Thai is a tonal language, consisting of five tones (mid tone, rising tone, falling tone, high tone and low tone).  The same sound pronounced with a different tone will most of the time change the meaning of the word you are saying.  So be careful!  There are 36 vowels and vowel-combinations and 44 consonants.  They are written with letters (not with characters like Chinese) and developed from the basis of the Dewangari-signs from India in the 13th Century.  The “proper” Thai is spoken in Bangkok and Central Thailand, while in the South, North and North East many different dialects are spoken.

To help you get around more easily here are some helpful Thai words and phrases:

sawàddi khá / khráp                                                      Hello: normal greeting (khaa for ladies & kraap for men)

khòp khun (mâag) khá / khráp                                    Thank you (very) much

kho thôod khá / khráp                                                  Excuse me, please

thrâurai khá / khráp                                                      How much is this?

kho duu nòi khá / khráp                                               May I have a look please?

kho hâi nòi khá / khráp                                                 Could you give me please?

kho chûai nòi khá / khráp                                            Can you help me please

phèd mái khá / khráp                                                    Is it hot/spicy?

mâi phèd (mâag) khá / khráp                                      It’s not (very) hot /spicy

bài……mái khá / khráp                                                  Do you go to….

mâi bài khá / khráp                                                       I don’t go….

bai…..thrâurai khá /khráp                                            How much is it to….

nùng                                                                                 one

sŏong                                                                               two

sáam                                                                                three

sìi                                                                                      four

hâa                                                                                   five

hòk                                                                                   six

jèt                                                                                     seven

baed                                                                                 eight

gâo                                                                                   nine

sìp                                                                                     ten

sìp-èd                                                                               eleven

sìp-sðong                                                                         twelve

… yêe-sìp                                                                         twenty

… yêe-sìp-èd                                                                   twenty one

… nùng róoy                                                                    one hundred