Some tips to learn basic Thai language

Learn Thai

Thai language uses long & short tones, high tones & low tones to describe a word, a word such as "ma" has many meanings, depending on the tone it's spoken with. For example: "kow" can mean: nine, knee, rice, come in, news, etc., depending on the tone used.

Most Thai language books are very confusing and the correct pronunciation of simple words can still be quite a challenge. The words listed below have been written, as you would pronounce them in English.

The best way to learn is to be unafraid of practicing with the locals. Going to markets where you have to communicate with many people is a fun way to learn basic Thai.

Basic words in Thai

Hello = Sawa dee
Thank you (man says) = Kob Khun Krap
Thank you (woman says) = Kob Khun Ka
How are you? = Khun sabai di my?
I am fine thanks = (man says) Pom sabai di krap.
I am fine thanks= (woman says) Chan sabai di ka.
Basically women say "ka" or more like "kaa" at the end of a sentence
while men say "krap" or more informally, "khap".
You're welcome = Yin dee krap / ka
Wait = Roh sakru
I= pom (man)
I= chan (woman)
Come = ma
Come from = ma jak
I come from Australia = Pom ma jak pratet Australia (man)/
Chan ma jak pratet Australia (woman)
I love Thailand = Pom/chan rak Meuang Thai.
I love you= pom/chan rak khun

The word leu = past tense meaning it has happened already. The word is used at the end of the sentence to say something already happened.

Words in [brakets] are optional in informal everyday specch.

I have come= ma leu
Go = pai
Gone already = pai leu
Go where = pai nai
Go soon = pai diauni
room= hong
water= nam
Toilet = hong nam
Where is the toilet? = hong nam yu nai?
to enter= kow
heart= jai
to understand = kow jai (literally: to enter the heart)
don't understand = my kow jai

Eat = gin
Drink = deun
Food = ahan
Candies= kanom
Have eaten already? = gin leu my krap/ka?
Rice = kow
to eat= kin kow (literally: eat rice)
I am hungry = pom/chan heeu kow
Are you hungry? = Khun heeu kow my?
Tasty = aroy
I have eaten already thanks = [Pom/chan] kin leu krap/ka
I am full thank you = [Pom/chan] im leu krap/ka

dont know = My ru
want = ao
don't want = my ao
now = ton ni
today = wan ni
tonight = keun ni
this morning = chao ni
tomorrow = prung ni
yesterday = Meua wan
hour= mong
what time is it? = Ton ni gi mong?

water = nam
hard= keng
ice = nam keng (hard water)
hot water = nam ron
cold water = nam yen
waterfall = nam toc
rain = fon
raining = fon toc
shower = ab nam
maybe / perhaps = Bang ti
play = len
speak = pud
funny = sanuk
I know = pom/chan ru
I don't know = pom/ chan my ru
everything = took sing
large = yai
small = lek
fast = reu, slow = cha

crazy =bah
you are crazy = khun bah
very/ a lot= mak
you are very crazy = khun ba mak
stupid = ting tong
you are stupid = khun ting tong

have = mee
I have = [pom/chan] mee
I don't have = [pom/chan] my mee
you have = khun mee
you don't have = khun my mee
can not hear you = my dai yin khun
I can hear you = pom/chan dai yin khun

work = tam ngan
I want = this can be said many ways: pom/ chan ao; pom/ chan tong karn; pom/ chan yak
I think = pom kid wa
why = tam my
I am sick = pom/ chan my sabai
good= di
heart= jai
happy = di jai (literally good heart)
I am happy = pom/ chan mee cuam suk; or pom. chan sabai di
I am not happy = pom/ chan my sabai di

broken= sia
I am sad = pom/ chan sia jai (literally I have a broken heart)
I am sorry = pom/ chan koh tot
I am confused = pom/chan sap son
never meend = my pen rai
a lot / very = mak
hurt / pain = jeb
I am full = im leu
I forget = Pom/ chan leum leu
where is = yu nai
over there = ti nun
here = ti ni
what= arai
when = meua arai
friend = peuang
good friend = peuang di
problem = pang ha
I have a problem = pom/chan mee pang ha

afraid = klua
frightened / scared = pom/chan klua
smells bad = meen
good = di
very good = di mak
bad = my di
weather= akas
hot weather = akas ron
cold wind = lom yen
strong wind = lom reng
bathroom / toilet = hong nam
shower = ab nam

to look = du
to see = hen
again = ik krang
to tell a lie = pud go hok
shit= ki
lies a lot = pud ki mak (literally speaks shit a lot)
to promeese = hai sanya
sorry = ko tot
to sleep = non/ lap
to wake up = teun
eyes= ta
to close your eyes (go to sleep)= lap ta
dreams= fan; good night= lap fan di

A Few Simple Tips:

To make a question just add my at the end.
To make the negative add my at the beginning.

Are you hungry? = khun heeu kow my?
Are you happy ? = khun di jai my?
Do you have a boy friend ? = khun mee fen leu my?
I don't understand = my kow jai
(literally means "doesn't enter the heart")
no thanks = my ao krap/ka
I don't know = my ru krap/ka
I don't like it = my chob krap/ka

eyes = ta
lips = pak
to love= rak
face= na
pretty = na rak (literally lovely face)
beautiful = sway
hansome = loh
breasts = nom
kiss = jup
like = chob
You are very beautiful = khun sway mak
You are very pretty = khun na rak mak

What is your name? = khun cheu arai?
You have a beautiful smeele = khun mee yim sway
Happy to meet you = pom mee cuam suk ti dai pop khun
See you again = leu pop khun
Do you have a boy friend? = khun mee fen leu my?
I like you = pom/chan chob khun
What are you thinking? = khun kid arai?
I am shy = pom ki ai
You look good = khun sway di
You look beautiful = khun sway mak
I will love you a long time = pom/chan rak khun nan leu
Come watch a movie with me = pai du nang kap pom/chan my?
Come eat with me = pai kin kow kap pom/chan my?

Telling Time in Thai

1 am = ti neung

 am = ti song

3 am = ti sam
4 am = ti si
5 am = ti ha
6 am = hok mong chao
7 am = chet mong chao
8 am = pet mong chao
9 am = kow mong chao
10 am = sip mong chao
11 am = sip et mong
meed day = tiang

1 pm = bai neung
2 pm = bai song
3 pm = bai sam
4 pm = si mong yen
5 pm = ha mong yen
6 pm = hok mong yen
7 pm = neung tum
8 pm = song tum
9 pm = sam tum
10 pm = si tum
11 pm = ha tum
meednight = tiang kheun

Numbers:

(1) = neung
(2) = song
(3) = sam
(4) = si
(5) = ha
(6) = hok
(7) = chet
(8) = pet
(9) = kow
(10) = sip
(11) = sip et
(12) = sip song
(13) = sip sam
(14) = sip si
(15) = sip ha
(20) = yee sip

(21) = yee sip et
(22) = yee sip song
(23) = yee sip sam
(24) = yee sip si
(25) = yee sip ha
(30) = sam sip
(40) = si sip
(50) = ha sip
(60) = hok sip
(70) = chet sip
(80) = pet sip
(90) = kow sip
(100) = neung roi
(150) = neung roi ha sip
(500) = ha roi
1000) = neung pan
1500) = neung pan ha roi
(2000) = si pan
(5000) = ha pan