30 Essential Thai Phrases for Your First Trip to Bangkok

The polite greeting for anyone at any hour, and goodbye as well. Tones low, low, mid. Men add khrap and women kha: sawatdi khrap.

Sawatdi says goodbye as well as hello. Kho hai opens a wish: word for word, "may it be a good day". Tones low, low, mid, then rising, falling, mid, mid, falling, mid, high.

Thank you, polite enough for anyone. Tones low, mid. Add khrap or kha. Khopkhun mak is thank you very much.

The toilet, and also the bathroom. Tones falling, high. Signs often read สุขา, but hongnam is what people say.

Yes in the sense of "that's right": it confirms a statement. Falling tone. Thai has no all-purpose yes; to most questions people answer by repeating the verb, or with khrap or kha alone.

No in the sense of "that's not right". Tones falling, falling. To turn something down, put mai before the verb: mai ao, I don't want it.

The cry for help when you are in danger. Tones falling, falling. Chuai is the verb help; duai adds urgency. In Thailand the tourist police answer on 1155.

Please as written on signs and heard in announcements. Tones low, high, mid. In speech a polite khrap or kha often does the work of please.

Sorry, and also excuse me. Tones rising, falling. Add khrap or kha.

Word for word, "sorry, ask to pass a little, can?". Tones rising, falling, rising, low, low, falling, high. In a crowded market a small bow and khothot alone also clears the way.

Tones falling, rising. It comes at the end of the question: hongnam yu thinai?, where is the toilet?

Tones falling, mid. Mai khaochai, I don't understand, is a phrase worth having ready.

Cha, slow, said twice: the mark ๆ repeats the word before it. Tones high, high.

The answer to thanks, and also never mind, no matter: you will hear it often. Tones falling, mid, mid.

Tones falling, low. It comes at the end: an ni thaorai?, how much is this?

The restaurant bill, from English. Mid tone. Ask with chek bin duai, plus khrap or kha.

Word for word, "shop selling medicine". Tones high, rising, mid. Ran ya is the short form.

Water. High tone, with a long vowel. People drink it bottled or filtered, not from the tap.

Tones low, mid, low, low. Mostly written, on cards and morning messages; face to face, Thais say sawatdi at any hour.

High tone. Thai uses it as a verb, to be allergic to: phae thua, allergic to nuts.

A card, and at a till a bank card. Low tone; the final ร is silent. Its sentence, chai duai bat dai mai?, asks to pay by card. Street stalls usually take cash or a QR code payment, not cards.

Table. High tone, with a short vowel. To ask for one: kho to samrap song khon, a table for two people.

Word for word, "train under the ground". Tones high, mid, falling, mid. Bangkok's underground is the MRT; the elevated Skytrain is the BTS. Ask rotfai taidin yu thinai?, where is the metro?

Ticket, for a bus, a train or a show. Rising tone. Ask for kho tua nueng bai: tickets are counted with bai. Hold up one finger as you say it.

The verb help. Falling tone. Chuai chan dai mai? is can you help me?; dai mai at the end makes a "can you?" question. In danger, cry chuai duai.

Again, once more. Tones low, mid. Phut ik thi dai mai?, could you say that again?, is worth having ready when Thai comes too fast.

Stop. Low tone. Say yut trong ni duai to a taxi or tuk-tuk driver and point to the kerb; drivers also say chot, pull up.

Word for word, "nursing vehicle". Tones high, high, mid, mid. Tho riak rot phayaban duai! is call an ambulance! For an ambulance in Thailand, dial 1669.

Delicious, tasty. Tones low, low. Say it to a street cook and watch them smile; aroi mak is very tasty.

Spicy, hot with chilli. Low tone. Ao phet mak asks for it very spicy, and Thai very spicy is fierce; for just a little heat, ask for phet nitnoi.