If you've just arrived in Thailand, or are about to move here, the thing that will make your life easier and help you progress quickly isn't practicing grammar or memorizing long vocabulary lists, but rather... Survival phrases in Thai. Knowing just a few sentences, but using them at the right time, can make getting through the day much easier.
These basic Thai phrases are those that Thai people actually use and respond to, whether ordering food, getting lost, talking to staff, or asking for urgent help. Starting with frequently used phrases will help you...You can learn Thai on your own without giving up. And the results are quick.
This guide compiles 100 frequently used Thai phrases, clearly categorized by situation, with explanations of when and with whom to use them. It's recommended to read each category one by one, focusing on those relevant to daily life first, and then gradually expand to include more. There's no need to memorize everything in one day.
Greetings & Basic Courtesy
This category is the most basic of... Survival phrases in Thai. Even just being able to say this much will immediately make Thai people feel good and want to help more. I recommend focusing on this group first, without worrying too much about your accent. Just be brave enough to speak.
Below is: 20 basic Thai phrases Very frequently used, ready.Example sentences For practical use.
| number | Thai sentences | Phonetic (easy to read for foreigners) | meaning | Example sentences in phonetic format. |
| 1 | hello | sa-wàt-dee | Hello / Hi | sa-wàt-dee yin-dee thîi dâi rúu-jàk |
| 2 | thank you | kòp-khun | Thank you | kòp-khun mâak |
| 3 | excuse me | kŏ-thôt | Sorry / Excuse me | kŏ-thôt khŏr thaang nòi |
| 4 | nevermind | mâi-bpen-rai | Never mind / It's okay | mâi-bpen-rai mâi dtông-gang-won |
| 5 | pleased | yin-dee | You're welcome | yin-dee thîi dâi chûay |
| 6 | Are you well? | sa-bai-dee-mái | How are you? | sa-bai-dee-mái wan-née |
| 7 | fine | sa-bai-dee | I'm fine | sa-bai-dee kòp-khun |
| 8 | can | dâi | Yes / OK | dâi mâi-bpen-rai |
| 9 | cannot | mâi-dâi | No / Can't | wan-née mâi-dâi |
| 10 | understand | kâo-jai-láew | I understand | ok kâo-jai-láew |
| 11 | do not understand | mâi-kâo-jai | I don't understand | mâi-kâo-jai chûay phûut èek khráng |
| 12 | Slow down. | cháa-cháa-nòi | Please slow down | cháa-cháa-nòi phûut mâi thun |
| 13 | Could you say that again? | phûut èek khráng dâi mái | Can you say it again? | phûut èek khráng dâi mái |
| 14 | wait a moment | ror sàk-krôo | Please wait a moment | ror sàk-krôo dĭao maa |
| 15 | I'll be right back. | dĭao maa | I'll be right back | The person who is a person is a person. |
| 16 | okay | oh-kay | OK | oh-kay dtok-long |
| 17 | yes | châi | Yes | châi an-née |
| 18 | no | mâi-châi | No / Not that | mâi-châi an-nán |
| 19 | very good | dee mâak | Very good | dee mâak a-ròi |
| 20 | Maybe next time. | wái kraw-nâa | See you next time | wái kraw-nâa na |
A small note for the reader.
- The hyphen (-) is used to separate syllables for easier reading.
- mark â / á / à Give me a rough idea of the direction of the voice, but don't worry too much. Just be brave and speak first.
Read more: Thai Tone Mastery: Learn the five Thai tones.
