? | Thailand, tradition, festival | Sawasdee Pee Mai! That's how you say Happy New Year in Thai!
Hello is Sawatdee (pronounced Sa-What-Dee) If you are Male you say Sawatdee Khrap (pronounced Sa-What-Dee Krap) If you are Female you say Sawatdee Khun Kha (pronounced Sa-What-Dee Ka) It is also polite to use the WAI gesture when greeting.
You can drop the “Khun” (meaning “you”) if you like. Most Thai people will do the same, and simply say “Nuai mai khrub/ka”.
1. SAWATDEE… This is a very common phrase that means “Hello.” There are a couple of important things to know about it, however. First of all, greetings are usually accompanied by a gesture called a wai.
1 – Sawasdee kha/khap: Hello in Thai
Sawasdee or hello in Thai is the most common and useful Thai greeting to learn. You'll hear a lot of Sawasdee kha/khap in Thailand. Sawasdee can also be used to say good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good day, and even good bye.
ไม่ (mai) means “no” or “not” and is a falling tone. ไหม (mai) is a question word that is used at the end of a sentence to turn a statement in to a yes or no question. It has a rising tone in formal written Thai but when used in everyday speech it is usually spoken with a high tone – มั้ย (mai).
“Hello” in the Thai language is สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii). The word “hello,” in Thai means goodness, beauty, prosperity, and safety. Because of its good meaning, Thai people use this word as a greeting to wish other parties well. Sà-wàd-dee has been formally used as “hello” and “goodbye” in Thailand since January 22, 1943.
In both a formal and informal situation, Thai people greet each other with the word 'sawadee' followed by 'kah' for females and 'kraap' (soft r) for males.
Thai 101: Basic Thai Phrases
The Rule: If you are male, you end sentences with the word (khrup/krap) similarly if you are female, you end your sentences with the word (ka/kap). This is used to make your sentence or question polite and respectful.
When you leave Thailand at the end of your stay you may well be 'sao jai' (sad). Thai friends may be sia jai (sorry) to see you go as well as also being sao jai.
Do use “ka” and “krab” – If you are a woman, it is appropriate to end sentences or greetings with “ka.” For example, “sawasdee” is hello in Thai…as a woman, you would say “sawasdee ka.” If you are a man, your sentences should end with “krab,” so “sawasdee krab” is a proper hello.
The meaning of KAPUNKA is THANK YOU, and that is what it is about, the value of gratitude. If we have value to thank and how much value we give to this, that is the basis of life. My first trip to Africa confirmed what I had always thought, people are only happy if they are loved and have someone to love.
ขอโทษ (khǎaw-thôot) — “Sorry” in Thai translates to this word, and this is the main word for “sorry” in Thailand. You can use this word in every situation, both formal and informal. Make sure you remember this word well.
In the Thai Royal Institute Dictionary, the words “ka” and “krub” are both defined as “an ending word to suggest the politeness of the message.” In my own translation, they are filler words that don't mean anything.
ฝันดีนะ (fan dii na) is a commonly used wording to say “good night” in Thai. It can be used amongst family members, couples, and friends.
Meaning: Thumbs-up in Thailand means “This is good.” How to do: Make a fist and stick your thumb up. When to do: Use this when you want to tell another party that something is good.
To answer the question of what you should say to your friend first thing in the morning, you should use 'sawatdee tohn chao' (สวัสดีตอนเช้า), which means good morning in Thai. Ideally, you would also add the politeness particles 'ka' (ค่ะ) or 'khrap' (ครับ) at the end of the phrase too.
So in Thai, ทำไม(tham-mai) is the exact translation of "Why", used to ask the reason for something. So for example, if your boss is asking you "Why are you late today?" he will say ทำไมวันนี้คุณมาสาย(tham-mai wan-níi khun maa sǎai)?
Mia Noi – having a “minor wife” in Thailand
In Thailand, this is known as mia noi, which refers to a “minor wife”, aka mistress. It seems normalised for Thai men to have “more than one partner” – but if women do, it is largely frowned upon, with them being shunned by family and friends.