How do you say good morning in Thai?

Thai people don't use specific 'good morning' phrases. They say สวัสดี (sawat-dee) meaning 'hello' any time of day, or กินข้าวรึยัง (gin khaao rue yang?) meaning 'Have you eaten yet?' which is very common.

Should I say อรุณสวัสดิ์ for good morning?

No, don't use อรุณสวัสดิ์ (ah-roon-sa-wat). It's too formal and old-fashioned. Thai people will find it funny because nobody uses it in real life.

What's the difference between ทาน and กิน?

Both mean 'to eat' but ทาน (taan) is more polite than กิน (gin). Use ทาน with older people or customers. Use กิน with friends.

Why do Thai people ask about eating?

Asking กินข้าวรึยัง 'Have you eaten yet?' is the most common Thai greeting. It shows care about someone's wellbeing. Food is very important in Thai culture.

How to Say Good Morning in Thai

“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!**

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!

อรุณสวัสดิ์
(ah-roon-sa-wat)

= Good morning (too fancy)

สวัสดีตอนเช้า
(sa-wat-dee ttawn-chao)

= 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)

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.

Polite Food Question

ทานข้าวรึยัง

(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)

Casual Hi

หวัดดีครับ (not found)

หวัดดีค่ะ (not found)

(wat-dee khrap/kha)

= Hi

When to use: With friends and family. More relaxed.

Casual Food Question

กินข้าวรึยัง

(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:

How to Say Hello in Thai – Most important greetings
How to Say How Are You in Thai – Daily conversation starters
How to Say Goodbye in Thai – End conversations nicely
How to Say Good Night in Thai – Evening greetings
Learn Thai Basic Greetings – Complete guide

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.

How to Say Good Morning in Thai