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How to Say Good Morning in Thai

October 5, 2020 by

“Good morning” greetings work differently in Thai. Most cultures say different things at different times of day. But Thai people don’t really use “good morning” phrases.

You might hear them in Thai movies or TV shows. But if you want to know how Thai people REALLY greet each other in the morning, keep reading.

**The best phrases are at the end!**

good morning in thai

How to Say Good Morning in Thai

Textbook Thai (Don’t Use These!)

⚠️ Warning: These Sound Weird!

Thai textbooks teach these phrases. But real Thai people don’t say them. You’ll get strange looks!

= Good morning (too fancy)
= Good morning (sounds like a robot)

😄 Fun Fact

If you say อรุณสวัสดิ์, Thai people will laugh! It’s like speaking Shakespeare in English. Too fancy for daily life.

What Thai People Actually Say (Polite)

1

Standard Hello

สวัสดี + ครับ[/speech] (Male)
OR สวัสดี+ ค่ะ (Female)
(sawat-dee khrap/kha)
= Hello
When to use: Any time of day. Works with everyone. Safe choice.
2

Polite Food Question

(taan khaao rue yang?)
= Have you eaten yet?
When to use: With older people, customers, or formal situations.

📝 Quick Note

ทาน (taan) is the polite word for “eat.” กิน (gin) is the casual word. Restaurant staff use ทาน with customers.

What Thai People Actually Say (Casual)

1

Casual Hi

หวัดดีครับ (not found)
/
หวัดดีค่ะ (not found)
(wat-dee khrap/kha)
= Hi
When to use: With friends and family. More relaxed.
2

Casual Food Question

(gin khaao rue yang?)
= Have you eaten yet?
When to use: With friends. Shows you care about them.

🍽️ Why Food Questions?

“Have you eaten yet?” is the #1 Thai greeting! It shows care. Thai people use this more than any “good morning” phrase. Learn more in our “How to Say How Are You in Thai” guide.

Simple Summary

🌅 What to Say in the Morning

✅ USE THESE:
• สวัสดี (sawat-dee) = Hello
• กินข้าวรึยัง (gin khaao rue yang?) = Have you eaten?
❌ DON’T USE:
• อรุณสวัสดิ์ = Too fancy
• สวัสดีตอนเช้า = Sounds weird

More Thai Greetings to Learn

Now you know morning greetings! Learn more Thai greetings:

Final Thoughts

Thai people don’t say “good morning” like we do in English. Use **สวัสดี** (hello) and **กินข้าวรึยัง** (have you eaten?) instead. These sound natural and Thai people use them every day.

Want to learn more Thai? Check out my online course here or get free lessons below.


Filed Under: Beginner, Learn Thai, Learn Thai Online, learn to read thai, Sentences, Where to start? Tagged With:

How to Practice Tones

December 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

How to Practice Thai Tones: A Beginner’s Guide

Thai tones can seem intimidating at first. But with the right practice methods, you can master them!

Here’s an easy way for beginners to practice tones in Thai.

🎥 Video Guide: Tone Practice Method

Watch this simple technique that makes tone practice much easier:

🎵 Why Tones Matter in Thai

Thai is a tonal language. This means the pitch of your voice changes the meaning of words.

For example:

  • มา (maa) with mid tone = come
  • หมา (mǎa) with rising tone = dog
  • ม้า (máa) with high tone = horse

Getting the wrong tone can completely change what you’re trying to say!

🎯 The 5 Thai Tones

Thai has five distinct tones:

  1. Mid tone – Flat, neutral pitch
  2. Low tone – Starts mid, drops down
  3. Falling tone – Starts high, falls sharply
  4. High tone – High, flat pitch
  5. Rising tone – Starts low, rises up

📝 Practice Methods for Beginners

1. Start with Tone Pairs

Practice words that only differ by tone:

  • ใก glâi (falling) = near
  • ไก gai (mid) = chicken

2. Use Hand Gestures

Move your hand to match the tone direction:

  • Mid: Keep hand flat and level
  • Low: Start middle, drop down
  • Falling: Start high, drop sharply
  • High: Keep hand up high
  • Rising: Start low, go up

3. Practice with Minimal Pairs

Focus on words that sound similar but have different tones:

  • ข่าว (khàao) = news (falling tone)
  • ข้าว (khâao) = rice (falling tone)
  • เข้า (khâo) = to enter (falling tone)

4. Record Yourself

Use your phone to record yourself saying tone practice words. Then compare with native speakers.

5. Listen and Repeat

Find audio of native Thai speakers. Listen carefully to their tones. Then repeat immediately.

🚫 Common Tone Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don’t rush: Take time to get each tone right
  • Don’t ignore context: Some words change meaning completely with wrong tones
  • Don’t give up: Tones take time to master, even for native speakers
  • Don’t practice silently: You need to hear yourself speak

💡 Pro Tips for Tone Practice

  1. Practice daily: Even 10 minutes a day helps
  2. Start simple: Master basic words before moving to complex ones
  3. Use music: Sing Thai songs to practice tone patterns
  4. Find a practice partner: Thai native speakers can give immediate feedback
  5. Be patient: Tone mastery takes months, not days

📱 Helpful Apps and Tools

  • Forvo: Hear native pronunciation of Thai words
  • Google Translate: Has audio playback for tone reference
  • Anki: Create flashcards with audio for tone practice
  • YouTube: Lots of free Thai pronunciation videos

🎯 Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Tone Recognition

Listen to Thai words and identify which tone you hear. Start with obvious examples.

