This is a simple guide for the benefit of visitors and to help those intending to learn Thai to get started. We’ve left the proper learning to the experts, which can be found listed in the resources section. But the following basic words, along with our introductory tutorial in the grammar and sentence structure sections, should help you to communicate at a basic level. We’ve also made this section print friendly so you can take a copy with you as you travel.
Introductions
hello
sawadee (krup/ka)
you
khun
how are you
sabai dee mai (rising tone)
he, she, they
kao
i’m fine
sa-bai dee
us, we
rao
thank you
kharb khun
what is your name
khun chuu a-rai
bye bye
sawadee
yes/no
chai/mai chai
see you again
pob gan mai (rising tone)
you’re welcome
yin dee
excuse me / sorry
khar toort
welcome to…
yin dee tawn rap
I, me
phom (male) dee chan (female) or simply chan
never mind
mai pen rai
Mai pen rai is universally used to mean, ‘its ok’, ‘oh well’, ‘you’re excused’, ‘forget about it’ and more.
Thais are very civil and polite by habit and will always add krup (male) or ka (female) to the end of the sentence when addressing others unless they are very familiar with them. Often they will also, as a matter of course, add na in front of this to soften any commands. It’s important to get into this habit from the start.
Actions
want (something)
aow
walk
dern (pai) as in trekking
want (action)
yaak
find
phob
go
pai
repair
som
come
maa
take a look
long duu
take
aow pai (lit; want & go)
speak
phuut
would like
kor
chat
kui
bring
aow maa
drive/ride
kap / kii
buy
sue (low tone)
pay
jaai
visit
pai tiow
receive
rap
eat
gin / kin
can / cannot
dai / mai dai
drink
derm
like / prefer
chawp
sleep
nawn
Every day items
money
ngern
motorcycle
(rot) mor-tor-sai
baggage/bags
gra-pao
boat
ruav
clothes
suea
books
nang-sua
mobile phone
meu tor
map
preen-tee
taxi
tak-see
things
khawng
bus
rot but
soap
sa-buu
train
rot fai
towel
pra-chet-tua
airplane
kruang bin
pen
pak-ga
car
rot yon
spectacles
wen-ta
gasoline
naam man
Numbers
one
nueng
eleven
sib-et
two
sawng
twelve
sib-sawng (and so on)
three
saam
twenty
yee-sib
four
see
twenty one
yee-sib-et (and so on)
five
haa (falling tone)
thirty
saam-sib
six
hock
hundred
rooi
seven
jet
thousand
pan
eight
peart
ten thousand
mueng
nine
gow (short and low)
hundred thousand
sen
ten
sib
million
laan
Days and times
Monday
wan jan
month
due-en
Tuesday
wan ankhaan
year
pii
Wednesday
wan phut
hour
chua mong
Thursday
wan paruhat
minute
na-tee
Friday
wan suk
morning
dawn chao
Saturday
wan saow
afternoon
dawn bai
Sunday
wan ah-tit
evening
dawn yen
weekend
sao-ahtit
night
dawn tum
Expressing time: this is somewhat tricky in Thai as they have traditionally broken the 24-hour clock into four sections. As a beginner, it’s too confusing to follow and your best bet is to stick to a 24-hour clock (e.g. 1pm would be sib-saam chua mong or 13 hours).
Questions
what
a-rai
how (action
yaang rai
where
(thee) nai (sometimes ‘nai’ is used on its own)
is (is not)
mai (rising tone)
when
mua-rai or gee mong (at what time)
can (cannot)
dai mai (rising tone)
how much
tao rai
have (action)
rue yaang (as in ‘have you finished’)
how many
gee (comes before the subject, as an exception to the rule)
are (to be)
rue plow (as in ‘are you Thai’)
Hospitality
hotel
rong rerm
fan
phad lom
guest house
baan phak
storey
chan
restaurant
raan ah-harn
swimming pool
sa-wai-inaam
toilet/bathroom
hawng naam
knife, fork, spoon
met, sawm, chorn
hot water
naam rawn
bill
check bin
room
hawng
telephone
tor-ra-sap
bed
thii nawn
tv
tor-ra-tat
massage
nuat
cable
cay-bon
air con
air con
Eating and drinking
food
ah-harn
pork (all kinds)
muu
seafood
pla talae
beef
neu-ah
drinking water
naam plao
shrimp / prawns
gung
beer
bier
tofu
tao hoo
ice
nam ken
vegetables
phak
liquor
lao
noodles
kwai-teow
fruit juice
naam pon-lamai
bread
ka-nom pan
fruit
pon-lamai
bakes / snacks
ka-nom
lunch
ah-harn klang wan
sugar
naam-taan
breakfast
ah-harn chao
sweet
wan
dinner
ah-harn yen
salt(y)
kem
rice
kaow(falling tone)
spicy / chilli
pet / prik
fried rice
kaow pad
msg
pon suu rot
chicken
gai
wheat
kao saa lii
If you don’t want an ingredient included simply add mai ow (lit; not want) before any of these (e.g. Mai own pon suu rot).
Places
city / town
meu-ang
national park
suan sa-ta-na
village
(moo) baan
waterfall
naam tok
house
baan
museum
pee piti pan
beach
haad
bank
ta-na-karn
island
koh
bus station
sa-tar-ni rot but
bay
aow
train station
sa-tar-ni rot fai
mountains
phuu-kao
airport
sa-nam-bin
river
mae naam
police station
sa-tar-ni tam ruat
market
talad
post office
pra-sa-nii
park
suan-luang
Adjectives
fast
reo
slow
cha
big
yaai
small
lek
fat
uan
thin
phawm
early
chao
late
saai
cheap
tuuk
expensive
paeng
long
yaow
short
tia
difficult
yaak
easy
ngaai (falling tone)
full
tem
empty
mot
hot
rawn
cold
yen (naow – weather)
loud
siang dang
quiet
niyap
near
glai-ee (falling)
far
glai (low tone)
black
sii dam
white
sii khaow (rising tone)
red
sii dang
blue (light / dark)
sii faa / sii nam ngerng
yellow
sii luang
green
siik Kieow
gold
sii tong
grey
sii tao
a lot
yerk/maak
little
nit noi
long time
naan
Emergency
help!
chuay duay
danger
aan-ta-rai
not well
mai sabai
hurt / pain
jep / puat
stomach ache
puat tong
head ache
phuat hua
tooth ache
puat fun
eyes sore
puat taa
hospital
Rong payabaan
police station
sa-tar-ni tum ruat
doctor
maw
dentist
maw fan
thief / stolen
kamoy-ee
accident
oo-bot-tee-het
medicine
yaa
lawyer
nat got-mai
nuay
tired
afraid
klua
must have
dong mee
Essential phrases
I don’t understand
mai kao jai
Do you understand?
kao jai mai (rising tone on last word)
I want to go to …
yaak pai…
Do you have a room?
mee hawng wang mai (rising tone on last word)
What time will you leave?
ja pai gee mong
What time will it open?
bert gee mong
What time does it close?
bit gee mong
Which way?
tang nai
Turn left / right
leo saai / kwaa
Go straight / stop!
trong pai / yuut!
I don’t want any thanks
mai ow krap / ka!
Go away
pai sii!!
Can you fix this?
som nee dai mai (falling and rising tone on dai mai)