Essential Communication — 25 Essential Phrases
| number | Thai sentences | Phonetic (easy to read for foreigners) | meaning | Example sentences in phonetic format. |
| 1 | Do you speak English? | khun pôot paa-săa ang-grìt dâi mái | Do you speak English? | khun pôot ang-grìt dâi mái |
| 2 | I can speak a little Thai. | phŏm pôot paa-săa thai dâi nít-nòi | I speak a little Thai | phŏm pôot thai dâi nít-nòi |
| 3 | Could you please speak more slowly? | chûay pôot cháa-cháa dâi mái | Can you speak slowly? | chûay pôot cháa-cháa nòi |
| 4 | Could you please repeat that? | It's a beautiful day. | Can you say it again? | It's a beautiful day. |
| 5 | do not understand | mâi kâo-jai | I don't understand | mâi kâo-jai lœei |
| 6 | understand | kâo-jai láew | I understand | ok kâo-jai láew |
| 7 | What is this in Thai? | nêe paa-săa thai wâa à-rai | What's this in Thai? | nêe paa-săa thai wâa à-rai |
| 8 | Thai is difficult. | paa-săa thai yâak | Thai is difficult | paa-săa thai yâak mâak |
| 9 | Thai language is fun. | paa-săa thai sà-nùk | Thai is fun | rian paa-săa thai sà-nùk |
| 10 | Help me. | chûay nòi | Please help | chûay nòi dâi mái |
| 11 | May I ask a question? | khŏr thăam nòi | May I ask something? | khŏr thăam nòi dâi mái |
| 12 | I'm lost. | phŏm lŏng thaang | I'm lost | phŏm lŏng thaang láew |
| 13 | Which way to go? | bpai thaang năi | Which way? | bpai thaang năi dee |
| 14 | Is it close? | glâi mái | Is it close? | glâi mái dern dâi mái |
| 15 | Is it far? | glai mái | Is it far? | glai mái |
| 16 | Here | dtrong nêe | Here | dtrong nêe châi mái |
| 17 | Over there | dtrong nân | There | dtrong nân |
| 18 | This one | an-née | This | ao an-née |
| 19 | That one | an-nân | That | mâi ao an-nân |
| 20 | can? | dâi mái | Is it possible? | bɛ̀ɛp nêe dâi mái |
| 21 | cannot | mâi-dâi | Not possible | wan-née mâi-dâi |
| 22 | wait a minute | dĭao | Wait / Hold on | dĭao gòn |
| 23 | now | dton-née | Now | dton-née dâi mái |
| 24 | when | mûea-rài | When? | maa mûea-rài |
| 25 | Do you understand? | kâo-jai mái | Do you understand? | kâo-jai mái |
How to use this category effectively.
- Choose to memorize only the sentences that are relevant to daily life first.
- Practice speaking. Full sentence Don't speak in separate words.
- Use it immediately, even if your accent isn't perfect. Thai people will help you.
| number | Thai sentences | Phonetic (easy to read for foreigners) | meaning | Example sentences in phonetic format. |
| 1 | Where is the restroom? | hông-náam yùu thîi năi | Where is the bathroom? | hông-náam yùu thîi năi |
| 2 | Where is this place? | thîi-nêe kheuu thîi năi | Where am I? | thîi-nêe kheuu thîi năi |
| 3 | Which way to go? | bpai thaang năi | Which way? | bpai thaang năi dee |
| 4 | straight on | dtrong-bpai | Go straight | dtrong-bpai yàao-yàao |
| 5 | Turn left | líeo-sáai | Turn left | líeo-sáai khâang-nâa |
| 6 | Turn right | líeo-kwăa | Turn right | líeo-kwăa khâang-nâa |
| 7 | Is it close? | glâi mái | Is it close? | glâi mái dern dâi mái |
| 8 | Is it far? | glai mái | Is it far? | glai mái dtông nâang rót mái |
| 9 | Can I walk there? | dern bpai dâi mái | Can I walk there? | dern bpai dâi mái |
| 10 | Take a car. | nâng-rót bpai | Go by vehicle | nâng-rót bpai dee-kwàa |
| 11 | Where is the bus stop? | bpàai rót yùu thîi năi | Where is the bus stop? | bpàai rót yùu thîi năi |
| 12 | Where is the train station? | rót-fai-fáa yùu thîi năi | Where is the BTS/MRT station? | rót-fai-fáa yùu thîi năi |
| 13 | Go to Sukhumvit. | bpai sù-khum-wít | Go to Sukhumvit | bpai sù-khum-wít |
| 14 | How much did you go? | bpai thâo-rài | How much to go? | bpai thâo-rài |
| 15 | Too expensive | phɛɛng bpai | Too expensive | phɛɛng bpai nòi |
| 16 | Can the price be reduced? | lót dâi mái | Can you give me a discount? | lót dâi mái nòi |
| 17 | Turn on the meter. | bpèrt mee-dter | Turn on the meter | bpèrt mee-dter nòi |
| 18 | Park here. | jòrt dtrong nêe | Stop here | jòrt dtrong nêe dâi |
| 19 | arrived | thĕung láew | We've arrived | thĕung láew châi mái |
| 20 | Can you call a taxi for me? | chûay rîak thæk-sêe hâi nòi | Please call a taxi | chûay rîak thæk-sêe hâi nòi |
Techniques to make this category work.
