Thai Phrases at A1: Ordering Food, Taking a Taxi and Shopping at a Market
You do not need to speak Thai to have a great trip, but twenty words change how the trip feels. A polite khrap or kha, a confident mai pet at a food stall and a clear jot tee nee to the driver turn you from a tourist who points into a guest who tries, and people in Thailand notice the difference.
This article covers the Thai you will use most in your first week: being polite, eating, getting around and paying. It is A1 on purpose. Every phrase is short, and every one comes with a pronunciation written in plain English letters. The spelling is a guide, not an exact transcription, and a Thai speaker will still hear an accent, but you will be understood.
For the full set, including numbers, health and emergencies, see our list of 49 basic Thai phrases, where every phrase is also written in Thai script so you can show it on your phone.
The one word that makes everything polite
Thai has polite particles that go at the end of almost every sentence. If you are a man, say khrap. If you are a woman, say kha. Sa-wat-dee khrap is a polite hello from a man; kop-kun kha is a polite thank you from a woman.
This is the single most useful thing on the page. A bare phrase can sound abrupt; the same phrase with khrap or kha sounds friendly. When you forget everything else, remember the ending.
| English | Say it like | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | sa-wat-dee | Also used for goodbye |
| Thank you | kop-kun | Add khrap or kha |
| Sorry / Excuse me | kor-toht | For bumping into someone or getting attention |
| No problem / Never mind | mai pen rai | You will hear this every day |
| I do not understand | mai kao jai | Useful when someone answers in fast Thai |
At a food stall
Thai street food is one of the best reasons to visit, and three phrases make it easier. Mai pet means not spicy. Pet nit noi means a little spicy, which in many places is still quite hot. A-roi means delicious, and saying it to the cook is always welcome.
Water is nam plow, drinking water, and if you would like your drink without ice, say mai sai nam kaeng. When you are finished, chek bin duay asks for the bill.
| English | Say it like |
|---|---|
| Not spicy | mai pet |
| A little spicy | pet nit noi |
| Delicious | a-roi |
| Drinking water | nam plow |
| No ice | mai sai nam kaeng |
| I do not eat meat | mai gin nuea sat |
| The bill, please | chek bin duay |
In a taxi
Bangkok taxis have meters, and asking for it politely saves an argument later: pert mee-ter duay. Then give simple directions. Trong pai is go straight, leeo sai is turn left, leeo kwah is turn right, and jot tee nee is stop here.
If you are not sure about the distance, glai mai asks whether it is far. The airport is sa-nam bin, and it is worth learning before your last day.
| English | Say it like |
|---|---|
| Please use the meter | pert mee-ter duay |
| Go straight | trong pai |
| Turn left | leeo sai |
| Turn right | leeo kwah |
| Stop here | jot tee nee |
| Is it far? | glai mai |
| Airport | sa-nam bin |
At a market
Point at something and ask an nee tao rai, how much is this. If the price feels high, paeng pai means too expensive, and lot dai mai asks for a discount. Keep it friendly and smile: bargaining at a market is normal, but in a shop with price tags it is not.
When you have decided, ao an nee means I will take this one.
Tones, and why you will still be understood
Thai has five tones, and the English spelling on this page does not show them. That sounds alarming, but at a food stall or in a taxi the situation does most of the work. If someone looks puzzled, show them the Thai script from the phrase list instead of repeating louder.
To make the phrases stay with you, pick the ten you will use on day one, say each one out loud, and test yourself again over the next few days before you fly. Ten phrases you can say without thinking are worth more than fifty you have read once.