To say hello in Thai, use สวัสดี (sa-wat-dii). For a polite greeting, say สวัสดีครับ (sa-wat-dii khráp) or สวัสดีค่ะ (sa-wat-dii khâ), depending on the polite ending you use. This greeting works in the morning, afternoon and evening.
How to pronounce “hello” in Thai
Say it in three parts: sa, wat, dii. Say the second syllable with a low tone and hold the ii in the last syllable. You may see the same Thai word written sawatdee in English. The Thai spelling stays สวัสดี.
In beginner examples, men commonly use ครับ (khráp) and women commonly use ค่ะ (khâ) for a greeting. The other common spelling คะ (khá) is useful for questions, such as สบายดีไหมคะ. Compare the question and reply in our “how are you?” guide. For the standard greeting, see the Thammasat University phrase list.
Five situations for saying hello
1. Meeting someone for the first time
Use the full สวัสดีครับ or สวัสดีค่ะ at a reception, when meeting a teacher or when a new colleague introduces themselves.
2. Saying hello in a casual setting
The short หวัดดี (wat-dii) is a casual version you may hear among people who know each other. When you are unsure of the relationship, use the full greeting.
3. Greeting a friend and continuing the conversation
Say สวัสดี, then ask เป็นยังไงบ้าง (pen yang-ngai bang) if you want to check how things are going. The second phrase asks about the person rather than simply saying hello.
4. Answering the phone
ฮัลโหล (han-lo) is a familiar phone greeting. When calling an office or a shop, you can open with สวัสดีครับ or สวัสดีค่ะ and say what you are calling about.
5. Greeting someone at a particular time of day
You can use สวัสดี at any time. You may also encounter a more literal morning expression. The good morning guide explains when each is useful.
The wai gesture
A wai brings the palms together with a small bow of the head. You may see it alongside a spoken greeting. Customs vary with the setting and relationship. For a first meeting, follow the other person’s lead and use a polite spoken greeting.
Practise a first meeting
You arrive for a lesson and meet a new classmate. Say สวัสดีครับ or สวัสดีค่ะ. Then practise introducing yourself with our Thai name and introduction guide. Repeat the two lines without reading the romanisation.
Want to hear the sounds in a class? Ask about the S$45 two-hour Beginner 1 trial and confirm a place before booking. You can also contact Thai Explorer to ask about the next suitable lesson.