- speak Slow, clear, and concise. Thai people can guess the intention.
- If you're taking a taxi, use this phrase: Go to + place name It always works.
- When haggling over prices, using a neutral tone of voice will sound more polite.
Shopping & Dining — 20 Essential Phrases
| number | Thai sentences | Phonetic (easy to read for foreigners) | meaning | Example sentences in phonetic format. |
| 1 | How much? | raa-khaa thâo-rài | How much? | raa-khaa thâo-rài |
| 2 | Too expensive | phɛɛng bpai | Too expensive | phɛɛng bpai nòi |
| 3 | Can the price be reduced? | lót dâi mái | Can you give me a discount? | lót dâi mái nòi |
| 4 | Take this one. | ao an-née | I'll take this | ao an-née |
| 5 | no | mâi ao | I don't want it | mâi ao khàp |
| 6 | Just watching. | doo chœ̌œi-chœ̌œi | Just looking | doo chœ̌œi-chœ̌œi |
| 7 | Which one? | an-năi | Which one? | ao an-năi dee |
| 8 | Anything else? | mee yàang-èun mái | Do you have another one? | mee yàang-èun mái |
| 9 | very delicious | a-ròi mâak | Very delicious | a-ròi mâak mâak |
| 10 | delicious | a-ròi | Delicious | a-ròi |
| 11 | Not tasty | mâi a-ròi | Not delicious | mâi a-ròi |
| 12 | spicy | phèt | Spicy | phèt mái |
| 13 | Not spicy | mâi phèt | Not spicy | mâi phèt |
| 14 | Eat here. | gin thîi-nêe | Eat here | gin thîi-nêe |
| 15 | Put it in a bag. | sài thŭng | Take away | sài thŭng |
| 16 | Bring some water too. | ao náam dûay | I want a drink too | ao náam dûay |
| 17 | May I have a menu, please? | khŏr mee-noo nòi | Can I see the menu? | khŏr mee-noo nòi |
| 18 | The check, please. | gèp ngern dûay | Please check. | gèp ngern dûay |
| 19 | Where do I pay? | jàai ngern thîi năi | Where do I pay? | jàai ngern thîi năi |
| 20 | Do you accept cards? | ráp bàt mái | Do you accept cards? | ráp bàt mái |
How to use this category effectively.
- Order food: Add + the name of the food. It can be used almost anywhere.
- I don't eat spicy food: (said) Not spicy From the very beginning, it saved a lot of lives.
- Payment: The check, please. Suitable for both small and large shops.
