่าวอำลา details
Learning notes
Explanation
อำลา does more than indicate physically leaving: it presents the departure as a farewell that closes a relationship or chapter of life. It has a relatively formal, weighty tone and is common in send-offs, departures, graduations, and retirement announcements. กล่าวอำลา, “to deliver or express a farewell,” is a common collocation. The fixed expression อำลาโลก, literally “bid farewell to the world,” is a euphemism meaning “pass away.”
Usage
It is commonly used when someone says farewell before returning home or graduating, in speeches and farewell events, and in reports or announcements about athletes, entertainers, or politicians ending a career or leaving a field.
Caution
อำลา can sound overly serious for an ordinary, temporary parting between friends; แล้วเจอกัน (“see you”) or ไปก่อนนะ (“I'll get going”) is usually more natural. Also, although ลา can refer to taking leave from work, อำลา is not used to request or take time off.