What prevents you from having a telephone conversation in Thai?
Many Thai language students may find that speaking with someone over the phone is the most challenging situation in which to use their new language skills. So you should probably get your ear as near to the phone as possible. Simply put, you can only concentrate on the native speaker’s voice without facial expressions. Is that the proper strategy to improve your phone conversation in Thai, though?
Speaking on the phone calls with locals is something that many tourists who visit Thailand, especially those who stay there, will eventually do. Such interactions may include confirming the arrival of your parcel with the delivery guy or scheduling an appointment with the internet provider’s technician. You’ll likely be the one to contact them if things don’t go as planned. So let’s take a look at Thai phrases to talk to Thai people on the phone.
Telephone Conversation In Thai
How Do Thai People Answer The Phone
| Thai Word | Pronunciation | English Definition |
| สวัสดี ครับ (for male) | sà wàt dii kráp | Hello |
| สวัสดี ค่ะ (for female) | sà wàt dii kâ | Hello |
| ฮัลโหล | han lǒo | Hello |
| โหลๆ | lǒo lǒo | Hello (a short form of ฮัลโหล) |
| ว่าไง | wâa ngai | What’s up |
| ว่า | wâa | What’s up (a short form of ว่าไง) |
| มีอะไร | mii à rai | What’s up |
Introduce Yourself On The Phone
Formal Version
- สวัสดีครับ ผมชื่อแซม (sà wát dìik ráp pǒm chʉ̂ʉ sɛɛm) – Hello, my name is Sam.
- สวัสดีค่ะ ฉันชื่อแมรี่ (sà wát dii kâ chǎn chʉ̂ʉ mɛɛ rîi) – Hello, my name is Mary.
- สวัสดีค่ะ ที่นี่ร้านอาหารกรุงเทพ – Hello, this is Bangkok restaurant.
Casual Version
- ฮัลโหล นี่ แซม (han lǒo nîi sɛɛm) – Hello, this is Sam.
Ask For A Person’s Name
Formal Version
- ไม่ทราบว่าใครโทรมา (mâi tá râap wâa krai toon maa) – May I ask who’s calling?
Casual Version
- นี่ใครโทรมา (nîi krai toon maa) – Who is this?
Ask To Speak To Someone
Formal Version
- ฉันขอสายคุณแมรี่ได้ไหม (chǎn kɔ̌ɔ sǎai kun mɛɛ rîi) – May I speak to Mary?
- ฉันขอพูดกับคุณแซมได้ไหม (chǎn kɔ̌ɔ pûut gàp kun sɛɛm dâi mǎi) – May I speak to Sam?
Casual Version
- ขอ พูด สาย กับ แมรี่ หน่อย (kɔ̌ɔ pûut sǎai gàp mɛɛ rîi nɔ̀ɔi) – Let me speak to Mary
Explain Why You’re Calling
Formal Version
- ผมโทรเข้ามาเพื่อสอบถามเกี่ยวกับ… (pǒm toon kâo maa pʉ̂at òp tǎam gìao gàp…) – I would like to ask about…
Casual Version
- ฉันโทรมาเพื่อจะถามว่า… (chǎn toon maa pʉ̂a jà tǎam wâa) – I’m calling to find out about…
Keep Someone On Hold
Formal Version
- กรุณาถือสายรอสักครู่ (grù naa tʉ̌ʉ sǎai rɔɔ sàk krûu) – Please hold on.
- กรุณารอสักครู่ (gà rú naa rɔɔ sàk krûu) – One moment, please.
- รอ สัก ครู่ (rɔɔ sàk krûu) – Wait a moment.
Casual Version
- รอแปบ (rɔɔ bpɛ̀ɛp) – Wait a sec.
Answer The Phone After Keeping Someone On Hold
Formal Version
- ขอบคุณที่ถือสายรอ (kɔ̀ɔp kun tîi tʉ̌ʉ sǎai rɔɔ) – Thank you for holding.
Casual Version
- มาแล้ว (maa lɛ́ɛo) – I’m back.
Tell Someone The Person Is Away Or Busy
Formal Version
- ขอโทษค่ะ ตอนนี้เขาไม่อยู่ (kɔ̌ɔ tôot kâ dtɔɔn níi kǎo mâi à yûu) – I’m sorry. He’s not here at the moment.
