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100+ Thai Vocabulary For Everyday Life And Connections

Thai vocabulary for everyday life in black text on yellow background with backdrop of tuk tuk near Bangkok royal palace.

Any Thai learner needs to know some common Thai vocabulary. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of useful Thai vocabulary for everyday life.

The list ranges from basic greetings to Thai words, which are commonly used every day.

These terms and phrases are perfect if you’re learning Thai to use with family members or with close friends.

Memorizing and understanding these basic phrases will get you far in typical, everyday conversations with those around you.

You won’t regret it if you learn these basic Thai phrases and words. So, if you’re ready, let’s get started!

Thai Vocabulary For Everyday Life

We decided to divide the list into smaller sections according to relevance and topic, instead of giving a list with random words.

So that you won’t have to scroll down forever to find what you are looking for.

Once, you look through the lists, you will see that they are not in alphabetical order.

The fact that it gets harder to memorize when the words are in alphabetical order, even if it is a common word, therefore we just tried to mix the words.

Let’s Start With Basic Thai Phrases

Basic Thai phrases, such as simple Thai words like sà wàt dii (สวัสดี), are the first words you should learn.

Because when you learn a new language, let’s say Thai, the first thing you will need is to say hi to a Thai person. So you will frequently use these basic Thai phrases in daily life.

EnglishThaiPronunciationSound
Helloสวัสดีsà wàt dii
Good morningอรุณสวัสดิ์à run sà wàt
Good afternoonสวัสดีตอนบ่ายsà wát dìit on bàai
Good eveningสวัสดีตอนเย็นsà wát dìit on yen
Good nightราตรีสวัสดิ์/ฝันดีraa dtrii sà wàt/
fǎn dii
How are youคุณสบายดีไหมkun sà baai dii mái
Thank youขอบคุณkɔ̀ɔp kun
Noไม่mâi
Deliciousอร่อย
à rɔ̀ɔi
I’m…ฉันchǎn
Goodbyeลาก่อนlaa gɔ̀ɔn
Yesใช่châi
Man running in a park

Common Thai Verbs To Expand Your Vocabulary 

Verbs are the backbone of any language. Not knowing enough of them means that your foreign language skills will be very limited to just expressing yourself.

They may be classified as the core of a sentence since they show actions or what is that particular sentence is about.

That’s why we prepared a different list for only verbs.

It consists of the most fundamental and basic Thai verbs to speak Thai fluently.

EnglishThaiPronunciationSound
To beเป็นbpen
To like ชอบchɔ̂ɔp
To loveรักrák
To sellขายkǎai
To pay/spendจ่ายjàai
To understandเข้าใจkâo jai
To driveขับkàp
To eatกินgin
To forgetลืมlʉʉm
To returnกลับglàp
To washล้างláang
To take care ofรักษาrák sǎa
To haveมีmii
To be able toได้dâi
To workทำงานtam ngaan
To learnเรียนrian
To arriveถึงtʉ̌ng
To assignมอบmɔ̂ɔp
To supportสนับสนุนsà nàp sà nǔn
To useใช้chái
To doทำtam
To standยืนyʉʉn
To shareร่วมrûam
To stealขโมยkà mooi
To goไปbpai
To fireยิงying
To eraseลบlóp
To comeมาmaa
To hurryรีบrîip
To tryลองlɔɔng
To laughหัวเราะhǔa rɔ́
To feelรู้สึกrúu sʉ̀k
To quitเลิกlə̂ək
To receiveรับráp
To feedเลี้ยงlíang
To turnเลี้ยวlíao
To speakพูดpûut
To chooseเลือกlʉ̂ak
To postponeเลื่อนlʉ̂an
To promoteเลื่อนขั้น
lʉ̂an kân
To raiseยกyók
To danceเต้นdtên
To fall downล้มlóm
To makeทำtam
To call outเรียกrîak
To decreaseลดlót
To seeเห็นhěn
To knowรู้จักrúu jàk
To throwโยนyoon
To disperseกระจายgrà jaai
To look atมองmɔɔng
To intendมุ่งหมายmûng mǎai
To allowยอมyɔɔm
To collectรองrɔɔng
To think ofระลึกrá lʉ́k
To spend timeใช้เวลาchái wee laa
To writeเขียนkǐan
To visitเยี่ยมyîam
To searchค้นหาkón hǎa
Person reading a book

