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Essential Thai phrases
for travellers (printable)
how to say hello in thai
สวัสดี — sa-wat-DEE — is how you say hello in Thai. It works at any hour, anywhere the language is spoken, with anyone. Pair it with ขอบคุณ (korp-KOON) for thank you and you already have the two words you will use most.
Below are 36 phrases worth knowing before you land, grouped by the situation you will need them in. Every one has a plain-English respelling — stress in capitals — but Thai is tonal, see below — because IPA is no use to anyone standing at a pharmacy counter. Thailand — around 70 million speakers. Written without spaces between words, which is why signage looks more daunting than it is. Also searched as Thailand.
take it with you
The whole card, on one page
All 36 phrases on a single sheet — print it, fold it into a passport, or keep it on your phone. Free, no signup, no watermark.
The essentials
The six words that carry most of a trip.
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| Hello | สวัสดีsa-wat-DEEAdd krap (male) or ka (female): sawatdee krap. |
| Goodbye | ลาก่อนlaa-GORNสวัสดี works for goodbye as well. |
| Please | กรุณาga-ru-NAA |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณkorp-KOONAdd krap or ka here too — korp koon krap. |
| Yes / No | ใช่ / ไม่chai / mai |
| Excuse me / Sorry | ขอโทษkor-TOHT |
Getting by
What to say when the conversation outruns you.
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | พูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหมpoot paa-saa ang-GRIT dai mai |
| I don't understand | ไม่เข้าใจmai kao-JAI |
| Could you repeat that? | พูดอีกครั้งได้ไหมpoot eek krang dai mai |
| Please speak slowly | พูดช้าๆ หน่อยpoot chaa-chaa noi |
| My name is… | ผมชื่อ…pom cheu …ดิฉันชื่อ (di-chan cheu) if you are female. |
| Nice to meet you | ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักyin-dee tee dai roo-JAK |
Getting around
Streets, stations and the one question everyone needs.
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| Where is…? | …อยู่ที่ไหน… yoo tee-NAI |
| How do I get to…? | ไป…ยังไงbpai … yang-NGAI |
| Where is the toilet? | ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหนhong-NAAM yoo tee-NAI |
| Left / Right | ซ้าย / ขวาsaai / kwaa |
| Straight ahead | ตรงไปdtrong-BPAI |
| Is it far? | ไกลไหมglai mai |
Food and drink
Ordering, allergies, and asking for the bill.
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| A table for two, please | โต๊ะสำหรับสองคนdto sam-rap song kon |
| The menu, please | ขอเมนูkor may-NOO |
| I would like… | ขอ…kor … |
| Water, please | ขอน้ำkor naam |
| I am allergic to… | ผมแพ้…pom pae …ดิฉันแพ้ (di-chan pae) if you are female. |
| The bill, please | เช็คบิลchek-BIN |
Shopping and money
Prices, cards, and politely not buying anything.
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | เท่าไหร่tao-RAI |
| That's too expensive | แพงไปpaeng bpai |
| Do you take cards? | รับบัตรไหมrap bat mai |
| I am just looking | ดูเฉยๆdoo cheuy-cheuy |
| Do you have…? | มี…ไหมmee … mai |
| A receipt, please | ขอใบเสร็จkor bai-SET |
Emergencies
Worth reading once before you need them.
| English | Thai |
|---|---|
| Help! | ช่วยด้วยchuay-DUAY |
| Call the police | เรียกตำรวจriak dtam-RUAT |
| Call an ambulance | เรียกรถพยาบาลriak rot pa-yaa-BAAN |
| I need a doctor | ต้องการหมอdtong-gaan MOR |
| I am lost | หลงทางlong-TAANG |
| Where is the hospital? | โรงพยาบาลอยู่ที่ไหนrong-pa-yaa-BAAN yoo tee-NAI |
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Four things that fix
most of the accent
End your sentences with krap or ka
ครับ (krap) if you are a man, ค่ะ (ka) if you are a woman — chosen by your own gender, not the listener’s. It attaches to almost anything and turns a blunt phrase into a polite one. Sawatdee krap. Korp koon ka.
Five tones, and they are meaning-bearing
Mid, low, falling, high and rising. The classic example: mai can mean new, burn, not, wood or a question mark depending on tone. Context rescues you far more often than not — say it and let them work it out.
bp and dt sit between English sounds
The bp of bpai (go) is halfway between b and p; the dt of dtrong (straight) between d and t. Unaspirated — no puff of air. Either English sound is understood.
Thai is written without spaces
Words run together and sentences are separated by a gap. This makes reading signs harder than speaking, which is why the respellings here matter more than in most languages.
Spotted a mistake in the Thai? Tell us and we will fix it.
You will not remember
all 36
Nobody does. OmniTalk speaks Thai for you in real time — point the camera at a menu, or put the phone between you and let it translate both sides of the conversation as you talk. It works offline once you download the language, so it keeps going when your roaming does not.