Speak Thai

Learn a few Thai phrases or words and make you vacation more fun.
The Thai language is all about pronunciation. Many Thai words have up to five different meanings depending on the pitch and tones of the word and this is kind of hard to translate into our alphabet.

The Thai language does not bend verbs and such as most countries do, which explain why most Thai people speak english in the way they do. However most Thai people think it is fun when tourists do try to speak a few words. Here under you can find some words and phrases written in the way they sound in English and they are also translated into everyday language not any super proper language most people don’t use as many books want to teach you. This is simple and real.

In Thai you always end a sentence with khrap or ka. Males do always use khrap while females always use ka. All “r” letters can be said as an “l” or be silent but the proper language include the “r” and this can be heard for example on television. To make it sound good and not overdone when using the “r” sounds, don’t make them sharp but short and silent. For example the khrap used my males most often are heard as khap without any “r”.

Don’t forget to use the khrap (if you are a man) and ka (if you are a woman) after all the sentences.

Basic

Hello – Sawa dee
How are you? – Sabai dee mai?
I’m fine thank you – Sabai dee
I don’t feel good – Mai sabai
How about you? – Laeo khun laa?
Where are you going? – Pai nai?
I’m going to… (the beach) – Pai… (chai haad)
How much is this/ what does this cost? – Tao rai?
Expensive – Paeng
Cheap – Dtoo
Can you give a better price? – Lot dai mai?
Where is… – …yoo tee nai
Where is the toilet? – Hong naam yoo te nai?
What way to… ?- …pai tang nai?
Thank you – Khob khun
Thank you (extra polite) – Khrap pom
Thank you very much -Khob khun maa
No thank you – Mai ao
No (when you do not agree) – Mai chai

Questions

Questions often ends with “mai”.
Are you hungry? – Hiw mai?

But can also end in other ways for example.
Have you eaten yet? – Gin reu young?

…and the answer is most often not only a yes or no but usually contain part of the question asked.
Not yet! – Young
Yes I have eaten already! – Gin laeow!

Booking & Time

Day – Wan
Night – Kuun
Today – Wan nee (wanee, wannee, wanii, wannii)
Tomorrow – Prong nee
Week – Ateed (atiid)
Next week – Ateed naa
Last week – Ateed tee laeow
Month – Duan
Next month – Duan naa
Last month – Duan tee laeow
Year – Pee
Next year – Pee naa
Last year – Pee tee laeow

Weather

It’s good weather – Agaad dee
It’s bad weather – Agaad mai dee
Today it’s hot – Wan nee ron maak
Today it’s windy – Wan nee lom raeng
It will rain – Fon ja dock
It’s raining – Fon dock
It’s cold – Yen
Strong wind – Loom raeng
Nice weather (pleasant weather) – Agaad sabai

Fruits

Banana – Gluay Home
Pinapple – Sapparot
Dragon Fruit – Gaeo Mang Goon
Mangosteen – Mangot
Papaya – Malako
Mango – Mamoang
Watermelon Daengmoo
Tamarind – Makham

Restaurant

Can we order thank you – Sang ahaan
Not spicy thank you – Mai phet
Spicey is ok thank you – Phet dai
Please don’t use any… – Mai sai…
Very tasty – Aroy maak
Not tasty – Mai aroy
Is it tasty? – Aroy mai?
Can I have some more please – Kho eeg
Can we pay? – Khep tang?

Food

Fried – Phad
Deep Fried – Tod (the “o” sound as in cod)
Boiled – Tom (the “o” sound as in strong)
Grilled – Jaang or Ping
Chicken – Gai
Shrimp – Goong
Pork – Moo
Beef – Neua
Vegatables – Pak
Egg – Khai
Rice – Cow
Noodles – Gowai Tiaw

Fried rice with chicken, shrimp – Cow phad gai, goong
Fried basil leaves with chicken – Phad gaphrao gai
Fried chicken with sweet & sour sauce – Gai phad preaw waan

Allergies

Allergic to Shellfish
I am extremely allergic to shellfish of all kinds, even fish sauce and oyster sauce! It can be life threatening.
Do not use any of these in my food and please clean everything before making my food thank you.

ฉันแพ้อาหารทะเลท่ีสุด ! ทุกชนิด /นำ้ปลา/ นำ้มันหอย ก็ทานไม่ได้โปรดอย่าใส่เครื่องปรุงท่ีมีสว่นผสมของอาหารทะเล ลงในอาหารของดิฉัน ( กรุณาล้างภาชนะทุกสิ่งก่อนทำอาหารของดิฉัน เช่น มีด เขียง กะทะ ตะหลีว )

Allergic to Fish
I am extremely allergic to fish of all kinds, even fish sauce and oyster sauce! It can be life threatening.
Do not use any of these in my food and please clean everything before making my food thank you.

ฉันแพ้ปลาทุกชนิด ท่ีสุด ! อาจมีอันตรายถึงชีวิต
ทุกอย่างท่ีทำจากส่วนผสมของปลาเช่น /นำ้ปลา/ นำ้มันหอย ก็ทานไม่ได้โปรดอย่าใส่เครื่องปรุงท่ีมีสว่นผสมของปลา ลงในอาหารของดิฉัน ( กรุณาล้างภาชนะทุกสิ่งก่อนทำอาหารของดิฉัน เช่น มีด เขียง กะทะ ตะหลีว )

Allergic to Nuts (all kinds even peanuts)
I cannot eat nuts, I am very allergic and it can kill me! Please also clean everything before making my food. (thank you very much)

ถั่วเมล็ดทุกชนิดทานไม่ได้ ฉันแพ้ท่ีสุด ! อาจมีอันตรายถึงชีวิต กรุณาล้างภาชนะให้สะอาดก่อนปรุงอาหารของดิฉัน
( ขอบคุณมากค่ะ )

Allergic to Peanuts
I cannot eat peanuts, I am very allergic and it can kill me! Please also clean everything before making my food. (thank you very much)

ถั่วลิสงก็ทานไม่ได้ ฉันแพ้ท่ีสุด ! อาจมีอันตรายถึงชีวิต กรุณาล้างภาชนะให้สะอาดก่อนปรุงอาหารของดิฉัน
( ขอบคุณมากค่ะ )

Numerals

1 – Neung
2 – Soong
3 – Sam
4 – See
5 – Haa
6 – Hok
7 – Djed (Djet, jed, jet – somewhat silent ending mostly like a “d” but with a glimpse of “t”) Pronouncesd wrong it can mean “fuck”.
8 – Paed
9 – Gao
10 – Sib
11 – sib ett
12 – sib soong
20 – yee sib
21 – yee sib ett
22 – yee sib soong…
30 – sam sib
40 – see sib…
100 – roy (neung roy)
200 – soong roy
1 000 – pan (neung pan)
10 000 – Muun (neung muun)
100 000 – Saen (neung saen)
1 000 000 – Laan (neung laan)
10 000 000 – Sib laan

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