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Useful Thai Phrases when visiting Phuket

Some Thai phrases to save your day in Phuket! ๐Ÿ™‚

Most people in Phuket will understand a few words of English, especially in tourist areas or when their business depends on tourism, however, it is always fun and appreciated when visitors can exchange greetings in the Thai language. Here are a few useful Thai phrases and sentences to use when travelling to Phuket and Thailand. Some are casual and just for fun, and some might prove themselves useful, especially when it comes to food preferences or allergies.

Note that โ€œKapโ€ and โ€œKaaโ€ are both polite particles used in the Thai language, particularly at the end of a sentence or phrase.โ€Kapโ€ is used by men, whereas โ€œKaaโ€ is a polite particle that is typically used by women. However, both particles can be used by anyone, regardless of gender.

Casual conversation

EnglishPrononciationThai
HelloSawadii (Kap/Kaa)เธชเธงเธฑเธชเธ”เธต
How are you?Sabai dee mai (Kap/Kaa)?เธชเธšเธฒเธขเธ”เธตเธกเธฑเน‰เธข
Iโ€™m fineSabai dee (Kap/Kaa)เธชเธšเธฒเธขเธ”เธต
Iโ€™m not wellMai sabaiเน„เธกเนˆเธชเธšเธฒเธข
Thank youKhop kun (Kap/Kaa)เธ‚เธญเธšเธ„เธธเธ“
Youโ€™re welcomeMai pen rai (Kap/Kaa)เน„เธกเนˆเน€เธ›เน‡เธ™เน„เธฃ
Sorry / Excuse meKoor thot (Kap/Kaa)เธ‚เธญเน‚เธ—เธฉ
No problemMai pen rai (Kap/Kaa)เน„เธกเนˆเน€เธ›เน‡เธ™เน„เธฃ
Can you speak English?Pood paasaa anggrit dai mai (Kap/Kaa)เธžเธนเธ”เธ เธฒเธฉเธฒเธญเธฑเธ‡เธเธคเธฉเน„เธ”เน‰เธกเธฑเน‰เธข
What is your name?Kun chuu arai (Kap/Kaa)?เธ„เธธเธ“เธŠเธทเนˆเธญเธญเธฐเน„เธฃ
Where is the Bathroom?Hongnaam tee nai (Kap/Kaa)?เธซเน‰เธญเธ‡เธ™เน‰เธณเธญเธขเธนเนˆเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™
How much is it?Taorai (Kap/Kaa)?เน€เธ—เนˆเธฒเน„เธซเธฃเนˆ
Very expensivePaeng maakเนเธžเธ‡เธกเธฒเธ
Can you give a discount?Lod dai mai (Kap/Kaa) ?เธฅเธ”เน„เธ”เน‰เธกเธฑเน‰เธข

 

