Greeting — Speak Thai, Lesson 1

Dialogue

Two colleagues meet at a café in the morning

Somsak ♂

sa-wàt-dii khráp khun phlɔɔy

Hello, Khun Ploy.

Ploy ♀

sa-wàt-dii khâ khun sǒm sàk sa-baay-dii máy khá

Hello, Khun Somsak. How are you?

Somsak ♂

sa-baay-dii khráp khɔ̀ɔp-khun khráp lǽæw khun lâ khráp

I'm fine, thank you. And you?

Ploy ♀

sa-baay-dii khâ khɔ̀ɔp-khun khâ

I'm fine, thank you.

Role-play:

comprehensionDid you follow the dialogue?

What does Ploy ask Somsak?

How does Somsak answer her question?

Vocabulary

Tone colors:midlowfallinghighrising

สวัสดีsa-wàt-diiINThello; goodbye

ครับkhrápPARTpolite particle (male speaker)

ค่ะkhâPARTpolite particle (female, statement)

คะkháPARTpolite particle (female, question)

สบายดีsa-baay-diiADJfine; doing well

ไหมmáyPARTquestion particle (yes/no)

ขอบคุณkhɔ̀ɔp-khunVthank you

แล้วlǽæwADVthen; already

คุณkhunPRONyou (polite)

Grammar Notes

1. Polite particles ครับ / ค่ะ / คะ

statement + ครับ (khráp) (male) / ค่ะ (khâ) (female)

Added at the end of sentences to show politeness. Males use ครับ (khráp) for both statements and questions. Females use ค่ะ (khâ) for statements and คะ (khá) for questions.

สวัสดี ครับ

sa-wàt-dii khráp

Hello. (male speaking)

สวัสดี ค่ะ

sa-wàt-dii khâ

Hello. (female speaking)

สบายดี ไหม คะ

sa-baay-dii máy khá

How are you? (female asking)

2. Yes/no questions with ไหม

Subject + verb/adjective + ไหม (máy)

To answer yes: repeat the verb/adjective. To answer no: ไม่ (mây) + verb/adjective.

สบายดี ไหม

sa-baay-dii máy

Are you doing well?

สบายดี

sa-baay-dii

Yes, I'm doing well.

ไม่สบาย

mây-sàʔ-baay

No, I'm not well.

3. Asking back with แล้ว...ล่ะ

แล้ว (lǽæw) + คุณ (khun) + ล่ะ (lâ) + (ครับ (khráp)/คะ (khá))

After answering, you can ask the same question back.

แล้ว คุณ ล่ะ ครับ

lǽæw khun lâ khráp

And how about you? (male asking)

Exercises

fill blankComplete with the correct polite particle

สวัสดี (sa-wàt-dii)___ (male speaker)

ขอบคุณ (khɔ̀ɔp-khun)___ (female speaker)

สบายดี ไหม (sa-baay-dii máy)___ (female asking)

dialogue practicePractice with a partner or record yourself

You meet your Thai teacher for the first time in the morning. Greet them, ask how they are, and respond to their question.

Cultural Note

🏛Cultural Note

Thais greet with a wai — pressing palms together and bowing slightly. The higher the hands and deeper the bow, the more respect shown. Among friends the same age, a simple สวัสดี (sa-wàt-dii) without a wai is common. In business settings, always add the polite particle ครับ (khráp) or ค่ะ (khâ).

Recap

✓ What you can do now

✓Greet someone politely with สวัสดี (sa-wàt-dii) + ครับ (khráp)/ค่ะ (khâ)

✓Ask "How are you?" with สบายดี ไหม (sa-baay-dii máy)

✓Answer and ask the same question back with แล้ว คุณ ล่ะ (lǽæw khun lâ)

สวัสดี ครับsa-wàt-dii khráp— Hello (male speaker)

สวัสดี ค่ะsa-wàt-dii khâ— Hello (female speaker)

สบายดี ไหม คะsa-baay-dii máy khá— How are you? (female asking)

สบายดี ครับ ขอบคุณ ครับsa-baay-dii khráp khɔ̀ɔp-khun khráp— I'm fine, thank you (male)

แล้ว คุณ ล่ะ ครับlǽæw khun lâ khráp— And you? (male asking)