Essential Thai phrases every visitor should know

Why a few words go a long way

Thai people generally appreciate any visitor who attempts a few words of their language, even imperfectly. You do not need fluency — a handful of polite phrases used at the right moment (greeting a shopkeeper, thanking a driver, asking a price) noticeably changes how an interaction feels on both sides.

The gendered polite particle

Thai sentences are commonly finished with a small polite particle that changes depending on the speaker's gender: men add ครับ (khrap), women add ค่ะ (khâ). It is used constantly, including after greetings, thanks and simple answers, and is one of the easiest ways to sound polite even with very few other words.

Everyday essentials

• Hello — สวัสดี (sawasdee, + khrap/khâ)
• Thank you — ขอบคุณ (khob khun, + khrap/khâ)
• Yes — ใช่ (châi)
• No — ไม่ (mâi)
• Please / could you... — ขอ...หน่อย (khǒr ... nòi)
• Sorry / excuse me — ขอโทษ (khǒr thôht)
• How much does it cost? — เท่าไหร่ (thâo rài)
• Where is the toilet? — ห้องน้ำอยู่ไหน (hông nám yòo nǎi)
• Takeaway / to go — ใส่ถุง (sài thŭng — literally "put it in a bag", the common phrase for street-food orders)
• Spicy — เผ็ด (phèt)
• Not spicy — ไม่เผ็ด (mâi phèt)

A note on tones

Thai is a tonal language: the same syllable pronounced with a different pitch can mean something completely different. Written phonetics like the ones above are a starting point, not a guarantee of correct pronunciation — small mistakes are extremely common among visitors and are met with patience, not offence.

Practical tip

Save a short phrase list on your phone, or point at a translated menu or sign rather than attempting a full sentence when unsure. A smile, the wai (see our guide to Thai customs and etiquette) and a simple "khob khun khrap/khâ" go further than most visitors expect.