Thai Language Is Amazingly Easy to CONVERSE when SHOPPING!

Posted by:

brendon.mcaliece

On:

2022-06-30

I will give you words throughout the post below. There will be a word in English then the Thai Language (pasa Thai) translation next to it. Enjoy.

Living in Thailand you honestly (Kwam Jing) really need the Thai Language in your life (Sivit). Many expats don’t believe (Mai Seeah) it’s essential to speak Thai (Poot Thai) but you miss out on so much.

Those that choose to live ( you) with their partners family (korp quar) or just visit them while in Thailand never get to know them. Relying on your partner (fan) to translate (pair) for you constantly is very mental tiring (noey). It’s also frustrating have you say constantly “What did they say” (Kow Poot Alai)?

Let’s take a look at expanding your Thai language, so you can go shopping and buy food (Seu aharn) etc on your own. You will be able to hear if there are any discounts (lot lakar) happening on items. Trust me as a westener (falung), Thai people do look upon you as rich (loy). They will when possible charge you a little more if items do not have prices.

If your looking to purchase (seu) something in a market (talart) like a pair of jeans or some trinket for a friend (Peean) etc, then listen first. You will hear what other Thai’s are paying, then you can ask for the same price for yourself.

Thai Language in the Market.

Let’s get the basics out of the way first. You cannot buy (seu mai dai) or negotiate (Door) if you cannot count (Nup Mai dai). Yes this may take a little while to grasp but all shopping roads lead to numbers (mai lek) so you need to get these down first.

Numbers in Thai Language.

Thai language counting is interesting, mainly because they have a different numbering system. Yes they count (nup) completely differently to westerners. Gets interesting now doesn’t it! In fact it’s actually more logical and simpler I think.

The process is similar but changes with larger numbers.

Single Number.
Numbers X 10 – Sip
Numbers X 100 – Loy
Number X 1000 – Pan
Number X 10,000 – Meun
Number X 100,000 – San
Number X 1,000,000 – Larn.

The counting system only goes to ten on each level. Ten thousand is a single number called Meun. So ten thousand is ONE MEUN, 20 thousand is TWO MEUN ETC.

There is not one hundred Thousand in Thai there is ONE X 100,000 so Thais use ONE SAN, then 200,000 is TWO SAN, 300,000 is SARM SAN.

The same is true of million and I haven’t had to count higher than this.

ZERO = SOON
ONE = NUNG
TWO = SONG
THREE = SARM
FOUR = SEE
FIVE = HAR
SIX = HOK
SEVEN = JET
EIGHT = PAAT
NINE = GOW
TEN = SIP

Teens and Tens.

Let’s continue with teens and tens in out Thai language learning journey. It’s a repitition that will have you counting. Count one to ten with your fingers. Move on then from ten to twenty. The next step is ten to 100. Let’s get started. Let’s do ten to twenty.

TEN = SIP
ELEVEN = SIP ET
TWELVE = SIP SONG
THIRTEEN = SIP SARM
FOURTEEN = SIP SEE
FIFTEEN = SIP HAR
SIXTEEN = SIP HOK
SEVENTEEN = SIP JET
EIGHTEEN = SIP PAT
NINETEEN = SIP GOW
TWENTY = YE SIP

I’m sure you can see the pattern with simply SIP being added in front of the single 1-9 we display a moment ago.

Let’s continue with ten to 90 which is the same theme. I’m sure you will have this Thai language counting down pretty fast.

TEN = SIP
TWENTY = YE SIP
THIRTY = SARM SIP
FORTY = SEE SIP
FIFTY = HAR SIP
SIXTY = HOK SIP
SEVENTY = JET SIP
EIGHTY = PAT SIP
NINETY = GOW SIP

Big Numbers its East Too.

The next range of numbers are easy as well using the single didgets in front of 100 (Loy), 1000 (Pan), 10,000 (San) and 1,000,000 (Larn).

