| LANGUAGE
Thai is a tonal
language. This means the same word can be pronounced with a rising,
falling, high, low or level tone, and have five different meanings.
It also has its own unique alphabet. Although many Thai people in
Phuket speak some English, being able to speak a few words in Thai
will help smooth the way and maximise your enjoyment in Phuket.
When
you address a stranger in Thai, you should end each sentence with
krap if you are a man, or kaa if you are a woman.
These cannot be translated into English, but make what you say polite.
They should always be used with sawasdee (hello/goodbye)
and kop khun (thank you). Sometimes they are used to mean
yes, as an answer to a question.
General
Words and Phrases
| English |
Thai
(spelt phonetically) |
| Hello/goodbye |
Sawasdee
krap/kaa |
| Thank
you |
Kop
khun krap/kaa |
| Where
are you going? |
Bai
nai? |
| Excuse
me |
Khaw
thord krap/kaa |
| How
are you? |
Sabai
dee mai? |
| I’m
fine |
Sabai
dee |
| I
don’t understand |
Mai
kow jai |
| I
don’t speak Thai |
Phom
(men)/Chan
(women) pud Thai mai di |
| Do
you have? |
Mee
… mai? |
| Is
there…? |
…
mee mai? |
| Is
… possible? |
…
dai mai? |
| Right |
Kwaa |
| Left |
Sai |
| Street |
Thanon |
| Airport |
Sanam
bin |
| Hotel |
Rung
raem |
| Restaurant |
Ra
na haan |
| Hospital |
Rung
payabaan |
| Boat |
Reua |
| How
much? |
Tauw
rai? |
| Bathroom/toilet |
Hong
naam |
| Yes |
Chai |
| No |
Mai
chai |
Numbers
| English |
Thai
(spelt phonetically) |
| Zero |
Soong |
| One |
Neung |
| Two |
Sorng |
| Three |
Sahm |
| Four |
See |
| Five |
Haa |
| Six |
Hok |
| Seven |
Jet |
| Eight |
Pairt |
| Nine |
Gao |
| Ten |
Sip |
| Eleven |
Sip
et |
| Twelve,
thirteen etc. |
Sip
sorng, sip sahm
etc. |
| Twenty |
Yee
sip |
| Twenty
one |
Yee
sip et |
| Twenty
two, twenty three etc. |
Yee
sip sorng, yee sip sahm etc. |
| Thirty,
forty etc. |
Sahm
sip, see sip etc. |
| One
hundred, two hundred etc. |
Neung
roy, sorng roy
etc. |
| One
thousand |
Neung
pan |
| Ten
thousand |
Neung
meun |
Marine-related
Terminology
| English |
Thai
(spelt phonetically) |
| Engine |
Kreuang
yon |
| Diesel
fuel |
Nam
man solar |
| To
fill fuel |
Term
nam man |
| Engine
oil |
Nam
man kreuang |
| Petrol
– 91/95 |
Benzine/Super |
| Rope |
Cheuak |
| Anchor |
Samaw |
| Sail |
Pah
bai |
| Boat |
Reua |
| Sailboat |
Reua
bai |
| Motor
boat |
Reua
yacht |
| Long
tail boat |
Reua
hang yao |
| Dinghy |
Reua
yang |
| Water |
Naam |
| To
fill water |
Term
naam |
| Jetty/wharf |
Taa
reua |
| Beach |
Chai
haad |
| Wave
(as in swell) |
Kleun |
|
