Before heading off on your trip to Pattaya, or your destination of choice in Thailand, you can pick up some useful Thai phrases to use on your journey. You can pick up a few key phrases and build your vocabulary from there.
Learning the language will help ingratiate you to the locals and may even surprise them while bringing a smile to their face. It is a nice way to show that you are not just like every other farang and have taken an interest in their culture. Below you’ll find the first lesson in Thai for Beginners.
Greetings:
Hello – sa-wat-dii khrap
How are you? – sa-baai-dii mai
I’m fine – sa-baai-dii
Thanks – khawp-khun khrap
Sorry – khaw-thot khrap
yes – chaino – mai chai
good morning – a-run-sa-wat
good afternoon – sa-wat-dii tawn-thiang
good evening – sa-wat-dii tawn-yen
good night – raa-trii sa-wat
no problem – mai-pen-rai
my name is – phom-chue
what is your name – khun chue a-rai
nice to meet you – yin-dii thii daai ru-jak
good – dii
that’s great – yiam maak
Eating / Food:
I am hungry – phom hiw
are you hungry? – khun hiw mai
I am thirsty – chan hiw-naam
Are you thirsty? – khun hiew-naam mai
let’s have breakfast – thaan aa-haan-chao kan
let’s have lunch – thaan aa-haan-thiang kan
let’s have dinner – thaan aa-haan-yen kan
What do you want to eat? – khun yaak thaan a-rai
Is this one spicy? – an-nii phet mai
Can you make it not too spicy – chuay tham-hai mai phet maak duay
Pete too many people arrive on their first trip to Thailand with no language skills and years later on their twice yearly visits those skills are still crude and basic. The world really is an oyster but you have to prise it open to enjoy its delightful offerings. You are right, learning a few words and phrases is much appreciated by the locals and makes the Thailand experience so much better. Best wishes.
Great post and I agree with Martyn that learning some Thai before you get there really makes for a better experience. I remember the first Thai I learned and the most important to me at the time. “Yoo tee nai hongnam” I can figure out a lot on my own but when you need a bathroom there might not always be time.
This is a great start but, as Thai script is so different to Roman (Western), finding the correct pronounciation isn’t so simple.
Not wishing to be pedantic but for eg:
Whilst goodnight is technically written as “raa-trii sa-wat” the true pronounciation is more like “ladee-sawad” – the two ‘T’ letters ( & ) are pronounced more like ‘D’, the first ‘R’ is pronounced ‘L’ while the second is ignored.
That said, Thais do appreciate a foreign visitor making an effort and you can rest assured they will help visitors learn. As Martyn says in the previous comment, it really does make a trip to Thailand all the more enjoyable and authentic.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting – I do appreciate it. My site is just starting out and I still have quite a bit of work to do. Should be some more content and a theme revision coming up.
@Martyn Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope it won’t be the last time. I enjoy your writing style and enjoy BTMJ.
@Talen I think that is one of the first things I learn in any language
Essential piece of information.
@Jon The Thai language is very difficult, and you are obviously a lot farther along than me. I must admit it doesn’t come easy to me like other languages. The tonality is probably the toughest part.
To be honest I don’t think anyone will be able to learn Thai from transliteration…at least not easily. Hearing it is essential for me. My hope for the post is that some people might be able to pick up a few useful phrases and expand their learning from there. I must add Talen’s ‘Where is the Bathroom” to the list!
I’ll look at adding some links to useful websites that teach Thai in the future. If anyone knows any – please pass them along.
Pete