Thai language is based on tones. A slight change in tone changes the meaning. A common word kau means rice, white, mountain or even news depending on the tone used. Tapes can be purchased which will help as difficult to catch the tone from words. Some phrases that might help are shown below and Thais will appreciate your efforts.

Some phrases showing the tones:

Hello (male) Sawadee - krup

Hello (female) Sawadee -ka

My name is (male) Pom che (make the o and the e with a falling tone)

My name is (female) Dee – chan che ( second e low tone; last e and the a falling tone)

Thank you (male) Khop khun krap (o with a low tone)

Thank you (female) Khop khun ka

Where is the toilet Hong suam yu tee nai (falling tones except second u a low tone)

Please call the police Chway riak tam-ruat duay (falling tones except first u a low tone)

Never mind Mai pen rai (a falling tone on the first a)

I want to go Dee-chan yak pai (low tone on first e and second a; falling tone on first a)

Where is the... Yu tee nai (first u low tone; first e and on the a use falling tone)

Some words:

no may ao

airport sanam bin

bank tanakan

coffee ca-fee

tea naam-cha

bottled water nam kwat

water naam

rice kao

chicken kai

beef nua

how much tao rai

help chuay-duay

paeng expensive

how many? gii

how long? naan thao rai

I am a vegetarian gin jae

shop raan

go pai

stop yut

turn right liaw-khwaa

turn left liaw-saai

bus rot-meh

enough phaw-laew

Days of the week:

Sunday wan-aa-thit

Monday wan-jan

Tuesday wan-ang-khaan

Wednesday wan-phut

Thursday wan-pha-reu-hat

Friday wan-suk

Saturday wan-sao

Numbers:

0 soon

1 neung

2 sorng

3 sarm

4 sii

5 har

6 hok

7 jet

8 peht

9 gow

10 sip

100 roy

200 sorng roy