- ขอโทษค่ะ ตอนนี้เขาไม่สะดวกรับสาย (kɔ̌ɔ tôot kâ dtɔɔn níi kǎo mâi sà dua gràp sǎai) – I’m sorry. He isn’t available at the moment.
- คุณต้องการฝากข้อความไว้ไหม (kun dtɔ̂ɔng gaan fàak kɔ̂ɔk waam wái mǎi) – Would you like you leave a message?
- คุณต้องการถือสายรอหรือโทรกลับมาอีกครั้ง (kun dtɔ̂ɔng gaan tʉ̌ʉ sǎai rɔɔ rʉ̌ʉ toon glàp maa ìik kráng) – Would you like to hold or call back later?
Casual Version
- เขาไม่อยู่ (kǎo mâi à yûu) – He’s away.
- เขากำลังยุ่ง (kǎo gam lang yûng) – He’s busy.
- เขาติดสายอยู่ (kǎo dtìt sǎai à yûu) – He’s in a line.
- ฝากบอกอะไรไหม (fàak bɔ̀ɔk à rai mǎi) – Do you want to leave a message?
- จะถือสายรอหรือจะโทรกลับมา (jà tʉ̌ʉ sǎai rɔɔ rʉ̌ʉ jà toon glàp maa) – Will you hang on or call back later?
Request Someone To Repeat Themselves
Formal Version
- รบกวนช่วยพูดอีกครั้ง (róp guan chûai pûut ìik kráng) – Could you please say that again?
- รบกวนช่วยพูดให้ดังขึ้น (róp guan chûai pûut hâi dang kʉ̂n) – Could you speak a little louder?
Casual Version
- พูดใหม่ซิ (pûut mài sí) – Can you say that again?
- ไม่ค่อยได้ยินเลย (mâi kɔ̂ɔi dâi yin ləəi) – I can’t really hear you.
What To Say If You Call The Wrong Number?
- ขอโทษนะครับ คุณโทรผิดเบอร์แล้ว (kɔ̌ɔ tôot ná kráp kun toon pìt bəə lɛ́ɛo) – Sorry, you have a wrong number.
- ฉันคิดว่าคุณควรลองโทรเบอร์อื่นดูนะ (chǎn kít wâa kun kuan lɔɔng toon bəə ʉ̀ʉn duu ná) – I think you have to try a different number.
- ขอโทษ ฉันโทรผิดเบอร์ (kɔ̌ɔ tôot chǎn toon pìt bəə) – I have dialed a wrong number.
Summary
You can feel more at ease engaging in Thai telephone conversations now. However, remember that the response you receive from a Thai will vary based on whether you’re calling a business, a restaurant, or a friend. As a result, you now have more flexibility in both formal and relaxed settings. It’s essential to be able to understand both directions, whether you’re a caller or an answerer. That way, you should practice the sentence and put them to memory. So, let’s check how much time passes between “ฮัลโหล” and “สวัสดี” if you have any Thai friends; if you have, let’s give them a call right now.
Learn Thai Faster With The Ling App
Though it might be difficult at times, learning a new language is a rewarding experience that can help you grow as a person and broaden your horizons. You may have a more enjoyable discussion with a native speaker if you take the time to study the Thai language. If you can speak Thai, you can skip the middleman and book your accommodation, restaurant, and transportation tickets directly from the locals, just as you would over the phone. Does that make you feel energized?
To that end, you might be seeking to find the most effective language-learning application. You can count on the Ling App to be there whenever you need it. Thai is one of the tonal languages, and Ling knows this is significant information when working on improving their listening skills. Many people struggle to get familiar with the Thai language because of the difficulty of learning the many words that are pronounced differently yet sound identical to those who are not native speakers.
If so, we think you’ll like our great chatbot, which will let you test out listening to and having a dialogue in a native tongue. In addition to improving your Thai pronunciation, you’ll also pick up many new vocabulary and phrases and get comfortable talking to Thai locals.
Are you ready to start now? So download the Ling App from the Google PlayStore and Apple AppStore now, and prepare to be fluent in Thai very soon!
