Why Learn a Few Thai Words
You absolutely don't need to speak Thai to enjoy Bangkok. English signage is everywhere, and most people in the tourism industry speak basic English. But even a handful of Thai phrases transforms your experience.
Saying khob khun ka at a street food stall or sawadee krap to your hotel staff instantly changes the dynamic. Thais genuinely light up when foreigners make the effort, and you'll find doors opening — better prices, warmer service, and real conversations.
Thai is a tonal language, so don't worry about perfect pronunciation. Pair your attempts with a smile, and Thais will almost always understand you through context.
Greetings and Polite Basics
These are the phrases you'll use dozens of times every day. Master these first and everything else becomes easier.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | When to Use |
|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | Sawadee krap/ka | Any greeting or farewell |
| Thank you | Khob khun krap/ka | After any service or kindness |
| Yes | Chai (krap/ka) | Confirming something |
| No | Mai chai (krap/ka) | Declining or correcting |
| No worries / Never mind | Mai pen rai | Easing tension or accepting a situation |
| Sorry / Excuse me | Khor thot krap/ka | Getting attention or apologising |
| I don't understand | Mai khao jai | When you can't follow a conversation |
Remember: men add krap to the end of sentences, women add ka. This polite particle is the single most important thing to learn in Thai.
Ordering Food and Drinks
Street food vendors and small restaurants often speak limited English. These phrases will help you order confidently and customise your meal.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| How much? | Tao rai? | Point at the dish, then ask |
| Spicy | Pet | Thai food is spicy by default |
| Not spicy | Mai pet | Essential if you can't handle heat |
| A little spicy | Pet nit noi | A safer middle ground |
| Delicious! | Aroy! | Vendors love hearing this |
| Bill / Check please | Check bin krap/ka | Widely understood in restaurants |
| Water | Nam plao | Plain water, no ice |
| Iced coffee | Gafae yen | Available at every corner |
| No sugar | Mai sai nam tan | Thai drinks are very sweet by default |
Say "aroy mak" (very delicious) to a street food vendor after eating and you'll make their day. It's genuine praise that Thais deeply appreciate.
Markets like Chatuchak and Pratunam expect some bargaining. Knowing a few numbers and phrases helps you get fair prices without being pushy.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| How much is this? | An nee tao rai? | Point at the item |
| Expensive! | Paeng! | Said with a smile, starts negotiation |
| Can you reduce the price? | Lot dai mai? | Polite way to ask for a discount |
| Too expensive | Paeng gern pai | Walk away slowly — they may call you back |
Basic Thai numbers help at markets. Neung (1), song (2), sam (3), see (4), ha (5), hok (6), jet (7), paet (8), gao (9), sip (10). One hundred is neung roi, one thousand is neung pan.
Don't bargain at 7-Eleven, malls, or restaurants — prices are fixed. Bargaining is appropriate at outdoor markets, souvenir stalls, and with tuk-tuk drivers.
Getting Around
These phrases help with taxis, tuk-tuks, and asking for directions.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| Go to... | Pai... | Follow with the destination name |
| Stop here | Yut tee nee | Essential for taxis and songthaews |
| Turn left | Liao sai | Helpful when directing a taxi |
| Turn right | Liao kwaa | Paired with hand gestures works best |
| Straight ahead | Trong pai | Keep going forward |
| Where is...? | Yoo tee nai? | Follow with the place name |
| Bathroom / Toilet | Hong nam | Literally "water room" |
Show your taxi driver the destination in Thai script on Google Maps. Most drivers navigate by landmarks rather than street addresses, so zooming in helps.
Emergency and Practical Phrases
Hopefully you won't need these, but knowing a few emergency phrases provides peace of mind.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| Help! | Chuay duay! | Urgent request for help |
| I need a doctor | Tong garn mor | Point to the affected area |
| Hospital | Rong payabaan | Bangkok has excellent private hospitals |
| Police | Tam ruat | Tourist police hotline: 1155 |
| I'm allergic to... | Phom/Chan pae... | Phom for men, Chan for women |
| Not feeling well | Mai sabai | Also used casually for "unwell" |
Thailand's tourist police (1155) have English-speaking operators available 24 hours. They can help with scams, lost property, and medical emergencies.
Understanding Thai Tones
Thai is a tonal language with five distinct tones. The same syllable spoken with different tones can mean completely different things. For example, "mai" can mean "new," "burn," "wood," "not," or be a question particle depending on the tone.
The five tones are mid (flat, neutral), low (slightly lower than mid), falling (starts high and drops), high (higher than mid), and rising (starts low and rises). Don't let this intimidate you — context carries most of the meaning in real conversations.
- Mid tone: suea (shirt) — spoken in your normal pitch.
- Low tone: spoken slightly below your normal pitch.
- Falling tone: starts high and falls — similar to an emphatic "no!" in English.
- High tone: spoken above your natural pitch.
- Rising tone: starts low and rises — like asking a question in English.
If a Thai person doesn't understand you, try saying the word with a different tone or show them the Thai script on Google Translate. Don't just repeat louder — change the tone instead.
