Majority of people in Thailand speak the Thai language. If you are planning to visit Thailand, then learning some of the local dialects and phrases will be useful. Apart from sightseeing, there is also fun in interacting with the locals. The Thai are well known for their hospitality and their happiness doubles if they see a foreigner or a traveler trying to speak their language. Many Thais cannot speak English. Therefore learning their language would definitely be an added advantage for you.
You will not only learn a new language but will also gain a rich insight into the culture and heritage of Thailand. You also have the advantage of moving around easily in Thailand if you are equipped with the Thai language.
When you speak the language, you should end the sentence with ‘Krab’ if you are male and ‘Kha’ if you are female. Thai language has a musical lilt to it, ranging from high, medium to low pitch tones. Stressing on a word or stretching the word longer may even change the meaning of the word and the sentence. If you hear the Thai speaking, then you will have a better idea of how to speak this lovely sweet language.
To mention a few Thai phrases, ‘Sa-wat dee’ means Hello and Goodbye, Khorb koon means Thank you, Gee bath? means How much?, Arai means What, Sai means Left, Kwaa means Right, Gai mai? means Is it far?, Tum mai means Why? and Chai/Mai chai means Yes/No.
If you go shopping in Thailand, you can use some of the phrases such as, ‘Ra ka thao rai?’ meaning How much is this?, ‘Paeng pai’ meaning That is a little expensive, ‘Lot noi dai mai’ meaning Can you make it cheaper?, and Ja ma mai meaning ‘ I will come back later’.
These phrases will help you to find your way during traveling, interaction with shopkeepers and talking with the locals.
