Vocabulary
Here you can see the vocabulary for the lesson. You can click on the words to hear the audio. You can mark words you already know so you won’t be tested on them in the lesson.
Flashcards
This section allows you to actually memorize the words and phrases in this lesson. Practicing with this game will help you to actually put the words in your memory so you can use them when you need them.
Mini Grammar Lesson: Ordering Food Politely in Thai
In this lesson, you’ll see two very useful ways to order food in Thai: ขอ (khǎaw — may I have / please give me) and simple food phrases with a polite ending like ค่ะ (khâ — polite particle used by female speakers) or ครับ (khráp — polite particle used by male speakers).
A common pattern is:
ขอ + food/item + amount + ค่ะ/ครับ
khǎaw + food/item + amount + khâ/khráp
“May I have + food/item + amount, please.”
For example:
ขอหมูปิ้งสามไม้ค่ะ
khǎaw mǔu pîng sǎam máai khâ
“Three grilled pork skewers, please.”
ขอตะเกียบหนึ่งคู่ครับ
khǎaw dtà-gìap nèung khûu khráp
“One pair of chopsticks, please.”
Thai also uses classifiers when counting things. A classifier is a word used with numbers for certain types of objects. In this lesson, you’ll see:
จาน (jaan — plate)
Used for plates of food:
ข้าวผัดจานหนึ่งค่ะ
kâao pàt jaan nèung khâ
“One plate of fried rice, please.”
ชาม (chaam — bowl)
Used for bowls of food:
ก๋วยเตี๋ยวสองชามครับ
gǔai dtǐao sǎawng chaam khráp
“Two bowls of noodles, please.”
ไม้ (máai — stick/skewer)
Used for skewered food:
ขอหมูปิ้งสามไม้ค่ะ
khǎaw mǔu pîng sǎam máai khâ
“Three grilled pork skewers, please.”
You can also use short, practical phrases when ordering:
สั่งกลับบ้านค่ะ
sàng glàp bâan khâ
“Take away, please.”
ขอทานที่นี่ครับ
khǎaw taan tîi nîi khráp
“I want to eat here.”
A very useful negative pattern is:
ไม่ใส่ + ingredient + นะคะ/นะครับ
mâi sài + ingredient + ná khá/ná khráp
“Please don’t add + ingredient.”
For example:
ไม่ใส่ผงชูรสนะคะ
mâi sài pǒng chuu rót ná khá
“No MSG, please.”
These patterns are simple, polite, and very useful at Thai street food stalls. Once you know ขอ (khǎaw — may I have), a food word, a number, and the right classifier, you can order many things confidently.
Conversation
Here you can listen to the conversation, including selecting single words in the audio waveform and listening to just parts.
Word Order
The word order game below will help you naturally pick up the grammar of the Thai language.