A Quick and Easy Guide on Basic Thai for Expats and Travelers
Whether you are simply visiting a foreign country as a tourist or migrating for work, it always helps to learn the very basic terms of the native language. While a big city like Bangkok is easy enough to get around by using English, being able to use very basic Thai terms will not only simplify your cross-cultural communication but also impress the locals, trust us!
To help make your life in Thailand a little bit easier, we’ve put together a list of the most important basic terms you should know.
Sawat Dee Kha / Khap
“Greetings” or “Hello”, which is usually the most common phrase everyone will use when first learning a language. Kha is for females and Khap is for males and is a phrase of respect and politeness.
Khap Khun Kha / Khap
Translates to “Thank you”, followed by placing your two palms together in a praying gesture which shows further respect to the person you are speaking to. This is known as the ‘wai’ in Thai culture.
Khor Toht Kha / Khap
“Excuse me” or “sorry”. This is used to gain a person’s attention or to apologize.
Mai Phet
Translates to “Not spicy”, which is a very handy phrase for travelers who can’t handle some of the extremely fiery dishes in Thailand!
Tao Rai
Another useful phrase translating to “How much?”.
Leow Sai / Leow Kwaa / Dtrong Pai
Knowing your directions are essential when navigating your way across the many busy streets and alleys of big cities like Bangkok. To make sure you’re going the right way or to get directions from the locals, you need to understand the three key terms. Leow Sai, meaning turn left, Loew Kwaa to turn right, and Dtrong pai, to go straight.
Mai Pen Rai
Literally translating to “it’s all good” or “never mind”. It is a phrase often used to calm situations down or to accept another person’s apology.
La Gorn
Meaning “goodbye”, followed again by a ‘wai’ gesture for more politeness.
These are some of the most helpful and basic phrases that are essential to your time in Thailand. From here, you can always further your knowledge by trying to speak and learn more from the locals. “Lub d” itself directly translates to “Sleep Well” in English, so to ensure you have a very pleasant and peaceful stay, our properties are the best places to book!
