Thai Tuesday: Part 2 – Beyond the "Sawatdee"

Welcome back to week two of our 10-week Thai language challenge! Last week, we mastered the essentials of saying hello and thank you. This week, we’re upping the ante.

If you want to move from "clueless tourist" to "welcome guest," you need to know how to check in on people and, more importantly, how to talk about the things we all love: food and drinks!

Ultimately, always try your best to add either "ka" or "krab" at the end of everything you say. This shows a level of respect that will be appreciated by the person, or people, you're talking too.

The "How Are You?" Connection

In Thailand, the most common way to ask "How are you?" isn't a direct translation of the English phrase. Instead, locals often ask if you are "comfortable" or "well."

• Sabaidee mai? – How are you? / Are you well?

• Sabaidee krab/ka – I am well.

• Mai sabai – I’m not feeling well (useful if you’ve had one too many spicy chillies!).

Ordering Like a Pro

You’ve found a great street food stall. Now what? Use these to get exactly what you want:

• Kor ao an nee – I’ll take this one (perfect for pointing at delicious looking dishes).

• A-roi! – Delicious! (Say this to the cook and you’ll get a huge smile).

• A-roi maak! – Very delicious!

• Ped maak! - Very spicy! (usually accompanied with puffing out your cheeks/fanning your mouth!)

• Kor Check bin khrap/ka – The bill/check, please.

Trunk Travel Tip: If you want to order another round of drinks, just say "Ao eek nung" (Same again).

Counting 11 to 20

Last week we did 1–10. Now, let’s get into the teens. Pay close attention to 11 and 20, as they follow a special rule!

• 11 – Sip-et (Note: we use et instead of neung for 11).

• 12 – Sip-song

• 13 – Sip-sam

• 14 – Sip-si

• 15 – Sip-ha

• 16 – Sip-hok

• 17 – Sip-jet

• 18 – Sip-baid

• 19 – Sip-gao

• 20 – Yee-sip (Note: we use Yee instead of Song for 20).

Why does 11 and 20 change?

Just like in English we say "eleven" instead of "one-teen," Thai has its own quirks. Whenever a number ends in 1 (from 11 upwards), we use "et." And for the number 20, we use "Yee." Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it!

Next Week: We’ll be diving into Directions and Transport—essential for when your Grab driver looks a little lost!