Read more: Thai Food & Market Vocabulary
Emergency & Health — 15 Essential Phrases
| number | Thai sentences | Phonetic (easy to read for foreigners) | meaning | Example sentences in phonetic format. |
| 1 | help | chûay dûay | Help! | chûay dûay |
| 2 | Help me. | chûay phŏm nòi | Please help me | chûay phŏm nòi |
| 3 | Call the police. | rîak dtam-rùat | Call the police | rîak dtam-rùat hâi nòi |
| 4 | Call an ambulance. | rîak rót-pha-yaa-baan | Call an ambulance | rîak rót-pha-yaa-baan |
| 5 | I'm not feeling well. | phŏm mâi sa-bai | I'm not feeling well | phŏm mâi sa-bai |
| 6 | have a headache | bpùat hŭa | I have a headache | bpùat hŭa mâak |
| 7 | stomach ache | bpùat thóng | I have a stomachache | bpùat thóng |
| 8 | dizzy | wian hŭa | I feel dizzy | wian hŭa |
| 9 | have a fever | bpen khâi | I have a fever | bpen khâi |
| 10 | Drug allergy | phɛ́ɛ yia | Allergic to medicine | phɛ́ɛ yia an-née |
| 11 | Where is the hospital located? | rohng-pha-yaa-baan yùu thîi năi | Where is the hospital? | rohng-pha-yaa-baan yùu thîi năi |
| 12 | Where is the clinic located? | khli-nìk yùu thîi năi | Where is the clinic? | khli-nìk yùu thîi năi |
| 13 | Emergency | chùk-chœ̌rn | Emergency | chùk-chœ̌rn |
| 14 | Can I call a doctor? | thoh hăa mŏr dâi mái | Can I call a doctor? | thoh hăa mŏr dâi mái |
| 15 | now | dton-née | Right now / Now | dton-née chùk-chœ̌rn |
How to use this category safely.
- In case of an emergency. Speak briefly, clearly, and at a moderate volume.
- The word Help! / Emergency Thai people understood immediately.
- If you're really struggling, use body language; people will be more likely to help.
Practice Strategies
You have 100 sentences in hand. The next question is, "How do I practice so I don't forget them?" Because the problem for many people isn't not knowing the sentences, but... Knowing the basics but being afraid to use them, or forgetting them when faced with a real situation where they need to be used.
The following exercises will help you become instantly useful with essential Thai survival phrases, requiring no hesitation.
1) Choose what to remember based on the situation; you don't need to memorize everything at once.
You don't need to memorize all 100 sentences at once. Choose only the categories that you actually use first.
- Daily life → Greetings, Shopping & Dining
- Frequent Traveler → Navigation & Transportation
- Newly arrived → Essential Communication
These basic Thai phrases will stick in your head faster if you use them repeatedly in the same situations.
2) Use simple Spaced Repetition.
No need for complicated apps, just allocate your time like this:
- Day 1: Read + Repeat
- Day 2–3: Short Review
- Day 7: Try speaking without looking.
Reviewing vocabulary with intervals will help essential Thai vocabulary stay in memory longer than memorizing it all at once.
3) Practice with "complete sentences," not with individual words.
Instead of just memorizing the word... price or go To make it a sentence, for example:
- raa-khaa thâo-rài
- bpai sù-khum-wít
The brain can retrieve the information faster, and it sounds more natural to Thai people.
4) Use it immediately, even if your pronunciation isn't perfect yet.
Don't wait until you're fluent to use it. For tourists or beginners, simply being able to speak and be understood is enough. Your accent will gradually improve with real-life use.
If you speak to a Thai person and they smile or try to help, it means you're on the right track.
5) Supplement this with listening to real-life experiences.
Try listening to restaurant staff, taxi drivers, or Thai people talking about how they use these phrases. Some words might be shorter or spoken faster. That's the real thing, something you won't find in textbooks, and it can help you learn Thai on your own much faster.
Next Steps
If you can remember all of these sentences, even if not all 100, life in Thailand will immediately become easier. This is the set. Basic Thai sentences Designed to be practical, without requiring excessive mental interpretation.
It's recommended to start by memorizing phrases commonly used, such as traveling, eating, or asking for help, and then gradually expand the scope. Learning Thai on your own this way will feel less overwhelming and you'll see results faster.
If you want clearer sentence structures, someone to correct your pronunciation, and help you adapt sentences to real life, inlingua has you covered.Thai language courses for foreigners.It starts with survival phrases like these, then gradually develops into full-fledged communication. It begins with speaking in a way that people understand, then progresses to speaking precisely. Most importantly... Dare to speak up starting today.
