Each Thai term is followed by its RTGS romanization. Where a recording is available, select its speaker button to listen.
A practical place to start
Whether you are planning a move to Thailand or preparing for your first week at a Thai school, learning a little everyday Thai can make school life easier.
You may need to greet a colleague, check a classroom instruction, or ask what is happening at assembly. Start with the situations you expect to meet in your first few days.
Your questions may depend on where you are in the process:
If you are planning your move
Ask your school about the working day and the language used in meetings and lessons. If you have only visited on holiday, read what changes when you move to Thailand before planning your first term.
If you are already teaching here
You may want help with morning routines, staffroom conversations, canteen orders, or simple ways to communicate with students.
Thai for Teachers brings those situations together in one practical phrasebook.
Good to know: Your school may expect you to use English during lessons. Outside the lesson, a little Thai can still be useful in corridors, staffrooms, the canteen, and morning assembly. It shows consideration and often makes everyday conversations easier.
Use this phrasebook alongside a Thai course
This site concentrates on situations at school. Other resources can help with the wider language skills behind those phrases:
- A general course can give you a sequence for learning vocabulary and grammar, with more practice than an isolated phrase can provide.
- A Thai reading course can help you connect pronunciation with the script, including consonant classes, vowel length, and tone rules.
- Practice with a teacher or colleague gives you feedback on pronunciation and whether a phrase suits the person you are addressing.
If different spellings of the same word confuse you, the romanization guide explains the three systems used here.
What you can learn here
The lessons are organized around common parts of the school day:
1. Classroom instructions and praise
Practice short instructions for starting class, opening books, settling the room, checking understanding, and praising a student's effort.
Read Classroom Guide →2. Staffroom conversations
Learn how to greet colleagues, ask for help, check the timetable, and say thank you politely.
Read Staffroom Guide →3. Canteen and daily routines
Order food and drinks, ask the price, and explain simple preferences such as “ไม่เผ็ด (Mai phet) ” (not spicy).
Explore Canteen Phrases →4. School culture and etiquette
Read about the ไหว้ (Wai) , head-and-feet etiquette, morning assembly, and the idea of ใจเย็น (Chai yen) , or keeping a cool heart.
Read Culture Tips →Tools for practicing
The lesson preference panel lets you choose the speaker form, romanization, and Thai font. Article examples keep their written forms:
Choose how you want to learn
- Polite particles: Article examples usually use female-speaker forms; lesson cards follow your chosen voice. The particle guide explains the different endings used in statements and questions.
- Normal and slow audio: Where recordings are available, compare the two speeds to hear individual sounds. Speaker icons appear only for available recordings.
- Three romanization systems: On lesson pages, show RTGS, Paiboon, IPA or any combination of them, or Thai script only. Article examples always include RTGS.
- Two Thai fonts: Switch between a modern loopless style and a classic looped style as you learn to read the script.
Try a sample phrase
Use the sample cards below to compare the Thai script and romanizations. You can change the display preferences on lesson pages and use the audio controls where recordings are available.
Choose a phrase for tomorrow
Start with something you expect to say, such as “สวัสดีค่ะ (Sawatdi kha) ” or “เก่งมาก (Keng mak) ” (Well done). Check what it means, listen when a recording is available, and ask a Thai speaker to check your pronunciation.
Learn the tone with the rest of the word. Standard Thai has five tones, and changing the tone can change the meaning. A short phrase you can say and recognize is a useful start.