100 = NUNG LOY
200 = SONG LOY
300 = SARM LOY ……. ETC

1000 = NUNG PAN
2000 = SONG PAN
3000 = SARM PAN ……. ETC

10000 = NUNG MEUN
20000 = SONG MEUN
30000 = SARM MEUN ……. ETC

100,000 = NUNG SAN
200,000 = SONG SAN
300,000 = SARM SAN ……. ETC

1,000,000 = NUNG LARN
2,000,000 = SONG LARN
3,000,000 = SARM LARN ……. ETC

Thai Language Conversation.

Let’s get into common Thai Language phrases you can use right away.

How much an item is generally can be bartered so don’t be scared to ask. The next few words are the tools you need. You can be creative depending on how many shirts, skirts etc. you may be buying. If I buy more will you give me a better discount is always a great question.

How much? Tow Alai? (Tow as in Towl)
Expensive! Peng
Very Expensive – Peng Mark Mark!
Cheap – Took
Very Cheap! – Took Mark Mark!

The Thai language as you can see if again formatted different from English. It’s reversed in this case and is often the case.

Clothes in Thai Language.

Let’s look at basic clothes you may wish to buy when shopping. These are easily added to the basic question we have looked at above.

Shirt – See-ah.
Dress – Ga-Pong.
Shoes – Long Tow (L)
Hat – Moo-uk.
Sox – Torng Tow.
Shorts – Kung keng – Car chun.
Trousers – Kung Keng.
Underpants – Kung Keng Nai (inside)
Bra – Seeah Nai

The format is :

ITEM you want.to buy – HOW MUCH?
See-ah Tow Alai? How much for the shirt.

Colours in Thai Language.

Colors in Thai are pretty easy to get so let’s start with basic colors are probably the best to start with. Every color word in Thai Language has SEE in front of the color itself. The word SEE literally is color. You will hear Thais when speaking English say Color blue or color brown because that’s how the Thai language is formatted.

RED – See Daang
GREEN – See Keuw
BLUE – See Far (Sky Blue)
YELLOW – See Leeang
BLACK – See Dum
WHITE – See Cow
CLEAR – See Sai
PINK – See Shampoo

Beginner Phrases.

Let’s get shopping and practice some of our Thai language phrases that you can use every day. Note the format with the use of Italic, Bold and bold Italic combinations to show you which words relate the there English sentence.

In the first example “How Much = Tow Alai?The next is “Red = See Dang” and finally “Shirt = See-ah”.

How much is the red Shirt please?
See-ah See Dang Tow Alai?
Shirt – Red – How Much?
Long Tow Tow arai? (Shoes)
Gapong Tow Alai? (Dress)
Long Tow Tow Alai?

Adding Numbers – Conversation.

Let’s look include numbers or prices in the conversation. I recomend you have some fun with these and.modify the prices. If you have a friend then play shops with them. Decide on an item like a shirt (Seeah) and bata prices. If your comfortable.change items and.try again. Practice will make you better.

Sentence Format.

Item – Colour – How Much? – Price.

How much are the brown Shoes

Long Tow – See Numtarn – Tow alai? Song loy hah SIP (250 Thb)

Thats expensive! Can you discount the price?

Peng – Lot Lakar dai mai?

I can give you – New price/ I cannot discount!

Hai Songloy yesip dai! Give you 220 Thb!

Lot laka may dai. I can’t discount!

Conclusion:

I hope this quick Thai language when shopping guide was helpful in enlightening you to the basics and get you comfortable. The Thai language is beautiful and with a little practice you will be shopping on your own fast.

I have a number of growing Thai Language posts set in different situations which will grow over time. If you need something specific please leave me a comment and Ill do my best to accommodate.

Just a note re the language I am using here in my guides. This is street Bangkok Thai that is spoken and understood everywhere even though areas have their own dialects. You can find out more about dialects here in this post : The Thai Language your passage into the heart of Thailand.

The Author:

Brendon McAliece has approximately 40 years of traveling and living in Thailand. He is an Australian expat who currently resides in Chiang Rai with his wife of 37 Years. He speaks fluent Thai, as well as Northern Thai (Neua) He has traveled extensively with 23 years working on military aircraft with the RAAF and BAe Systems Australia.