Knowing school related terms in Thai will help you so much if you plan to send your son or daughter to a school in Thailand. It will also be beneficial if you plan to teach in Thailand or are already a teacher here.
Students going to school in Thailand for their first day might feel more confident if they know some Thai vocabulary to use in the classroom and communicate with others. Thai society adores it when foreigners speak Thai, so it will make a great first impression to greet your teacher or fellow teachers on your first day with:
สวัสดีคุณครู (sa-wa-dee-khun-kru)
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This means, “Good morning (hello), teacher.”
Oh, and don’t forget to wai! In Thai society, it’s crucial to be respectful to teachers and elders. So, always ‘wai’ by putting your palms together in a prayer position, holding them at chest level, and bowing slightly.
We present common school subjects, items, and furniture that you’ll find in classes and the names of people you’ll commonly find in a school. So of course, you’ll also learn classroom phrases in Thai. There are even questions you can ask children or students you meet and useful queries you may need when speaking with school administration.
The Thai language can appear simple, and many people pick it up quickly. In contrast, others find learning Thai vocabulary difficult because of the Thai tones. The information below is presented simply with valid Thai words, phrases, and questions related to school to help you learn Thai.
We’ve broken the words into syllables so you can practice saying the sounds.
Types Of Schools In Thai
Thailand’s schooling system is set up very similarly to the rest of the world. They have nursery, kindergarten, primary school, and secondary school. However, the names are not the same, and it’s pretty standard for a student to attend the same school their entire educational lives.
Thailand also doesn’t have middle schools.
The types of schools in Thai are:
- Nursery – สถานรับเลี้ยงเด็ก (sa-tan-rab-lieng-dek)
- Kindergarten – อนุบาล (a-nu-ban)
- Primary school – ประถม (pra-tom)
- Secondary school – มัธยม (mat-tay-yom)
- University – มหาวิทยาลัย (mah-ha-wi-tee-yah-lai)
- Vocational College – วิทยาลัยอาชีวศึกษา (wi-tee-yah-lai-ah-chee-wah-sick-sah)
Grades In Thai
Children may begin attending school in Thailand as young as six months. When they graduate from high school, most students are 17 or 18 and move on to university or vocational college.
Students are separated into designated ‘grades’ during their time at nursery through secondary school. However, in Thailand, they have their unique names. Grades are also separated into four levels.
The grade names and levels in Thai are:
Preschool Level:
- Nursery – สถานรับเลี้ยงเด็ก
Ages 6 months – 3 years
Level 1:
- Kindergarten 1 (KG1) – อนุบาล 1 (a-nu-ban-nueng)
- Kindergarten 2 (KG2) – อนุบาล 2 (a-nu-ban-song)
- Kindergarten 3 (KG3) – อนุบาล 3 (a-nu-ban-sam)
Ages 3-5 years old
Level 2:
The primary school level is called Prathom ประถม and is separated into six grades.
- Prathom 1 – ประถม 1 (pra-tom-nueng)
- Prathom 2 – ประถม 2 (pra-tom-song)
- Prathom 3 – ประถม 3 (pra-tom-sam)
- Prathom 4 – ประถม 4 (pra-tom-see)
- Prathom 5 – ประถม 5 (pra-tom-ha)
- Prathom 6 – ประถม 6 (pra-tom-hok)
Ages 6-11 years old
Level 3:
The secondary or high school level is called Mattayom มัธยม and is separated into six grades.
- Mattayom 1 – มัธยม 1 (mat-tay-yom-nueng)
- Mattayom 2 – มัธยม 2 (mat-tay-yom-song)
- Mattayom 3 – มัธยม 3 (mat-tay-yom-sam)
- Mattayom 4 – มัธยม 4 (mat-tay-yom-see)
- Mattayom 5 – มัธยม 5 (mat-tay-yom-ha)
- Mattayom 6 – มัธยม 6 (mat-tay-yom-hok)
Ages 12-18 years old
Types Of Students In Thai
For each level of schooling, a student will get a designation much like in other countries. In English, such students may be college students or elementary students. The same applies in Thailand. Let’s learn what types of students are in Thai.
