How to Say Good Night in Thai – Bedtime Phrases

In this post we’ll learn how to say good night in Thai. There are several ways to say good night. It depends on who you’re speaking to and the context.

Below, we’ve covered all the most common ways to say good night. If you want to learn how to say good morning in Thai, check out this post.

กู๊ดไนท์

Quick Answer

Looking for a quick answer? This is the best way to say “good night” in Thai for most situations:

กู๊ดไนท์ (guut nai) – good night

Thai language borrows many words from English. A large number of these borrowed words are used daily by Thai native speakers.

Formal: Good Night in Thai

If you ask a Thai friend how to say “good night,” they’ll probably tell you this phrase. However, it’s very rarely used in real conversation between Thai people. We don’t recommend using it unless you’re trying to be silly.

The Traditional Formal Way

• ราตรีสวัสดิ์ (raa-ttrii-sa-wat) Good Night

ราตรีสวัสดิ์ (raa-ttrii-sa-wat)

Why this phrase is rarely used:
This phrase was created from Sanskrit words in the 1930s and 1940s. It was part of an attempt to internationalize Thailand. Some phrases caught on (like sawatdee!). Others primarily show up in Thai dramas and foreign media translations.

The Actually Used Formal Way

It’s much more common (even in formal situations) to use this borrowed English phrase:

• กู๊ดไนท์(guut nai) – good night

For formal situations, add polite particles:

• Male Speaker: กู๊ดไนท์ครับ(guut nai khrap)
• Female Speaker: กู๊ดไนท์ค่ะ(guut nai kha)

Pronunciation Notes

If you haven’t mastered the Thai script and sound system, pronunciation may be tricky:

กู๊ด (goot) – good (high tone)
– Pretend the word ends with a T
– When you reach the T sound, keep your tongue in place until the sound dies off

ไนท์ (nai) – night (high tone)
– The back of your tongue rises up slightly
– This constricts airflow in your throat but doesn’t cut it off completely

Informal Good Night in Thai (Use with Friends)

Want to speak Thai fluently? Copy what native Thai speakers actually say. Don’t just translate from your native language.

Here are phrases Thai people actually use with friends and family.

Sweet Dreams

• ฝันดีนะ (fan dii na) – Sweet dreams
  • ฝัน (fan) – dreams
  • ดี (dii) – good
  • นะ (na) – a softening particle

This is widely used among family members, couples and friends. It’s not very common among straight male friends as it sounds sweet.

กู๊ดไนท์ สวีทดรีม

Other Common Ways

• กู๊ดไนท์ (guud nai) – good night
• ไนท์ (nai) – night (short for “good night”)
• ไนท์ๆ (nai nai) – night night

Note: ไนท์ๆ feels more intimate than กู๊ดไนท์. Use it with children or a partner.

Thai Vocabulary Related to Sleeping

Here are additional Thai words you might want to know:

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