Travelling to Pattaya, Thailand, and wanting to be more than just another tourist? I get it, you want to fit in with the locals or maybe even date a Thai woman. Learning Thai is a great advantage because most Thais speak Thai and not English. It also helps you make the most of your time in Pattaya and develop better relationships with the locals. And let me tell you, learning Thai is fun and easy.
Basic Thai Phrases & Words
| English | Thai | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | สวัสดี | Sa-wat dee |
| Thank You | ขอบคุณ | Khop Koon |
| Sorry | ขอโทษ | Khor Tort |
| No | ไม่ | Khor tort |
| Yes | ใช่ | chai |
| Delicious | อร่อย | A-roi |
| Can | ได้ | dai |
| Cannot | ไม่ได้ | mai dai |
| Never mind | ไม่เป็นไร | mai pen rai |
| Fine | สบายดี | Sabai dee |
The basic terms above will help you a little while you are in Thailand as these are words regularly used by everyone and enough to impress anyone. I do not doubt that you will find the translations to be quite easy if you practise them; the words listed above will be useful.
Learning some of the less common but crucial words is the next logical step. Since I went through a similarly bizarre ordeal and used the obscure terms listed below to get back on track, I can say with confidence that they will be more useful to you.
| English | Thai | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | ภักษาหาร | pac sahan |
| Water | Water | naam |
| Hot | ร้อน | ron |
| Cold | หนาว | nao |
| Airport | สนามบิน | sanaam bin |
| Toilet | ห้องน้ำ | hong naam |
| Small | นิดหน่อย | nit noi |
| Large | ใหญ่ | yai |
| Beer | เบียร์ | Bia |
| Ice | น้ำแข็ง | naam keng |
So, by all means, master Thai and communicate fluently. You may be sure that your antics will entertain and, who knows, perhaps even amaze some Thais.
Select an option below if you would like to know more. Also, if you’re a sucker for authentic Thai cuisine, you can learn the ins and outs of reading menus in Pattaya, Thailand, by clicking the “Menu Reading” option.
