13 Essential Thai Phrases To Learn

2025 was last year and it was the year of the return of The White Lotus. To those who don’t know what The White Lotus is, no The White Lotus is not a brand of soap, but it is the title for a dark comedy HBO series. This show follows a group of wealthy people going on a holiday somewhere, staying in a White Lotus hotel, where the sky is cotton candy pink and all things rosy. That is all I’m saying before I spill anymore that is close to a spoiler alert.

This recent season took us to the shores of Thailand. Of course and as expected, it delivered wild twists, dramatic turns, and a heart-pounding soundtrack. Most especially, something more eye-catching was happening all around, and that was the Thai immersion, sprinkled with essential phrases you can use on your own tropical getaway.

• hello: สวัสดี (sah-wah-dee)
• hello (male): สวัสดีครับ (sah-wah-dee-khrup)
• hello (female): สวัสดีค่ะ (sah-wah-dee-kah)
• hi: หวัดดี (waht-dee)
• good night: ฝันดีนะ (fun-dee-na)
• goodbye: เจอกัน (jur-gan)
• how are you: สบายดีไหม (sah-bai-dee-mai)
• thank you: ขอบคุณ (khawp-khun)
• excuse me: ขอโทษ (kaw-toht)
• yes: ใช่ (chai)
• no: ไม่ (mai)
• how much: เท่าไหร่ (tao-rai)
• where is the toilet: ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน (hong-nahm-yoo-tee-nai)