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursery student | นักเรียนเนอสเซอรี่ | (nak-rien-nur-sir-ee) | |
| Kindergarten student | นักเรียนอนุบาล | (nak-rien-a-nu-ban) | |
| Elementary or primary student | นักเรียนประถม | (nak-rien-pra-tom) | |
| High school or secondary student | นักเรียนมัธยม | ( nak-rien-mat-tay-yom) | |
| University student | นักศึกษามหาวิทยาลัย | (nak-sook-sa-mah-we-ti-ya-lai) | |
| Vocational student | นักศึกษาอาชีวศึกษา | (nak-sook-sa-ah-chi-wah-sook-saa) |
During the four levels of education up until the end of secondary schooling, students are called นักเรียน (nak-rien) in Thai. The word student goes before the type of school level in the sentence.
Nicknames For Students In Thailand
- University student: Pii (ปี.)
- Junior high to high school student: Mor (ม.)
- Elementary school student: Por (ป.)
How To Ask Someone What Grade They Are In Or Which School They Go To
You may meet some students on your adventures in Thailand, whether out and about or through friends. It’s a common question to ask what grade people are in or what school they go to as a way to start a conversation.
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | Sound | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What grade are you in? | คุณเรียนอยู่ชั้นไหน | (khun-rien-yuu-chan-nai) | You study stay level which? | |
| Which school do you go to? | คุณไปโรงเรียนไหน | (khun-bai-rong-rien-nai) | You go school which? | |
| Which university do you go to? | อยู่ปีอะไร | (Yuu-pii-arai) | Stay university what? | |
| Which high school do you go to? | อยู่ม.อะไร | (Yuu-mor-arai) | Stay high school what? | |
| Which primary school do you go to? | อยู่ป.อะไร | (Yuu-por-arai) | Stay primary school what? |
School Subjects In Thai
| English | Thai | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | ชีววิทยา | (chee-wah-wit-tah-yaa) |
| Calculus | แคลคูลัส | (kaeow-koo-lat) |
| Chemistry | เคมี | (kay-mee) |
| Civics | หน้าที่พลเมืองศึกษา | (nah-tee-poh-la-muang-suk-sah) |
| Computer programming | การเขียนโปรแกรมคอมพิวเตอร์ | (gan-kien-pro-gram-com-pew-ter) |
| Drama | การแสดงละคร | (gan-sah-dang-la-kon) |
| English | ภาษาอังกฤษ | (pah-sah-ang-krit) |
| Geometry | เรขาคณิต | (ray-kah-ka-nit) |
| Gym | พลศึกษา | (pah-la-sue-ek sah) |
| History | ประวัติศาสตร์ | (pra-wat-sat) |
| Math | คณิตศาสตร์ | (kah-nit-sat) |
| Music | ดนตรี | (don-dree) |
| Poetry | การประพันธ์ | (gan-pra-pan) |
| Physics | ฟิสิกส์ | (fee-sick) |
| Reading | การอ่าน | (gan-an) |
| Religion | ศาสนา | (sat-sa-nah) |
| Science | วิทยาศาสตร์ | (wit-tah-ya-sat) |
| Writing | การเขียน | (gan-kian) |
Other School Related Terms In Thai
Thai Words For People At School
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math teacher | ครูคณิตศาสตร์ | (kru-ki-nit-sad) | |
| Nurse | พยาบาล | (pi-ya-baan) | |
| PE teacher | ครูพละ | (kru-pa-la) | |
| Principal | อาจารย์ใหญ่ | (ah-jan-yai) | |
| Science teacher | ครูสอนวิทยาศาสตร์ | (kru-sawn-wi-tah-ya-sad) | |
| Student | นักเรียน | (nak-rien) | |
| Teachers | ครู | (kru) | |
| Teaching assistant | ผู้ช่วยสอน | (poo-chuay-sawn) | |
| Thai teacher | ครูภาษาไทย | (kru-pa-sat-thai) |
Thai Words For Rooms Or Places In A School