Why Learn a Few Thai Words
You absolutely don't need to speak Thai to enjoy Bangkok. English signage is everywhere, and most people in the tourism industry speak basic English. But even a handful of Thai phrases transforms your experience.
Saying khob khun ka at a street food stall or sawadee krap to your hotel staff instantly changes the dynamic. Thais genuinely light up when foreigners make the effort, and you'll find doors opening — better prices, warmer service, and real conversations.
Thai is a tonal language, so don't worry about perfect pronunciation. Pair your attempts with a smile, and Thais will almost always understand you through context.
Greetings and Polite Basics
These are the phrases you'll use dozens of times every day. Master these first and everything else becomes easier.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | When to Use |
|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | Sawadee krap/ka | Any greeting or farewell |
| Thank you | Khob khun krap/ka | After any service or kindness |
| Yes | Chai (krap/ka) | Confirming something |
| No | Mai chai (krap/ka) | Declining or correcting |
| No worries / Never mind | Mai pen rai | Easing tension or accepting a situation |
| Sorry / Excuse me | Khor thot krap/ka | Getting attention or apologising |
| I don't understand | Mai khao jai | When you can't follow a conversation |
Remember: men add krap to the end of sentences, women add ka. This polite particle is the single most important thing to learn in Thai.
Ordering Food and Drinks
Street food vendors and small restaurants often speak limited English. These phrases will help you order confidently and customise your meal.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| How much? | Tao rai? | Point at the dish, then ask |
| Spicy | Pet | Thai food is spicy by default |
| Not spicy | Mai pet | Essential if you can't handle heat |
| A little spicy | Pet nit noi | A safer middle ground |
| Delicious! | Aroy! | Vendors love hearing this |
| Bill / Check please | Check bin krap/ka | Widely understood in restaurants |
| Water | Nam plao | Plain water, no ice |
| Iced coffee | Gafae yen | Available at every corner |
| No sugar | Mai sai nam tan | Thai drinks are very sweet by default |
Say "aroy mak" (very delicious) to a street food vendor after eating and you'll make their day. It's genuine praise that Thais deeply appreciate.
Markets like Chatuchak and Pratunam expect some bargaining. Knowing a few numbers and phrases helps you get fair prices without being pushy.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| How much is this? | An nee tao rai? | Point at the item |
| Expensive! | Paeng! | Said with a smile, starts negotiation |
| Can you reduce the price? | Lot dai mai? | Polite way to ask for a discount |
| Too expensive | Paeng gern pai | Walk away slowly — they may call you back |
Basic Thai numbers help at markets. Neung (1), song (2), sam (3), see (4), ha (5), hok (6), jet (7), paet (8), gao (9), sip (10). One hundred is neung roi, one thousand is neung pan.
Don't bargain at 7-Eleven, malls, or restaurants — prices are fixed. Bargaining is appropriate at outdoor markets, souvenir stalls, and with tuk-tuk drivers.
Getting Around
These phrases help with taxis, tuk-tuks, and asking for directions.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| Go to... | Pai... | Follow with the destination name |
| Stop here | Yut tee nee | Essential for taxis and songthaews |
| Turn left | Liao sai | Helpful when directing a taxi |
| Turn right | Liao kwaa | Paired with hand gestures works best |
| Straight ahead | Trong pai | Keep going forward |
| Where is...? | Yoo tee nai? | Follow with the place name |
| Bathroom / Toilet | Hong nam | Literally "water room" |
Show your taxi driver the destination in Thai script on Google Maps. Most drivers navigate by landmarks rather than street addresses, so zooming in helps.
Emergency and Practical Phrases
Hopefully you won't need these, but knowing a few emergency phrases provides peace of mind.
| English | Thai (Phonetic) | Notes |
|---|
| Help! | Chuay duay! | Urgent request for help |
| I need a doctor | Tong garn mor | Point to the affected area |
| Hospital | Rong payabaan | Bangkok has excellent private hospitals |
| Police | Tam ruat | Tourist police hotline: 1155 |
| I'm allergic to... | Phom/Chan pae... | Phom for men, Chan for women |
| Not feeling well | Mai sabai | Also used casually for "unwell" |
Thailand's tourist police (1155) have English-speaking operators available 24 hours. They can help with scams, lost property, and medical emergencies.
Understanding Thai Tones
Thai is a tonal language with five distinct tones. The same syllable spoken with different tones can mean completely different things. For example, "mai" can mean "new," "burn," "wood," "not," or be a question particle depending on the tone.
The five tones are mid (flat, neutral), low (slightly lower than mid), falling (starts high and drops), high (higher than mid), and rising (starts low and rises). Don't let this intimidate you — context carries most of the meaning in real conversations.
- Mid tone: suea (shirt) — spoken in your normal pitch.
- Low tone: spoken slightly below your normal pitch.
- Falling tone: starts high and falls — similar to an emphatic "no!" in English.
- High tone: spoken above your natural pitch.
- Rising tone: starts low and rises — like asking a question in English.
If a Thai person doesn't understand you, try saying the word with a different tone or show them the Thai script on Google Translate. Don't just repeat louder — change the tone instead.