Common Thai Prepositions

Although grammatical particles and prepositions look like they make up a tiny part of the sentence, they have important roles in communication.

Let’s imagine you speak English without prepositions, how does it sound? Well, understandable but not exactly as something is lacking.

Therefore, we use prepositions a lot in daily speech. Below is the list of commonly used prepositions in Thai:

EnglishThaiPronunciationSound
Betweenระหว่าง
rá wàang
Fromจากjàak
Thatว่าwâa
Next toข้าง ๆkâang kâang
Nearใกล้glâi
Farไกลglai
Also/tooก็gɔ̂ɔ
Ofของkɔ̌ɔng
Beforeก่อนgɔ̀ɔn
Againใหม่mài
Behindหลังlǎng
Yetยังyang
Inในnai
Atที่tîi
With/byกับgàp
Underใต้dtâi
In the process of…กำลัง…อยู่gam lang yûu
Thoughแม้mɛ́ɛ
Nighttime walking street in Thailand

Common Thai Words About Daily Life

This list below consists of the most frequently used words in Thai. It ranges from concrete objects to feelings.

You can form numerous various Thai sentences that you will use in everyday life with the help of these words.

EnglishThaiPronunciationSound
Householdครัวเรือนkrua rʉan
Umbrellaร่มrôm
Morningเช้าcháao
Dawnเช้ามืดcháao mʉ̂ʉt
Noonเที่ยงวันtîang wan
Shapeรูปร่างrûup râang
Oftenบ่อย ๆbɔ̀ɔi bɔ̀ɔi
Storeร้านráan
Excellentยอดเยี่ยมyɔ̂ɔt yîam
Orderระเบียบrá bìap
Windลมlom
Bigใหญ่yài
Smallเล็กlék
Redแดงdɛɛng
Blackดำdam
Shoeรองเท้าrɔɔng táao
Moneyเงินngən
Priceราคาraa kaa
Difficultยากyâak
Right/correctถูกtùuk
Diseaseโรคrôok
Knifeมีดmîit
Carรถrót
The worldโลกlôok
Longยาวyaao
Catแมวmɛɛo
Pantsกางเกงgaang geeng
Cloudเมฆmêek
Kilogramกิโลกรัมgì loo gram
Oldเก่าgào
Weekสัปดาห์sàp daa
Yearปีbpii
Todayวันนี้wan níi
Tomorrowพรุ่งนี้prûng níi
Yesterdayเมื่อวานmʉ̂a waan
Goodดีdii
Badไม่ดีmâi dii
Difficultยากyâak
Easyง่ายngâai
Calendarปฏิทินbpà dtì tin
Clockนาฬิกาnaa lí gaa
Teaชาchaa
Coffeeกาแฟgaa fɛɛ
Beerเบียร์bia
Wineไวน์wai
Waterน้ำnáam
Harshกระด้างgrà dâang
Boardกระดานgrà daan
Taxภาษีpaa sǐi
Secondary educationมัธยมmát tá yom
Cityเมืองmʉang
Songเพลงpleeng
Cultureวัฒนธรรมwát tá ná tam
Foodอาหารaa hǎan
Freeว่างwâang
Surpriseความตกใจkwaam dtòk jai
Ideaข้อคิดkɔ̂ɔ kít
Commentคำวิจารณ์kam wí jaan
Soundเสียงsǐang
Meaningความหมายkwaam mǎai
Dictionaryพจนานุกรมpót jà naa nú grom
Thai women with straw hats walking on bridge.

