When you visit a country, one of the most common words or phrases you should know is ‘Thank you’.
Especially if you’re saying it to your loved ones, it’s even more important to say kɔ̀ɔp kun (ขอบคุณ) to show your appreciation.
Knowing how to say thank you in Thai shows a level of respect for the country and culture.
Whether you’re on an outing in Bangkok or having a date in Chiang Mai, a little bit of kindness goes a long way.
Let’s learn more Thai as I will show you how to say thank you in Thai (and write it, too!).
Table of Contents
How Do I Say Thank You In Thai?
First of all, in the Thai language, we differentiate the gender of the speaker. But don’t worry, it is not complicated at all to learn!
You only have to remember the words for ‘I’ (female: chǎn (ฉัน), male: pǒm (ผม)) and the Thai polite particles (female: khâ (ค่ะ)/male: khráp (ครับ)).
Most other words will be the same no matter who is speaking.
Thank you in Thai is actually made up of three words:
The word ‘Thank you’ is kɔ̀ɔp (low tone) kun (normal tone), followed by the polite particle:
Female: kɔ̀ɔp kun kâ (ขอบคุณค่ะ)
Male: kɔ̀ɔp khun khráp (ขอบคุณครับ)
After saying this word, I am sure you will see a big smile on the face of the person you are talking to.
This is the most basic way to say thank you, and the one you will likely be saying the most.
For example, if you just finished some delicious Thai food that your boyfriend or girlfriend cooked for you, you can let them know with this phrase.
Make sure to remember it for when you are in Thailand!
How To Write Thank You In Thai?
Practiced your Thai writing skills and want to put them to the test? Then get your calligraphy pen ready – you are going to learn how to write thank you in Thai!
Above is a larger image with the word ‘Thank you’ written in Thai so you can see each character better.
While we recommend you try out the writing activity on the Ling app to get a better idea of how to write using the Thai alphabet, you can also try it freehand.
So, how did it go? It can be tricky starting out. Remember that, like in every other language, there are different fonts that affect how the characters look.
I tried to choose a rather typical-looking one for your reference.
With some practice, you will be awkwardly writing it out every time you want to thank someone just to show off.
Let everyone know you know how to write thank you in Thai!
How Do You Reply To Thank You In Thai?
Sometimes, the reply is just as important as the thanks itself. Now you have learned how to thank, you will also need to learn how to reply back too.
You should prepare yourself with a couple of phrases ready for when your kindness gets recognized.
Of course, you may also find that the person you are speaking to may say something back to you in reply after you thank them, and you should know what they mean too.
In response to a thank you, you can say ‘You’re welcome’: mâi bpen rai (ไม่เป็นไร)
Female: mâi bpen rai khâ (ไม่เป็นไรค่ะ)
Male: mây bpen rai khráp (ไม่เป็นไรครับ)
People say that the phrase mâi bpen rai is the national motto of Thailand.
It represents the kindness of Thai people, and can also be translated as ‘don’t worry about it’.
Another way to reply to thank you in Thai is to use this somewhat nicer-sounding phrase:
Yin dii (ยินดี)
This means something closer to ‘my pleasure’ or, as Google Translate puts it, ‘pleased’.
While this wouldn’t be an appropriate response in every situation, it is nicer to hear.
Example Of A Conversation Using Thank You In Thai
Now, let’s imagine a situation where you are traveling in Thailand.
You want to know where the toilet is. After you got the answer you would reply with a ‘Thank you.’
Here is an example of an exchange.
In this case, the speaker is female. As we mentioned before, the polite particle for females is kâ (ค่ะ) so she says kɔ̀ɔp kun kâ (ขอบคุณค่ะ).
In this YouTube video, you can hear how to say this exchange. Remember that Thai is a tonal language, so listen carefully for that.
Don’t worry too much about it though. You will get used to them over time and Thai people are very understanding.
Another way in which you can reply to thank you is by just saying these polite words.
So let’s say you (male) hold the door open for someone (female) and as they walk past they say kɔ̀ɔp kun kâ (ขอบคุณค่ะ).
In reply, you can simply say khráp (ครับ). It is a quick and polite answer for smaller gestures like this, but it is not super common.
How To Say Thank You Among Friends
With a language like Thai, you need to be careful when choosing how to say something.
There are so many different ways to say thank you and other words and phrases based on the situation and your relationship with the person you are speaking to.
With that said, how do you say thank you to friends in Thai?
It would be a bit weird if you use the basic way we mentioned above because it is a bit formal.
You could drop the polite word from the end of the phrase to make it less awkward:
But you can also go with something a bit more different to really show off your Thai skills.
For example, you could go with this phrase which interestingly enough also means thank you in Lao:
Bear in mind that this one is very informal, so you should definitely only use this amongst close friends and people you know well.
