Politeness Tip
Add ครับ (krap) at the end if you are male, or ค่ะ (ka) if you are female, to make any phrase polite. Thai people really appreciate the effort of using polite particles.
Useful combos: 20 = ยี่สิบ (yee-sip), 100 = ร้อย (roi), 1,000 = พัน (pan), 10,000 = หมื่น (meun)
Thai is a tonal language with 5 tones. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone. Don't worry too much about getting tones perfect -- context and gestures help a lot!
Flat, neutral pitch. Like saying "go" in a monotone.
Start mid and drop slightly. Like a disappointed "oh..."
Start high and fall sharply. Like saying "no!" firmly.
Start mid-high and stay high. Like asking "really?" with surprise.
Start low and rise up. Like asking "huh?" when confused.
The classic example: ม้า (maa, high) = horse, หมา (maa, rising) = dog, มา (maa, mid) = come. Same sound, different tones, totally different meanings!
The Wai Greeting
Press your palms together at chest level and bow slightly. The higher the hands and the deeper the bow, the more respect shown. Return a wai when given one, but no need to wai to children or service staff initiating service.
Royal Family Respect
The Thai Royal Family is deeply revered. Always show utmost respect. Stand when the Royal Anthem plays before movies. Never step on money (it bears the King's image). Lese-majeste laws are strictly enforced.
Temple Etiquette
Cover shoulders and knees. Remove shoes before entering buildings. Women must never touch monks or hand items directly to them. Sit with feet pointed away from Buddha images. Keep your voice low and respectful.
Head & Feet
The head is the most sacred part of the body -- never touch anyone's head. Feet are the lowest -- never point feet at people or Buddha images, and never step over someone sitting on the ground.
Camera translation for signs and menus. Offline Thai pack available.
Gamified Thai lessons with reading, writing, and speaking practice.
Paste Thai text and get word-by-word translation with tones.
Visual vocabulary learning, 5 minutes a day. Great for beginners.