Exercise 2: Tone Production

Say the same word with different tones. Record yourself and compare.

Exercise 3: Context Practice

Use tone words in simple sentences. This helps with natural flow.

📚 Next Steps

Once you’re comfortable with basic tones:

  • Learn tone rules for reading Thai
  • Practice with longer phrases and sentences
  • Study how tones change in connected speech
  • Work with a Thai teacher for personalized feedback

🔗 More Resources

I’ve been making lots of new videos lately. If you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel, consider doing so.

You can also like my Facebook page for updates.

I’ll be posting more content from recent filming sessions. When I put something up, it will be useful to you. Or at least funny in a Thai way!

Remember: Mastering Thai tones takes time and practice. But with consistent effort, you’ll get there. Good luck!

Filed Under: Beginner, De-Farang-ify, Intermediate, learn to read thai, Tips, Tricks and Tools, Where to start? Tagged With:

Master Thai Tones: Complete Guide + Chart

October 10, 2013 by 2 Comments

Your Complete Thai Tone Rules Chart (Free Download)

Get instant access to the chart thousands of students use to master Thai tones

📊 Your Thai Tone Rules Chart


Complete Thai Tone Rules Chart

👆 Right-click to save this chart to your device

🚀 Quick Start Guide

New to Thai tones? Here’s how to use this chart effectively:

Step 1: Learn the Consonant Classes

High Class (11 letters): ข ฃ ฉ ฐ ถ ผ ฝ ศ ษ ส ห

Mid Class (9 letters): ก จ ฎ ฏ ด ต บ ป อ

Low Class (24 letters): ค ฅ ฆ ง ช ซ ฌ ญ ฑ ฒ ณ ท ธ น พ ฟ ภ ม ย ร ล ว ฬ ฮ

Step 2: Identify Live vs Dead Syllables

Live syllables: End with long vowels or nasal sounds (ม, น, ง, ย, ว)

Dead syllables: End with short vowels or stop consonants (ก, ด, บ, ป, ต, ค)

Step 3: Apply the Rules

Use the chart to determine the tone based on:

  • Starting consonant class
  • Syllable type (live/dead)
  • Tone marks (if present)

💡 Pro Tips for Mastering Thai Tones

  • Start with mid-class consonants – they’re the most predictable
  • Practice with real words – not just individual syllables
  • Use the chart regularly – until the patterns become automatic
  • Focus on common words first – like numbers, colors, and everyday vocabulary

📚 Complete Thai Tone System Details

Ready to dive deeper? Here are the additional elements that make Thai tones work:

Essential Tone Components

  • Vowel Length Recognition: Distinguish between short and long vowels (อ vs อา, เอ vs เออ)
  • Consonant Clusters: Handle combinations like กร, ปร, ตร
  • Silent Letters: Recognize when consonants are silent (marked with การันต์ ์)
  • Tone Mark Exceptions: Know when tone markers override normal rules
  • Word Boundaries: Identify where one syllable ends and another begins

Common Challenges (And How to Overcome Them)

  • Memorizing consonant classes: Use mnemonics and practice daily
  • Vowel pattern recognition: Start with the most common patterns
  • Applying rules consistently: Practice with familiar words first

Ready to Take Your Thai to the Next Level?

This chart is just the beginning. While it shows you the rules, learning to apply them fluently takes practice and the right teaching method.

That’s why I created my step-by-step system that takes you from zero Thai reading ability to confident tone recognition in just 2 weeks.

What makes my course different:

  • ✅ Logical progression – Learn consonant classes in order of difficulty
  • ✅ Memory techniques – Proven methods to memorize consonants quickly
  • ✅ Daily practice system – Make tone recognition automatic
  • ✅ Real examples – Practice with actual Thai words you’ll use
  • ✅ Exception handling – Learn the most important exceptions first
  • ✅ Personal support – Get answers to your specific questions

Stop struggling with confusing explanations and random tutorials.

Get the complete system that actually works.

Get the Complete Course →
Learn More About the System →

Join thousands of students who’ve already mastered Thai reading with this proven system.

Filed Under: Beginner, Intermediate, learn to read thai

Remembering the Middle Class Consonants

August 27, 2009 by 1 Comment

I came up with this story the other day while making flashcards for one of my students.  Mnemonics are great.

In order for this mnemonic to work properly, you should try to imagine the story in your mind.  Pictures you make in your head are easier to remember than actual images.

To reinforce it you might make SRS cards to quiz you on the story.   Ex – Q – What pets does the middle class kid keep?  A ปลา ไก่ เต่า

There is a middle class kid (เด็ก) who likes to keep pets.

He has a fish (ปลา), a turtle (เต่า) and a chicken (ไก่).

Where does he keep these pets?  In his basin (อ่าง) of course.  (Actually try to imagine a big bucket with a chicken, a turtle and a fish swimming around inside it always bumping into each other)

He needs to feed the pets.  They eat leaves (ใบ ไม้).

Also, he needs to make sure they don’t get out so he keeps a big plate (จาน) on top of the อ่าง.

Yes, I left out the other 2 as they aren’t vital when you first start reading.  If you are solid on this story its easy to add in the other ones.

Filed Under: learn to read thai, Tips, Tricks and Tools Tagged With: , ,