Pancake Stand © Kashfia Rahman
Before leaving for your first (or next) Thailand trip, learn some useful expressions. The locals will appreciate if you make an effort to speak in their language.
Various phrases
Good morning = Sawadd ton chow
Good day/ Hello = Sawadii
Good night = Sawadd ton yin
Good bye = Lagawn
See you = Påbb gann mai
My name is = Chue
How are you? = Sabai dii mai?
Thank you = Kåb kunn
Do you speak English? = Kunn pood pasaa Angritt die mai?
It was nice to meet you. = Yin dii tii daai roo djack
Good luck! = Chååk dii!
I am fine = Sabai dii
Shopping
How much does this cost? = Tao rai
Can you lower the price? = Lod dai mai
I like this = Chawp aun nee
I like that = Chawp aun nun
Do you have any other colour? = Mee see aeun bang mai
Shop = Ran kaa
Toilet = Hong nam
Clothes = Sier par
Shoes = Rong tao
Watch = Nar ri ka
How much? = Tao Rai?
Restaurant = Ran ar harn
Directions
Where is the clothing shop? = Ran kaa Sier par u tee nai
Where is the toilet? = Hong nam u tee nai
Where is the restaurant? = Ran ar harn u tee nai
Update: A big thanks to Matt who helped me correct some of the phrases. I started learning Thai a while ago and am by no means an expert. If anyone find another error, don’t hesitate to let me know.
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The only addition I might make, is that it is polite to end some of your sentences with Khrap (pronounced like crop) if you are a male and Kha (Ka)if female.
So “Hello” would be either “Sa-wat-dii-khrap” or “Sa-wat-dii-kha”
The same for “thankyou” Khap-Khun-Khrap” or “Khap-Khun-Kha”
Forgive my use of a different spelling – not meant to confuse. It is just the way I am used to spelling it (creature of habit);-)
Thailand Essentials’s last blog post..A Siren Call for Another Thailand Holiday
Oh, I like your new design!
We learned some Thai before we travelled to Thailand also, and ALWAYS greeted people with a “Sawadeeka” (in my case), and also *always* used a “khapkunka”. It’s not so hard once you practice and great fun.
I always make it a habit of learning the basics of any language wherever we go – hello, how are you?, good/bad, yes/no, thank you, goodbye, and how much?! – and we always encourage our readers too as well.
It’s just about respect and is just a common courtesy, don’t you think?
@Thailand Essentials, Thanks for the addition! Being polite is the way to go.
Thanks for commenting!
@lara, Yes, absolutely. I think it goes without saying to learn at least the most common phrases. It makes such a difference. And it’s better to say something and make a mistake (in pronunciation, choice of words etc.) rather than only depend on English.
Thanks for the compliment about the design.