Did you know that Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world? Every year, tens of millions of people get on a flight ready for their stay in the land of smiles. There is something for everyone in the country: delicious food, amazing beaches and great weather are just some of the factors that are drawing in these numbers.
Thinking of making your way to Thailand? Why not make your stay that bit more enjoyable by learning some Thai for travellers like you. It will not only allow for more authentic interactions with the locals, but also earn you some respect. Sound good? Let’s jump in.
The Basics
Where else is better to start than with the basics. There are a few words and phrases you will likely be using often during your stay. You know the ones: yes, no, thank you, etc. These are generally short and easy to learn (within reason) so there is no excuse for not at least giving them a try.
|
English |
Transliteration |
Thai |
|
Hello |
sa wat dii |
สวัสดี |
|
Goodbye |
sa wat dii |
สวัสดี |
|
How are you? |
sabai dii mai |
สบายดีไม |
|
I am good |
sabai dii |
สบายดี |
|
I am not good |
mai sabai |
ไม่สบาย |
|
Yes |
chai |
ใช่ |
|
No |
mai |
ไม่ใช่ |
|
Thank you |
kob khun |
ขอบคุณ |
|
Excuse me |
kor thot |
ขอโทษ |
Thai Numbers
It is honestly surprising how useful learning numbers in another language can be. Just think about it. You use numbers constantly while travelling, whether you are booking a room, paying for food or giving out your mobile number. So be sure to learn the Thai numbers as best you can:
|
English |
Transliteration |
Thai |
|
Zero (0) |
soon |
ศูนย์ (๐) |
|
One (1) |
neung |
หนึ่ง (๑) |
|
Two (2) |
song |
สอง (๒) |
|
Three (3) |
sam |
สาม (๓) |
|
Four (4) |
sii |
สี่ (๔) |
|
Five (5) |
ha |
ห้า (๕) |
|
Six (6) |
hok |
หก (๖) |
|
Seven (7) |
jed |
เจ็ด (๗) |
|
Eight (8) |
bpad |
แปด (๘) |
|
Nine (9) |
gaow |
เก้า (๙) |
|
Ten (10) |
sip |
สิบ (๑๐) |
|
Eleven (11) |
sip et |
สิบเอ็ด (๑๑) |
|
Twelve (12) |
sip song |
สิบสอง (๑๒) |
|
Thirteen (13) |
sip sam |
สิบสาม (๑๓) |
|
Fourteen (14) |
sip sii |
สิบสี่ (๑๔) |
|
Fifteen (15) |
sip ha |
สิบห้า (๑๕) |
|
Sixteen (16) |
sip hok |
สิบหก (๑๖) |
|
Seventeen (17) |
sip jed |
สิบเจ็ด (๑๗) |
|
Eighteen (18) |
sip bpad |
สิบแปด (๑๘) |
|
Nineteen (19) |
sip gaow |
สิบเก้า (๑๙) |
|
Twenty (20) |
yii sip |
ยี่สิบ (๒๐) |
|
Thirty (30) |
sam sip |
สามสิบ (๓๐) |
|
Forty (40) |
sii sip |
สี่สิบ (๔๐) |
|
Fifty (50) |
ha sip |
ห้าสิบ (๕๐) |
|
Hundred (100) |
roy |
ร้อย (๑๐๐) |
|
Thousand (1,000) |
pan |
พัน (๑๐๐๐) |
|
Ten Thousand (10,000) |
muen |
หมื่น (๑๐๐๐๐) |
Ordering Food In Thailand
Another one of the many charms of Thailand is the amazing food. From the world-renowned Pad Thai to the lesser known but delicious Khao Soi, there are many delights to discover. Try using these phrases to order your food and customize it to your liking.
|
English |
Transliteration |
Thai |
|
Do you have…? |
mii….mai |
มี …ไม |
|
I want…. |
pom/chan ao…. |
ผม/ฉันเอา … |
|
How much? (does it cost) |
tao rai |
เท่าไร |
|
Is it…? |
…..mai |
…ไม |
|
Spicy |
ped |
เผ็ด |
|
Not spicy |
mai ped |
ไม่เผ็ด |
|
Sweet |
waan |
หวาน |
|
Not sweet |
mai waan |
ไม่หวาน |
|
Salty |
khem |
เค็ม |
|
Not salty |
mai khem |
ไม่เค็ม |
Here are a few different foods you may want to try while visiting Thailand:
|
English |
Transliteration |
Thai |
|
Thai fried noodles |
pad thai |
ผัดไทย |
|
Papaya salad |
som tam |
ส้มตำ |
|
Curry noodle soup |
khao soi |
ข้าวซอย |
|
Hainanese chicken rice |
khao man gai |
ข้าวมันไก่ |
|
Hot and sour soup with shrimp |
Tom yum goong |
ต้มยำกุ้ง |
|
Green curry |
geng kiao waan |
แกงเขียวหวาน |
|
Thai pancake |
roti |
โรตี |
|
Mango sticky rice |
khao niao ma muang |
ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง |
|
Spicy salad with glass noodle |
yam wun sen |
ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง |
Getting Around
You will definitely want to make your way around the country while you are here. There are some absolute gems you can visit in any direction from the capital. All it takes is figuring out how to get there. Here are a few different ways to get around:
|
English |
Transliteration |
Thai |
|
Car |
rot |
รถ |
|
Bus |
rot bat |
รถบัส |
|
Bus Station |
satani rot bat |
สถานีรถบัส |
|
Taxi |
tek sii |
แท็กซี่ |
|
Train |
rot fai |
รถไฟ |
|
Train Station |
satani rot fai |
สถานีรถไฟ |
|
Plane |
krung bin |
เครื่องบิน |
|
Airport |
sanam bin |
สนามบิน |
Language Difficulties
Even if you do take some time to practise your Thai, you may just face some difficulties communicating. As a tonal language, pronunciation is extremely important when it comes to understanding. Unfortunately, speaking with tones is not a skill you can learn over night, so you should be prepared with some phrases to listen out for.
|
English |
Transliteration |
Thai |
|
Do you understand? |
kao jai mai |
เข้าใจไหม |
|
I understand |
kao jai |
เข้าใจ |
|
I don’t understand |
mai kao jai |
ไม่เข้าใจ |
|
Do you speak English? |
puut pasaa angrit dai mai |
พูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม |
|
I don’t speak Thai |
puut pasaa thai mai dai |
พูดภาษาไทยไม่ได้ |
|
I speak a little bit of Thai |
puut pasaa thai dai nit noy |
พูดภาษาไทยได้นิดหน่อย |
Have A Great Time!
Armed with these words and phrases, you should be well placed have basic conversations wit the locals. You can order your food, discuss the price and then head home with the transportation option of your choice. If you enjoyed your stay in the Kingdom, it is definitely worth continuing your learning.
Thai is a beautiful language and opens up the opportunity to talk with millions of people. Sure, there may be some hard times, but with some persistence, you should pull through. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy your stay in Thailand.
