All travelers know the frustration of ordering the wrong food, so to help you get along in Bangkok, here are some useful Thai food phrases. Do remember that Thai is a tonal language, so you may be asked to repeat yourself.

 

tao lai: how much

 

kai daao: fried egg (sook: cooked yolk, mai sook: runny yolk)

 

mai sai prik: no chilies

 

naam: water

 

naam kaeng: ice

 

tom: boil

 

kaao: rice

 

yum: spicy salad

 

moo: pork

 

sen mii: rice vermicelli

 

guay dtieow: noodles

 

laad kaao: on rice

 

kaao laad kaeng: curry, soup or other items of your choice on rice

 

nua: meat / beef (nua is also a prefix added to mean meat of something, e.g. nua plaa - fish meat)

 

kai tomm: hard boiled egg

 

mai ped: not spicy

 

pak: vegetables

 

pla muk: squid

 

plaa: fish

 

chek bin: check / bill please

 

naam: with soup

 

gieow: wonton

 

look chin: meat ball

 

ao alai: what do you want? (you might get asked this)

 

klab baan / sai toong: take away, to take home

 

gin tii nii: eat here