The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Thai
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Thai. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | สวัสดีครับ/ค่ะ | sa-WAT-dee krap/kah |
| Hello (informal) | หวัดดี | wat-DEE |
| Goodbye | ลาก่อน | la-GON |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณครับ/ค่ะ | kop-KOON krap/kah |
| Please | กรุณา | ka-ROO-na |
| Yes | ใช่ | CHAI |
| No | ไม่ใช่ | mai-CHAI |
| Sorry | ขอโทษ | kho-THOT |
| I don't understand | ฉันไม่เข้าใจ | chan mai-KHAO chai |
| Do you speak English? | คุณพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม | kun poot pa-SA ang-GRIT dai mai |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | สวัสดีตอนเช้า | sa-WAT-di TON CHAO |
| Good evening | สวัสดีตอนเย็น | sa-WAT-di TON YEN |
| How are you? | สบายดีไหม | sa-BAI di MAI |
| My name is... | ฉันชื่อ... | CHAN CHUE... |
| Nice to meet you | ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก | YIN-di TI DAI RU-jak |
| I am from Israel | ฉันมาจากอิสราเอล | CHAN MA JAK IS-ra-el |
| See you | แล้วเจอกัน | LEO JER GAN |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | ประตูทางออกอยู่ที่ไหน | pra-TU tang OK yu TI nai |
| Is the flight delayed? | เที่ยวบินล่าช้าไหม | TIO bin LA-cha MAI |
| Boarding pass | บัตรขึ้นเครื่อง | BAT khun KREUNG |
| My luggage hasn't arrived | กระเป๋าของฉันยังมาไม่ถึง | gra-PAO KHONG chan YANG ma MAI THEUNG |
| I have a connecting flight | ฉันมีเที่ยวบินต่อ | CHAN mi TIO bin TO |
| Window/aisle seat | ที่นั่งริมหน้าต่าง/ริมทางเดิน | TI nang RIM na TANG/RIM tang DEIN |
| Where is passport control? | ด่านตรวจคนเข้าเมืองอยู่ที่ไหน | DAN tru-AT KHON khao MUANG yu TI nai |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please. | ไปที่อยู่นี้ | PAI tee U-nee |
| How much to the center? | ไปตัวเมืองเท่าไหร่ | PAI tua MU-ang TAO-rai |
| One ticket to… | ตั๋วหนึ่งใบไป… | TU-a NENG bai PAI… |
| Which platform? | ชานชาลาที่เท่าไหร่ | CHAN CHA-la TI TAO-rai |
| Where is the bus station? | สถานีรถบัสอยู่ที่ไหน | SA-ta-NEE ROT-bas YU TI nai |
| Stop here, please. | จอดที่นี่ | JOT TI ni |
| Is it far? | ไกลไหม | GLAI mai |
| Turn left/right. | เลี้ยวซ้าย/ขวา | LI-ao SAI/KWA |
| Straight. | ตรงไป | TRONG pai |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | ฉันมีการจอง | CHAN mi KAN-jong |
| Check-in | เช็คอิน | CHEK-in |
| Check-out | เช็คเอาท์ | CHEK-out |
| Is breakfast included? | รวมอาหารเช้าหรือไม่ | RUAM a-HAN CHAO reu MAI? |
| Room key | กุญแจห้อง | GUN-jae HONG |
| Wi-Fi password | รหัสผ่านไวไฟ | RA-hat PAN WAI-fai |
| Can I leave my luggage? | ฝากกระเป๋าได้ไหม | PAK gra-PAO DAI mai? |
| The air conditioner is not working | แอร์ไม่ทำงาน | AE mai TAM-ngan |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two | โต๊ะสำหรับสองคน | TO sam-RAP SONG kon |
| The menu, please | ขอเมนูหน่อย | KHO me-NU NOI |
| What do you recommend? | แนะนำอะไรดี | NE-nam a-RAI DEE |
| The bill, please | คิดเงินด้วย | KIT ngen DU-ai |
| Tap water | น้ำเปล่า | NAM PLAO |
| I have a nut allergy | แพ้ถั่ว | PHE thua |
| Without meat | ไม่ใส่เนื้อ | MAI sai NUEA |
| It was excellent | อร่อยมาก | a-ROI MAK |
| Can I pay by card? | จ่ายด้วยบัตรได้ไหม | CHAI duai BAT DAI mai |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | นี่ราคาเท่าไหร่ | NI RAA-KAA TAO-RAI |
| It's too expensive | นี่แพงเกินไป | NI PENG GEN PAI |
| Do you accept card? | รับบัตรไหม | RAP BAT MAI |
| I'm just looking | ฉันแค่มอง | CHAN KE MONG |
| Can I have a receipt? | ขอใบเสร็จได้ไหม | KHO BAI SET DAI MAI |
| Where is the ATM? | ตู้เอทีเอ็มอยู่ที่ไหน | TU EI-TI-EM YU TI NAI |
| A smaller size | ขนาดเล็กกว่านี้ | KA-NAT LEK GWA NI |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Thai | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | ช่วยด้วย! | CHUAY-DUAY |
| Call a doctor. | เรียกหมอ | RI-AK-MO |
| Call the police. | เรียกตำรวจ | RI-AK-TAM-RUAT |
| Where is the pharmacy? | ร้านขายยาอยู่ที่ไหน? | RAN-KHAI-YA-YU-THI-NAI |
| I don't feel well. | ฉันรู้สึกไม่ดี | CHAN-RU-SIK-MAI-DI |
| I'm lost. | ฉันหลงทาง | CHAN-LONG-TANG |
| I need a hospital. | ฉันต้องการโรงพยาบาล | CHAN-TONG-KAN-RONG-PHA-YA-BAN |
| It hurts here. | เจ็บตรงนี้ | JEP-TRONG-NI |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Thai?
"ขอบคุณครับ/ค่ะ" (kop-KOON krap/kah). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Thai do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Thai is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Thai as an official language?
Thai is a main language in 1 countries: Thailand.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"คุณพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ไหม" (kun poot pa-SA ang-GRIT dai mai) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data