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Handy Phrases

Below, you'll find some Thai phrases that may come in handy when you are travelling in Thailand. But first...

A Brief Note on Polite Particles

Most of these phrases can (and should) be made more polite by adding a particle to the end. Male speakers should add ครับ   /khrapH/ while women should add ค่ะ   /khaF/ to the end of statements and คะ   /khaH/ to the end of questions. จ้ะ  /jaF/ can be used by children or between intimate friends. There are many more particles in common use, especially considering regional variations; some Thai people will stick with an obscure favorite as a matter of personality.

At first, Westerners find these particles easy to forget, but with practice, eventually you will find yourself adding polite particles automatically. You can further "soften" requests or aggresive statements by also adding น่ะ   /naF/ before you say khrapH or khaF (ladies, remember to use น่ะ   /naF/ คะ   /khaH/ to make your questions more polite). If you listen to broadcast talk shows in Thailand, you may hear a speaker ending every single sentence with /naF khrapH/—since he doesn't know who may be listening, he endeavors to be most polite.

สวัสดี saL watL deeM [a polite greeting or farewell used when meeting or parting] hello; goodbye; good morning; good afternoon; good evening; good night; greetings
สบายดีหรือ saL baaiM deeM reuuR "How are you?"
ขอบคุณ khaawpL khoonM [spoken formally to a person of higher rank or status, e.g. parents, teachers] "Thank you" [male: add ครับ ; female: add ค่ะ ]
นี่เท่าไร? neeF thaoF raiM "How much is this?"
ไม่เป็นไร maiF bpenM raiM "It doesn't matter." — "Never mind." — "You're welcome" — "Don't mention it." — "It's no big deal."
แล้วพบกันใหม่ laaeoH phohpH ganM maiL "See you later." — "See you soon!" — "Until we meet again."
ขอโทษ khaawR tho:htF "I apologize" — "I'm sorry" — "Excuse me" — "Pardon me."
สบายดี saL baaiM deeM to be feeling fine; I am fine; I'm fine.
สวัสดีครับ saL watL deeM khrapH [spoken politely by a male] hello; goodbye
สวัสดีค่ะ saL watL deeM khaF [spoken politely by a female] hello or goodbye
พูดไทยไม่ได้ phuutF thaiM maiF daiF "I can't speak Thai."
ไม่เข้าใจ maiF khaoF jaiM [I, you, they] don't understand
เข้าใจไหม khaoF jaiM maiH Do you understand?
ถ่ายรูปได้ไหม thaaiL ruupF daiF maiH May I take a picture?
ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน haawngF naamH yuuL theeF naiR "Where's the restroom?"
นี่อะไร neeF aL raiM "What is this?"
แพงไหม? phaaengM maiH "Is it expensive?"
ขอให้โชคดี khaawR haiF cho:hkF deeM "Good luck to you."
ใครขายไข่ไก่ khraiM khaaiR khaiL gaiL [tongue twister, alliteration] "Who sells chicken eggs?"
เก็บตังค์ gepL dtangM "Check, please."
เป็นยังไงบ้าง bpenM yangM ngaiM baangF "How's it going?" — "How do you feel?" — "How do you do?" — "What's up?"
คุณอายุเท่าไร khoonM aaM yooH thaoF raiM "How old are you?"
อะไรก็ได้ aL raiM gaawF daiF anything will do; that option would also be fine; whatever; anything will be okay; anything you want
ไปไหน bpaiM naiR "Where are you going?"
คุณพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม khoonM phuutF phaaM saaR angM gritL daiF maiH "Can you speak English?"
ขอบคุณมาก khaawpL khoonM maakF [a person, younger and/or lower in status, thanking the other who is older and/or higher in status] "Thank you very much"
ขอไม่เผ็ด khaawR maiF phetL "Please don't make the food spicy-hot."
ขอเผ็ด ๆ นะครับ khaawR phetL phetL naH khrapH [spoken by a male] "Please make the food spicy-hot"
กรุณาพูดช้า ๆ หน่อย gaL rooH naaM phuutF chaaH chaaH naawyL "Please speak slowly."
อะไรนะ? aL raiM naH "What?" — "Huh?" — "What did you say?" — "What was that?"
คุณอยู่ที่ไหน khoonM yuuL theeF naiR "Where are you?"
ไม่ใช่ maiF chaiF "I don't think so" — "not right" — "not so" — "not true" — "No, it is not"
คุณพูดภาษาจีนได้ไหม khoonM phuutF phaaM saaR jeenM daiF maiH "Can you speak Chinese?"
กี่โมงแล้ว geeL mo:hngM laaeoH "What time is it?"
ผมไม่เข้าใจ phohmR maiF khaoF jaiM "I don't understand." — "I do not understand."
ผมเป็นคนอเมริกัน phohmR bpenM khohnM aL maehM riH ganM "I am an American."
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