This is the equivalent of saying ‘thanks’ in Thai, and here, this is not something you would say to someone of a higher status. Instead, you can use it to say thank you in Thai to friends and younger siblings.
Other Ways To Say Thank You In Thai
There may also be situations where you feel a normal ‘thank you’ isn’t enough, or maybe you are bored of that and want to say something different.
There are ways to better get your thankfulness across. One way is to add the word ‘mak’ at the end:
This means ‘thanks a lot!’, which is a bit more informal, so you can use it with your friends and people you are close to.
There is another phrase you can use to highlight how helpful or kind a person has been to you. This phrase is:
Translated, this would mean something like ‘You are so kind!’, which would definitely make someone feel appreciated.
Save this one for people who go out of their way to help you.
It will definitely help you find new friends when saying thank you to someone in Thai.
Importance Of Polite Words In Thai Culture
As you may have noticed, we keep mentioning the words like khrap and kha.
You may also notice that these polite words are commonly used in other phrases like ‘hello’ (sà wàt dii kâ, สวัสดีค่ะ) and ‘excuse me’ (kɔ̌ɔ tôot kâ, ขอโทษค่ะ) .
This is because Thailand has a hierarchy system, where a person’s status affects how you should talk to them.
Therefore, you should try to act politely and use these polite words when speaking to someone like your boss or elders.
In a situation where you are thinking of someone, being polite will also add to the sincerity. However, we will look further into this another day.
How Do You Say Thank You In Thai?
The Thai word for thank you is kɔ̀ɔp kun (ขอบคุณ) .
Other Vocabulary For Thank You in Thai
Now that you know how to say thank you in Thai, you can try practicing talking about saying thank you with these example sentences.
Tips When Saying Thank You In Thai
Showing gratitude to strangers is entirely different to saying it to your loved ones or partner.
Here are a few tips for you to use when saying thank you in Thai or when expressing gratitude in Thai.
- Pay attention to the tones used in kɔ̀ɔp kun (ขอบคุณ). Kɔ̀ɔp (ขอบ) is pronounced with a low tone, and kun (คุณ) is pronounced in a neutral tone.
- Be polite! When saying thank you, always follow it up with a feminine kâ (ค่ะ) or masculine khráp (ครับ) to show respect to whoever you’re talking to.
- If you’re feeling particularly grateful, you can add mâak (มาก) to the end of kɔ̀ɔp kun (ขอบคุณ) to show that you’re extra appreciative. This is like saying ‘thank you so much.’
- When giving thanks to your loved one who happens to be from Northeast Thailand, you can say kɔ̀ɔp jai (ขอบใจ). This shows that you’re aware of the different nuances of broader Thai culture. This is sure to make them smile.
You really can’t go wrong with a simple ‘thank you’.
However to mean to say it, it will come across as polite and respectful in the eyes of any Thai person; a good quality to have!
Frequently Asked Questions About Thank You In Thai
What Is The Thai Thank You Gesture?
The traditional Thai wai, a bow with palms pressed together, is a gesture that embodies respect, humility, and thanks. More than just a physical act, the wai is a symbol; it conveys a depth of feeling and sincerity that words alone cannot express.
Why Do Thai People Bow When Saying Thank You?
As well as a greeting, and a way of saying goodbye, the wai is ultimately a sign of respect and is used instead of the traditional Western handshake or a wave.
A wai can be a way of saying thanks, of showing understanding of a situation or person, and also as a polite way to apologize.
What Does Ka Pham Mean In Thai?
What does the Thai word “kapom” mean? It’s spelled kráp pǒm (ครับผม), but can sound a lot like “kapom” when spoken fast.
It’s a frequent Thai interjection used by male speakers and indeed indicates affirmation, so it can be translated as ‘Yes.’ or ‘Right.’ or ‘Aye.’
From Thank You To Khoop Khun Khrap
Saying Thai thank you vocabulary words will help you to make friends and will help to increase your reputation with those around you, as everyone likes a polite person.
Keep in mind that there are so many ways to express gratitude in Thai, not just with a kɔ̀ɔp kun (ขอบคุณ).
Not everyone can speak English well either, so it may be necessary to use Thai.
From here, you can go on to learn other common and important phrases that will help you day-to-day in Thailand, such as Thai love phrases to say to your special someone.
Learn More About Expressing Gratitude In Thai!
Now that you’ve learned the multiple ways of saying thank you in Thai, it might be time to impress those closest to you even more by placing your efforts to learn Thai language.
The Ling app is the perfect place to start learning Thai on your own terms.
If you’re a beginner, you may find units 6, 8, and 9 particularly useful in conversations. You can learn about basic small talk to use with your loved ones as well as with other people you meet.
It’ll also walk you through more technical topics too, like grammar and pronunciation.
If that sounds good, why not give the Ling app a spin and master Thai now!