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basketball court | สนามบาสเกตบอล | (sa-nam-bas-ket-bun) | |
| Bathroom | ห้องน้ำ | (hong-nam) | |
| Class | ระดับ | (ra-dap) | |
| Classroom | ห้องเรียน | (hong-rien) | |
| Football pitch | สนามฟุตบอล | (sa-nam-foot-bun) | |
| Gymnasium | โรงยิม | (rong-yim) | |
| Library | ห้องสมุด | (hong-sa-moot) | |
| Nurse room | ห้องพยาบาล | (hong-pa-ya-baan) | |
| Playground | สนามเด็กเล่น | (sa-nam-dek-len) | |
| School | โรงเรียน | (rong-rien) | |
| Swimming pool | สระว่ายน้ำ | (sa-wai-nam) |
Thai Words And Phrases For Classroom Furniture And Accessories
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookshelf | ชั้นวางหนังสือ | (chan-wang-nang-suea) | |
| Chair | เก้าอี้ | (gao-ee) | |
| Desk | โต๊ะ | (doh) | |
| Door | ประตู | (pra-due) | |
| Projector | โปรเจ็กเตอร์ | (pro-jec-ter) | |
| Smartboard | สมาร์ทบอร์ด | (s-mart-board) | |
| Table | ตาราง | (tah-rang) | |
| Teacher’s desk | โต๊ะครู | (doh-kru) | |
| Whiteboard | ไวท์บอร์ด | (white-board) |
Thai Words For School Stationary Or Supplies
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erasers | ยางลบ | (yang-lob) | |
| Notebook | สมุดบันทึก | (sa-moot-ban-took) | |
| Paper | กระดาษ | (kra-dat) | |
| Pencil case | กล่องดินสอ | (klong-din-saw) | |
| Pencil sharpener | กบเหลาดินสอ | (kob-lao-din-saw) | |
| Ruler | ไม้บรรทัด | (mai-bun-tat) | |
| Shoes | รองเท้า | (long-tao) | |
| Textbook | หนังสือเรียน | (nang-sue-rien) | |
| Uniform | ยูนิฟอร์ม | (yuu-nee-form) |
Asking People About School In Thai
| English | Thai | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Which grade are you in? | เรียนอยู่ชั้นไหน | (rien-chan-grade-nai) |
| Where is your school? | โรงเรียนของคุณอยู่ที่ไหน | (Rong-rien-khong-khun-yuu-tee-nai) |
| Do you like school? | คุณชอบโรงเรียนไหม | (Khun-chob-rong-rien-mai) |
| What is your favorite subject? | คุณชอบวิชาอะไร | (Khun-chob-we-cha-a-rai) |
| Who is your teacher? | ใครคือครูของคุณ | (Krai-ku-kru-khong-khun) |
Speaking With Your Teacher or School Administrator In Thai
It is important to know your university subjects in Thai or other topics that can help you warm up with the Thai culture. Here are some phrases to try.
| English | Thai | Pronunciation | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much is the school? | ค่าเรียนเท่าไหร่คะ | (Ka-rien-tao-rai-ka) | |
| What do the children get for lunch? | เด็กๆ ได้อะไรเป็นอาหารกลางวัน | (Dek-dek-dai-ah-rai-ben-ah-han-glang-wan) | |
| My child will be late today | วันนี้ลูกจะสาย | (Wan-nee-look-ja-saai) | |
| My child is not going to school today | วันนี้ลูกไม่ไปโรงเรียน | (Wan-nee-look-mai-bai-rong-rien) | |
| My child is sick today | วันนี้ลูกไม่สบาย | (Wan-nee-look-mai-sa-bai) | |
| What is the homework? | การบ้านคืออะไร | (Kan-ban-keu-a-rai) | |
| When is the test? | สอบเมื่อไหร่ | (Sob-meu-rai) | |
| What time does school start? | โรงเรียนเข้ากี่โมง | (Rong-rien-khoa-gee-moong) | |
| What time do I pick up my child? | ฉันจะไปรับลูกกี่โมง[ | (Chan-ja-bai-rap-look-gee-moong) | Speechword voice=”Thai Female” isinline]ฉันจะไปรับลูกกี่โมง[/Speechword] |
Discover School Related Terms In Thai Now!
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