Khráp and khâ
End your sentences with ครับ (khráp) if you're a man and ค่ะ (khâ) if you're a woman, or คะ (khá) when she asks a question. It makes anything polite, from hello to thank you.
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Thai has five tones and its own alphabet, but you don't need to master either to start. Talvo shows every phrase in Thai script with tone-marked romanization, so you can order pad thai and say thank you properly from your first lessons.
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Thai · First phrasesสบายดีไหม
sàbaai dii mái?
How are you?
VendorรับอะไรดีครับWhat would you like?
Your first Thai phrases
Twelve polite phrases for street food, shops and meeting people. Men end them with ครับ (khráp) and women with ค่ะ (khâ), or คะ (khá) in a question.
| Thai | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| สวัสดีครับ / สวัสดีค่ะ | sàwàtdii khráp / sàwàtdii khâ | HelloSaid by a man / by a woman |
| สบายดีไหม | sàbaai dii mái? | How are you? |
| สบายดี ขอบคุณ | sàbaai dii, khàwp khun | I'm fine, thank you |
| ผมชื่อแซม / ฉันชื่อแซม | phǒm chûe Sam / chǎn chûe Sam | My name is SamSaid by a man / by a woman |
| ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก | yindii thîi dâi rúujàk | Nice to meet you |
| ขอกาแฟหนึ่งแก้ว | khǎw kaafae nùeng kâew | One coffee, please |
| เท่าไหร่ | thâo rài? | How much? |
| เช็คบิลด้วย | chék bin dûai | The check, please |
| ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน | hâwng náam yùu thîi nǎi? | Where's the restroom? |
| ไม่เข้าใจ | mâi khâo jai | I don't understand |
| พูดช้าๆ หน่อยได้ไหม | phûut cháa cháa nàwy dâi mái? | Can you speak slowly? |
| ขอบคุณมาก | khàwp khun mâak | Thank you very much |
This guide uses a simplified romanization with tone marks: à low, â falling, á high, ǎ rising and no mark for mid. In the app, Thai is romanized in the official RTGS system with tone marks added.
A conversation you'll practice
Pad thai from a street stall in Bangkok. The tutor plays the vendor; in this one you're a woman, so you end with khâ.
Vendorรับอะไรดีครับráp àrai dii khráp?What would you like?
Youผัดไทยหนึ่งจานค่ะphàt thai nùeng jaan khâOne pad thai, please.
Vendorเผ็ดไหมครับphèt mái khráp?Spicy?
Youเผ็ดนิดหน่อยค่ะphèt nít nàwy khâJust a little spicy.
Vendorหกสิบบาทครับhòk sìp bàat khrápSixty baht.
Things that surprise new learners
Five tones
ไม้ (máai, wood), ใหม่ (mài, new) and ไม่ (mâi, not) are different words. Thais love the tongue twister ไม้ใหม่ไม่ไหม้ไหม: new wood doesn't burn, does it?
No spaces between words
Thai runs words together and puts spaces between phrases instead. The romanization in Talvo shows you where each word starts.
Mai pen rai
ไม่เป็นไร (mâi pen rai) means never mind, no problem or don't mention it. You'll hear it every day, and saying it back is very Thai.
How Talvo teaches Thai
- Every phrase in Thai script with RTGS romanization and tone marks, and romanized answers are accepted while you learn the alphabet
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Use the live interpreter when you're talking with a native speaker for real
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Thai
Do I need to learn the Thai alphabet first?
No. Every phrase shows tone-marked romanization alongside the Thai script, so you can start speaking on day one and learn the letters as you go.
How do you say hello in Thai?
สวัสดีครับ (sàwàtdii khráp) if you're a man and สวัสดีค่ะ (sàwàtdii khâ) if you're a woman, often with a wai: palms together and a slight bow.
Can I learn Thai with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
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