LET 's speak Thai

This is a tonal monosyllabic language. The same word can be said in five different ways - normal or middle tone, low, rising and falling. Like English it is read from left to right. but that 's where the similarities end. Some English sounds like "th" and "z" don 't appear at all, while some Thai sounds are not commonly used in English either. There are no plural in Thai, nor are there tenses as such. A word or two is usually added to determine the past, present or future. If you run into difficulties, remember to speak slowly and clearly, stick to the simple present tense and don 't use slang or idioms. In Thai there is a "politening" word attached to the end of anything you say. For men it is "krup" for women it is "kha" .The words have have little if any direct translation but a Thai will think very highly of you if you use it.

Basic Words


Yes
chai

No
mai-chai/mai-oua

Thank you
kob-khun

Thank you very much
kob-khun-mark

You're welcome
mai-pen-rai

Please
ka-ru-na

Excuse me
kor-tose/kor-a-nu-yart

Hello
sa-wat-dee

Goodbye
lar-korn

So long
narn/yao-narn

Good morning
sa-was-dee-torn-chao

Good afternoon
sa-was-dee-torn-bai

Good evening
sa-was-dee-torn-khum

Good night
ra-tree-sa-was

I do not understand
chan-mai-kao-jai (f) pom-mai-kao-jai (m)

How do you say this in [English]?
khun-ja-pood-nee-pen-[pa-sa-ang-glish]-wa-young-lai?

Do you speak ... ?
khun-pood ...?

English
pa-sa-ang-krit

French
pa-sa-fa-rang-sez

German
pa-sa-yer-re-man

Spanish
pa-sa-spain

Chinese
pa-sa-jeen

I
chan (f), phom (m)

We
puak-lao

You (singular, familiar)
khun

You (plural)
khun

They
puak-kao

What is your name?
khun-cheu-ar-rai

Nice to meet you
dee-jai-tee-dai-pob-khun

How are you?
khun-sa-bai-dee-mai?

Good
dee

Bad
mai-dee

So so
kor-young-narn-lae