The wai is far more important if you want to show respect. This phrase literally means, “Thank you.” You’ll hear it often, but it isn’t really required if you want to be seen as polite. Bargaining is expected at most market settings, so you can type in a counter offer and show it to the vendor. Most vendors have calculators, and will punch the price in and show it to you. This question can be useful if you’re off the beaten path and need to buy something, as “Nee tao rai?” means “How much is it?”ĭon’t worry if you don’t know your numbers in Thai yet. The phrase means “It’s nothing” or “Never mind.” Perhaps a more apt translation is something along the lines of the Australian saying, “No worries.” Thai people are generally very easy-going, and “Mai bpen rai” is a saying that reminds people to go with the flow, no matter what’s happening. This is a very commonly used phrase – in fact, once you’re tuned in and listening to the language, you’ll hear “mai bpen rai” almost as much as “sawatdee.” However, you will probably get a few chuckles if you’re a man and end a phrase with “…kah.” 3. Most people will not even bother to correct you. If you forget the “kah/krup,” don’t worry. Simply remove the question word “Mai.” So if the waitress at a restaurant says to you, “Sabai dee mai kah,” you can respond with “Sabai dee kah/krup,” which means “I’m fine.” This is a phrase that is used to ask “How are you?” In casual situations, it can be a greeting similar to “What’s up?” The response is easy. Men use “krup” and women use ”kah.” So a man would say “Sawatdee krup,” and a woman would say “Sawatdee kah.” 2. SABAI DEE MAI? The other thing to know about greetings – and about the Thai language in general – is that men and women end their phrases differently. If you want to show more respect, you can lift your wai up so that it is level with your forehead. To do a wai, you simply press your hands together in a “praying” gesture. First of all, greetings are usually accompanied by a gesture called a wai. This is a very common phrase that means “Hello.” There are a couple of important things to know about it, however. If you can master these, you can go a long way towards effectively communicating with Thai people in their language. Nine times out of ten, a conversation will start with one of the following phrases. Learning a language is typically a long-term undertaking, but you can get started with the commonly-used basics right away. That said, learning a little bit of the Thai language will make your life easier – not to mention earn you the appreciation of the local people, who generally respond positively when any foreign visitors tries to speak their tongue. Koh Samui, like most major tourist destinations in Thailand, has a high percentage of people who speak at least basic conversational English, making it possible to get around the island quite easily without having to rely on a phrasebook.
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