Just arrived in Thailand? Learn a few Thai phrases to use when ordering street food, and you’ll sound like you’ve been here a lot longer!
Earn smiles from the locals and maybe a bit of discount on your purchases too! From how to ask for your meal not spicy, without MSG, or tell the waiter you’re vegetarian, to how to order a beer, with or without ice, or your fruit shake without sugar – these useful Thai phrases will help you kin dee (eat well) in Thailand!
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Watch our video below filmed at a night market in Mae Sot, Thailand and then see below for a glossary of terms…
Glossary of Thai Food and Restaurant Phrases:
When you arrive in a restaurant:
- Maynoo mee mai ka/kaap? – Do you have a menu please?
- Maynoo passa angrit mee mai ka/kaap? – Do you have an English menu?
- Mee arry arroy bang ka/kaap? – What do you have that’s good to eat?
Rice:
- Khao pad – Fried rice.
- Khao suey – Boiled rice.
Noodles:
- Goyteow – Noodle soup.
- Sen yai – Big noodle.
- Sen lek – Small noodle.
- Sem mee – Vermicelli rice noodle.
- Sen bamee – Yellow noodle.
- Haeng – Dry.
- Nam – Soup.
Foods:
- Moo – Pork.
- Moo daeng – Red pork.
- Gai – Chicken.
- Neua – Beef.
- Talay – Seafood.
- Gung – Prawn.
- Pla – Fish.
- Pak – Vegetable.
- Lookchin – Meatball (who knows what meat?).
- Kai dao – Fried egg.
Food preferences:
- Kin jay – Vegetarian.
- Mai sai namtang – No sugar.
- Mai sai pong choo rote – No MSG.
- Kin tua mai dai – I can’t eat nuts.
- Kin gung mai dai – I can’t eat prawns.
- Kin talay mai dai – I can’t eat seafood.
- Mai ped – Not spicy.
- Ped mak mak – Very spicy.
- Mai sai prik – No chili.
Some popular street food dishes:
- Pad Thai – Fried noodles Thai style.
- Pad see ew – Fried noodles in soy sauce.
- Gai pad med mamuang – Chicken cashew.
- Pad grapow moo/gai – Stir fried pork/chicken with holy basil.
- Moo grob – Crispy pork.
- Pak boong – Morning glory.
- Peyawan gai – Chicken curry.
Drinks:
- Beer – Beer (surprisingly).
- Nam – Water.
- Nom – Milk.
- Nam Som – Orange Juice.
- Gaffe yen/ron – Coffee iced/hot.
- Nam polamai – Fruit juice.
- Nam keng – Ice.
- Gaew – glass.
Other phrases:
- Arroy – Delicious.
- Chob mak mak – I liked it a lot.
- Im mak mak – I’m very full!
- Hong nam yootinai ka/kaap? – Where are the toilets?
- Kop khun ka/kaap – Thank you.
- Sawasdee ka – Hello/Goodbye.
- Cheur gan my – See you again.
Wrapping up:
- Tow ry ka/kaap? – How much?
- Chick bin ka/kaap – The bill.
- Kit tang ka/kaap – The bill (slang).
- Tang mod tow ry ka/kaap – Altogether how much?
- Sai tung dai mai ka/kaap? – Can you put it in a bag for me?
- Mai sai tung ka/kaap – I don’t want a bag, thanks.
See here for more useful Thai phrases for travellers.
Nikki Scott | Founder & Editor
Nikki is the founding editor of South East Asia Backpacker and The Backpacker Network. In her early twenties, she left her home in the North of England on a solo backpacking adventure and never returned! After six months on the road, she founded a print magazine that became legendary on the Banana Pancake Trail. The rest is history.
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