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)
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. 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.
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.
School Subjects In Thai
Other School Related Terms In Thai
Thai Words For People At School
Thai Words For Rooms Or Places In A School
Thai Words And Phrases For Classroom Furniture And Accessories
Thai Words For School Stationary Or Supplies
Asking People About School In Thai
Speaking With Your Teacher or School Administrator In Thai
Learn More Thai With Ling!
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We hope you learned many school related terms in Thai today and hope you bookmark this page for reference in the future. If you’d like to continue learning the Thai language, head over to our learn Thai page and start.
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