Before going abroad experienced travelers advise learning basic phrases in the language of the country you are planning to visit. It can help you to quickly get to your destination; bargain on the market; order a dish in a restaurant; make friends; get to know the locals and culture etc.

Below you will find a list of useful phrases in Thai which you can use during your next trip to the land of smiles.

Hello (and goodbye) – sawadi (kaaa or krap)

thank you – ko pun (kaaa or krap)

please – karunaa

good luck! – chok diy (kaa or krap)

how much it? – tao rai (kaaa or krap)?

do not put chili / no spicy – may pet

don’t put sugar – mai sai nam tan

a little – nit noy

so much, a lot– mak mak

tasty – arooi

very tasty! – mak mak aroi

can? – daai mai?

you can’t – may daai

you can – daai

no – may

is there? (in stock) – mi may?

no – may mi

what is it? – ni arai

expensive – peen

Food vocabulary

rice – khao

fried rice – khao phat

egg – khai

omelette – khai tot

fried egg – khai dao

water – naam

meat, beef – neuua

chicken – gai

pork – muu

fish – plaa

shrimp – gong

fruit juice – naam phon la maai

milk – nom

coffee – gaa faae

tea – chaa

beer – biia

vegetables – pak

watermelon – teng mo

pineaple – sapolot

mango – mamuang

soup – tom

fish sauce – nam pla

thai fried noodles – phat thai

sticky rice – khao niao

hainanese chicken rice – khao man gai

*To express a respect to a person you are talking to at the end of each phrase, add the prefix “krap” or “kap” – if you are a man, and “ka” if you are a woman.

For better remembering the most common phrases in Thai, please have a look on flashcards represented below: