So you’re new in Thailand or are a frequent traveler and want to brush up on some basics.
You’ve come to the right place.
I’ll go over the basics that you’ll actually use getting around in Thailand and there is a cheat sheet you can save on your phone at the end of the article.
And I’ll include some audio so you can listen and practice speaking along.
Let’s get started.
Add the Politeness Marker
Before we learn these phrases, make a note that you should add a polite marker at the end of each phrase you use. You should always use a polite marker unless you are speaking with someone you are close to.
For men, add “Krap” – ครับ. You won’t pronounce the “r” so strongly so this often sounds like “kap”.
For women, add “Kaa” – ค่ะ
Basic Thai Phrases and Words
Hello & Goodbye – “Sa-wad-dee” – สวัสดี
You will say the same phrase for both hello and goodbye in Thailand. GEt this one down at least as you will use it in almost every exchange and will hear it multiple times everyday.
Thank You – “Kohp-kuhn” – ขอบคุณ
Say this often as it’s just polite to say after any exchange where you order something. You will also hear this multiple times a day.
Yes – “Chai” – ใช่
This word sounds sort of like Chai tea. It really means both “yes” and “correct”.
No – “Mai” – ไม่
This word has a low tone (which means the tone goes down) and sounds sort of like the English word “my”. You can use it as “no” or put in front of verbs or adjectives to negate them.
Where – “ti nai” – ที่ไหน
Question words in Thai are always at the end of (simple) sentences. So to ask where something is you would say something like “___ ti nai?”
Bathroom – “Hong nahm” – ห้องน้ำ
When you need to go, then you need to go. You can simply say the word and Thai people will understand what you want, but you can add “ti nai” at the end to say the complete phrase “Where is the bathroom?”.
I want this – “Ao nii” – เอานี้
This is a quick and easy way to navigate ordering in restaurants or on the street. Just point and say “ao nii”.
I don’t want it – “Mai ao” – ไม่เอา
You can recognize that we are using the word no “mai” as a negating word here to flip the meaning of the phrase.
Sorry – “Ko-tohd” – ขอโทษ
Hopefully, you don’t need to say this, but have it in your back pocket just in case you accidently step on someone’s foot. Though to be honest, most Thai people will understand “sorry” as they learn basic English in school.
How Much? – “Tao rai” – เท่าไร
After you eat at a restaraunt, you can ask the price. You will also use this when haggling and buying at the markets. Just point and say “tao rai?”.
Cheat Sheet
Ok, as promised, here is the cheat sheet with everything that we have covered up until now.
I advise you save it on your phone as a reference or print it out even if you hate looking at screens.
If you are keen to start learning Thai properly, then I recommend starting by learning to read and write with Language Bee. It’s the only app that focuses on teaching you the alphabet and drill spellings.
Also I made the app, so you know it’s good 🙂
Additional Questions
How do you say “Hi” in Thai?
This is covered higher up in the article but let’s retiterate here as well.
You say “Hi” in Thai by saying “Sa-wad-dee” (สวัสดี).
If you are a man add a “Krap” (ครับ) to the end of this phrase. “Krap” has a low tone. This becomes “Sa-wad-dee-krap” (สวัสดีครับ).
If you are a woman then you will say “Kaa” (ค่ะ). “Kaa” has a falling tone. Our phrase becomes “Sa-wad-dee-kaa” (สวัสดีค่ะ) [3].
How to say “Thank You” in Thai
Again, this is covered higher up in the article but let’s retiterate here as well.
You say “Thank You” in Thai by saying “Kohp-khun” (ขอบคุณ).
If you are a man add a “Krap” (ครับ) to the end of this phrase. “Krap” has a low tone. This becomes “Kohp-khun-krap” (ขอบคุณครับ).
If you are a woman then you will say “Kaa” (ค่ะ). “Kaa” has a falling tone. Our phrase becomes “Kohp-khun-kaa” (ขอบคุณค่ะ).
How to say “Not Spicy” in Thai
This is a key phrase that needs to learned by anyone with a delicate tongue coming to Thailand.
The correct way to say “Not Spicy” is “Ped ped” (เผ็ดๆ)
Ok, that’s a joke and that actually means “Very Spicy”. A buddy of mine got me with this when I first arrived.
The correct way to say “Not Spicy” in Thai is “Mai Ped” (ไม่เผ็ด)
In this phrase, “Mai” means “Not” and “Ped” means “Spicy”. Learn this one well or eat in Thailand at your own peril.
How to say “Less Spicy” in Thai
Some people don’t want the full heat but still want some kick. In that case let’s ask for less spicy so you still get some chilis added to your dish.
The correct way to say “Less Spicy” in Thai is “Ped Noi” (เผ็ดน้อย).
In this phrase, “Ped” means “Spicy” and “Noi” means “Less”.
What language in spoken in Thailand?
This question sounds absurd but I’ve actually been asked it so let’s be clear.
Thai is the language that is spoken throughout Thailand. Although there are regional variances in pronunciation and words used, these are generally considered dialects rather than distinct languages. In the North there are a number of small hill tribes that retain their own language, but these are very small communities.
Some people will consider Isaan a distinct language [2], and there is significant evidence to support this. Isaan is the north eastern region of Thailand and is a cultural mix of Thai and Laos people. Isaan people do use some different words from common Thai, but largely speaking, the languages are mutually intelligable.
It’s worth noting that I got by speaking my common Thai in Isaan with no problem.
If you enjoyed this article then check out why learning Thai is HARD and you shouldn’t feel bad about speaking poorly.