Please note that when a vowel sound is written with two letters, the mark is placed over the first, but this of course applies to both.
PART 1 Words 1–10
Getting to know you
People traveling in Thailand will obviously want to become better informed about everything they see about them and will seek social contact with Thais. The best way to make contact is to exchange a few words in Thai. Your Thai friends will be pleased, and will help you with the pronunciation.
| 1 | DII ดี Good! Right! Okay! |
Sawatdii. สวัสดี Hello!
This is an all-purpose word of greeting. It can be used with anybody, and at any time of day. Informally, people just say Wàtdii! หวัดดี. You can use it to say “hello” on the phone, and also to say goodbye. (It isn’t actually derived from dii ดี at all, but is useful to include here.)
Sabai dii mái? สบายดีไหม Are you well?
To answer a question like this, just repeat the main word (without the question word):
Sabai dii. สบายดี Yes, I am.
Dii mái? ดีไหม Is that okay? Do you agree?
Chohk dii. โชคดี Good luck.
Yin dii. ยินดี It’s my pleasure.
Dii jai. ดีใจ Happy (to see you, know you; literally “good in my heart”).
Grammatical notes
1. Thai sentence is simply formed by ‘subject-verb-object’ order like English. No word is modified or conjugated for tense, person, possession, singular or plural, gender, or subject-verb agreement.
2. The question word mái ไหม is placed at the end of a sentence. It can be interpreted as both a general question and an invitation or suggestion. To answer “yes” repeat the verb or adjective. For saying “no”, put mâi ไม่ before the verb or adjective.
Question: subject + verb/adjective + mái
Yes: subject + verb/adjective
No: subject + mâi (no) + verb/adjective
3. In Thai sentence, subject omission is acceptable when it is clear who the subject is.
Cultural note
Thais do not shake hands, nor do they say “please to meet you” when they “meet and greet” someone. Thais use a gesture of wâai ไหว้. They make a slight bow with the palms pressed together, as a way of greeting and respecting one another. There is a certain “protocol” for making the wâai ไหว้, bearing in mind its function, namely to express respect. So we wâai ไหว้ “up,” to someone we want to show respect to, including a new acquaintance. If someone makes a wâai ไหว้ to you, you must return it (if you’re carrying something, then one hand will do, or even just a little bow). Consequently, you do not make a wâai ไหว้ to a younger or junior person first (but you do return it), and of course you never make one to a child.
When it is intended as a form of greeting or farewell, people would say sà-wàt-dii สวัสดี while performing the wâi.
| 2 | KHÁ/KHÂ/KHRÁP คะ/ค่ะ/ครับ Polite particles |
These three words should be introduced at an early stage, because they are very common. They are used to end a sentence in order to make an utterance sound very polite and respectful.
• ค่ะ khâ (for women) is used for making statements, commands, and also used alone as a polite way to answer “yes”.
• คะ khá (for women) is used at the end of a question.
• ครับ khráp is a neutral ending for men to use in any situation.
| 3 | CHÊU ชื่อ name |
Khun chêu à-rai. คุณชื่ออะไร
What is your name?
Phǒm chêu Simon. ผมชื่อไซมอน
My name is Simon.
Chǎn chêu Helen. ฉันชื่อเฮเลน
My name is Helen.
Khǎu chêu Richard. เขาชื่อ ริดชาร์ด
His name is Richard.
Khun mii chêu lên mái? คุณมีชื่อเล่นไหม
Do you have a nickname?
Grammatical notes
1. The word chêu ชื่อ can be translated into the English word “name” or with the verb “to be called.”
2. Thai has a complicated set of personal pronouns.
The following are appropriate pronouns for conversational use.
| I/me | chǎn | ฉัน (female) |
| dì-chǎn | ดิฉัน (formal for female) | |
| phǒm | ผม (male) | |
| We | rao | เรา |
| You | khun | คุณ |
| thoe | เธอ (female) | |
| He/She/They | khǎo | เขา |
| thoe | เธอ (she) |
Cultural notes
Thais call each other by given names. However, nicknames are commonly used in Thailand. Thais may give you their nicknames instead of their first names. In general Thai given names are preceded by Khun (Mr., Mrs., or Miss), unless they carry a title, such as doctor. Khun is used for men and women, married or single. For example: Somjai (given name) + Rattana (family name) is Khun Somjai. If you don’t know a person’s name, address them as Khun. The first name and the family name are introduced in an official introduction,
| 4 | RÚU-JÀK รู้จัก to know, be acquainted |
Khun rúu-jàk Mali mái? คุณ รู้จักมะลิ ไหม
Do you know Mali?
Thoe rúu-jàk rong-raem Oriental