Food-related phrases

EnglishPronounciationThai
Iโ€™m very hungryHew maakเธซเธดเธงเธกเธฒเธ
I am vegetarianGin mung sa wi radเธเธดเธ™เธกเธฑเธ‡เธชเธงเธดเธฃเธฑเธ•เธด
I am veganGin jaeเธเธดเธ™เน€เธˆ
Can I have water?Kor naam prawเธ‚เธญเธ™เน‰เธณเน€เธ›เธฅเนˆเธฒ
No ice pleaseMai sai nam kaengเน„เธกเนˆเนƒเธชเนˆเธ™เน‰เธณเนเธ‚เน‡เธ‡
Is this spicy?Ped maiเน€เธœเน‡เธ”เธกเธฑเน‰เธข
Not spicy pleaseMai pedเน„เธกเนˆเน€เธœเน‡เธ”
I am allergic to MSGGin pong shoo rod mai dai / Pair pong shoo rodเธเธดเธ™เธœเธ‡เธŠเธนเธฃเธชเน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เธœเธ‡เธŠเธนเธฃเธช
I can't eat nuts / I am allergic to nutsGin tua mai dai / Pair tuaเธเธดเธ™เธ–เธฑเนˆเธงเน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เธ–เธฑเนˆเธง
I can't drink milk / I am allergic to milkGin nom mai dai / Pair nomเธเธดเธ™เธ™เธกเน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เธ™เธก
I can't eat eggs / I am allergic to eggsGin kai mai dai / Pair kaiเธเธดเธ™เน„เธ‚เนˆเน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เน„เธ‚เนˆ
I can't eat wheat / I am allergic to wheatGin kao sa lee mai dai / Pair kao sa leeเธเธดเธ™เธ‚เน‰เธฒเธงเธชเธฒเธฅเธตเน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เธ‚เน‰เธฒเธงเธชเธฒเธฅเธต
I can't eat soy / I am allergic to soyGin tua lhung mai dai / Pair tua lhungเธเธดเธ™เธ–เธฑเนˆเธงเน€เธซเธฅเธทเธญเธ‡เน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เธ–เธฑเนˆเธงเน€เธซเธฅเธทเธญเธ‡
I can't eat shellfish / I am allergic to shellfishGin seafood mai dai nok jak plaเธเธดเธ™เธ‹เธตเธŸเธนเน‰เธ”เน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰เธ™เธญเธเธˆเธฒเธเธ›เธฅเธฒ
I can't eat garlic or onions / I am allergic to garlic or onionsGin kra-tiam gap hua-hom mai dai / Pair kra-tiam gap hua-homเธ‰เธฑเธ™ เธเธดเธ™เธเธฃเธฐเน€เธ—เธตเธขเธกเธเธฑเธšเธซเธฑเธงเธซเธญเธกเน„เธกเนˆเน„เธ”เน‰ / เนเธžเน‰เธเธฃเธฐเน€เธ—เธตเธขเธกเธเธฑเธšเธซเธฑเธงเธซเธญเธก
Do you have gluten-free food?Mee ar han tee mai mee gluten maiเธกเธตเธญเธฒเธซเธฒเธฃเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธกเนˆเธกเธตเธเธฅเธนเน€เธ•เธ™เธกเธฑเน‰เธข
Does this dish contain gluten?Jarn nee sai gluten maiเธˆเธฒเธ™เธ™เธตเน‰เนƒเธชเนˆเธเธฅเธนเน€เธ•เธ™เธกเธฑเน‰เธข

 

Practical phrases

EnglishPronounciationThai
Where is the Bathroom? Hongnaam yuu tee nai (Kap/Kaa)?เธซเน‰เธญเธ‡เธ™เน‰เธณเธญเธขเธนเนˆเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™
Where is there a pharmacy?Raan kai yaa yuuu tee nai (Kap/Kaa)?เธฃเน‰เธฒเธ™เธ‚เธฒเธขเธขเธฒเธญเธขเธนเนˆเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™
Where is there a hospital?Rong-pa-ya-baan yuu tee nai (Kap/Kaa)?เน‚เธฃเธ‡เธžเธขเธฒเธšเธฒเธฅเธญเธขเธนเนˆเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™
IWhere is there an ATM?ATM yuu tee nai (Kap/Kaa)?เธ•เธนเน‰ ATM เธญเธขเธนเนˆเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™
Where can I change money?Chan laek ngern tee nai dai bang (Kap/Kaa)?เนเธฅเธเน€เธ‡เธดเธ™เธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™เน„เธ”เน‰เธšเน‰เธฒเธ‡
Where can I book a tour?Chan ja jong tua tee nai dai bang (Kap/Kaa)?เธˆเธฐเธˆเธญเธ‡เธ—เธฑเธงเธฃเนŒเธ—เธตเนˆเน„เธซเธ™เน„เธ”เน‰เธšเน‰เธฒเธ‡

Practical information about Phuket

Willy Thuan

Willy Thuan

Willy Thuan is the founder of Phuket 101. After travelling through 40+ countries and working with Club Med and Expedia, he settled in Phuket in 1994. He shares real travel insights and original photography from across Thailand.View Author posts