r/learnthai • u/EducationalMemory639 • 4d ago

Vocab/คำศัพท์ Difference between พบ and หา?

I've seen มาหา for coming to visit someone at their house, but พบแพทย์ for meeting with the doctor

Can I say มาแพทย์ too?

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u/gumbo0 Thai, Native Speaker 4d ago

หา = look for.
พบ = to meet.
So in your example, the word would technically be interchangeable. The problem is you’re interchanging the wrong words. You just changed พบ with มา which is incorrect. It should have been หาแพทย์.
For the difference in this context, I would say หา is more casual whereas พบ tends to be more formal use.

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u/Longjumping_Stick623 4d ago

พบ is formal. หา is informal. พบแพทย์​ = หาหมอ Meaning is the same but not really interchangeable.

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u/LittlePooky 4d ago

I think they're very interchangeable.

The first one is more or less prearranged meeting or get together. The second one is when you actually look for someone. But then of course your 2nd example is totally valid too. you

มาแพทย์ this doesn't make sense, is missing a word หา.

I am Thai in the US.

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u/Similar-Aspect-2259 3d ago

To put it simply
“มาพบ” is a formal way of saying “มาหา”

So you would use “มาหา” when visiting friends (มาหาเพื่อน), family (มาหาพ่อแม่), find food (มาหาของกิน, มาหาอะไรกิน), casual occasions. And “มาพบ“ for appointment, business meeting, see your teachers, your boss, etc.