Beginner
Greetings & Farewells
12 min · 3 objectives
Ce que vous apprendrez
- Recognise the five tones through greeting intonation
- Pronounce sawatdee with the correct rising tone
- Distinguish formal and casual farewells
Why greetings matter
Thai greetings carry politeness particles (ครับ / khrap for male speakers, kha for female) that signal respect. Getting the tone right matters more than vocabulary.
Core phrases
- สวัสดี (saa-wàt-dee) — Hello / Goodbye
- ขอบคุณ (kòrp-khun) — Thank you
- เชียวหลอย (chên-loi) — Goodbye (sending off)
- รากาเราียนดีครับ — Nice to meet you
Tip: the polite particle comes last and is spoken softly with a gentle lengthening.