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Thai phrases › Hello, Thailand
How to say hello / goodbye
in Thai
สวัสดี
sà-wàt-dii
hello / goodbye
Add ครับ (kráp) if you are a man or ค่ะ (kâ) if you are a woman. It makes the sentence polite, and Thais always use it.
Pair it with a small wai when greeting someone older or in a shop; a nod is enough for staff.
- Where
- greeting
- Register
- polite
What they will say back
- สวัสดีค่ะsà-wàt-dii kâHello.
The culture behind it
CULTURE
The wai: who bows to whom
Words inside it
From the same situation: Hello, Thailand
- จิ้งจกhouse gecko
- ตุ๊กแกtokay gecko
- สวัสดีhello
- ครับpolite particle (male speakers)
- ค่ะpolite particle for statements (female speakers)
- คะpolite particle for questions (female speakers)
- ขอบคุณthank you
- ขอโทษsorry
All 135 words and phrases in “Hello, Thailand” →
Your first 90 days of Thai
Jingjok drills สวัสดี until you can say it without thinking, then shows you where to use it today. Greet anyone politely, say thank you and sorry, introduce yourself, and rescue a conversation you don't understand.
- WEEKS 1–2 · SURVIVEGreet anyone, pay, and order food and 7-Eleven exactly how you like it.
- WEEKS 3–6 · SETTLE INGet around by taxi, Grab and skytrain, find anything, and handle your landlord.
- WEEKS 7–12 · RUN YOUR LIFEPharmacy, bank, SIM and apps, how you feel, and a weekend away, all in Thai.
The first week is free.