Common Thai Words About People

The list below includes some Thai adjectives and pronouns that are used to describe people.

You are probably already familiar with them since they are beginner-level vocabulary.

EnglishThaiPronunciationSound
Iฉันchǎn
Weเราrao
Theyพวกเขาpûak kǎo
Hisของเขาkɔ̌ɔng kǎo
Heเขาkǎo
Friendเพื่อนpʉ̂an
Childลูกlûuk
Wifeเมียmia
Neatเรียบร้อยrîap rɔ́ɔi
Richมั่งมีmâng mii
Beautifulสวยsǔai
Uglyน่าเกลียดnâa glìat
Grandfatherปู่bpùu
Motherแม่mɛ̂ɛ
Fatherพ่อpɔ̂ɔ

Tips On Using Thai Vocabulary For Everyday Life

From shopkeepers to friends and family, everyone uses these terms, and so should you! That’s why we have four tips for you to really make the most of these Thai vocabulary for everyday life.

  1. To remember these terms, make use of flashcards and daily practice. Thai vocabulary and speaking apps like the Ling app can help with retention and regular practice.
  2. Ask your relatives or friends about some vocabulary that they think you should know. Being taught a language by someone you know or someone you’re close to tends to make it stick around in your memory.
  3. If you have the chance, get out there and use these terms in real life! Go to a Thai restaurant, or find a language exchange group that can allow you to practice vocabulary.
  4. Keep a notebook of useful vocabulary that you use the most in your day-to-day life. Keeping track of these terms will then inform you about what topics you might want to learn about in the future.

With these tips, you should be comfortable learning and these terms in your conversations with other Thai speakers. Any progress goes a long way!

Frequently Asked Questions On Thai Vocabulary For Everyday Life

1. What Is Jing Jing In Thai?

Jing jing (จริง ๆ) is used by many Thai people to express how true something is.

Similar to ‘it’s really true’ in English. Jing (จริง) by itself means ‘true’, and repeating it intensifies the meaning.

Use this expression if you want to convince someone of something!

2. What Is Mai Ao In Thai?

‘Mai ao’, or mâi ao (ไม่เอา) in Thai means ‘to not take’. If someone offers you something and you don’t want it, a simple mâi ao (ไม่เอา) is a way to politely decline.

Follow this up with either a kráp (ครับ) or (ค่ะ) for added politeness.

3. What Words Should I Know In Thai?

Some words that you definitely need to know in Thai are the basic Thai greetings.

Knowing basic greetings like sà wàt dii (สวัสดี) and the ways to respond to similar phrases is essential when first learning Thai.

Which Thai Vocabulary For Everyday Life Did You Enjoy?

Of the numerous basic Thai words, as well as the most commonly used ones, which one was your favorite?

Whichever one it is, you’ll find them infinitely useful when speaking to anyone in Thailand, especially with close family and friends.

Make sure to pick and choose the best vocabulary that suits your situation from prepositions to verbs and basic phrases we’ve covered earlier. Not to mention making use of the four tips we’ve provided along with practicing the most common Thai words used in everyday life.

Knowing about Thai vocabulary for everyday life is just the start! Keep practicing to really impress those around you with your fluency.

Learn More Thai Vocabulary and Phrases!

That was a lot of vocabulary terms! Hopefully it wasn’t too overwhelming, these are just some of the most common terms that you’ll find in use in Thailand today.

Your family and friends will be impressed if you know most of them!

If you are looking for an efficient resource to learn Thai language and take your learning further, the Ling app is here for you!

It contains practical language lessons and game-like exercises to practice. You can learn languages like Thai online by using the app for just 15 minutes a day.

Beginner to intermediate vocabulary and phrases in units 5-15 can really boost your Thai skills.

To take your Thai fluency to the next level, why not try out the Ling app?

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