A1 Foundations
Basics
Everything you need before your first conversation.
The Thai script
How to approach the script
Thai script is an abugida, not an alphabet.
Consonants
Click any character to hear it.
Vowels
Short and long pairs.
Tone marks
Written above consonants.
Learning tip
Learn 5 consonants a day with the flashcard module.
The five tones
Master this early and everything else clicks.
One sound, five meanings
The classic example.
How to practice
Hum the pitch first, then add the syllable.
How tone is determined
Tone comes from three factors.
Essential phrases
Politeness particles
Add ครับ or ค่ะ at the end.
Greetings & courtesy
Numbers 0–10
Hearing the words is essential.
High-frequency phrases
Thai Grammar Essentials
One of the simplest grammars on Earth.
No conjugation
Verbs never change form.
Word order
Subject – Verb – Object.
Example
ผม กิน ข้าว
phǒm gin khâao
I (phǒm) · eat (gin) · rice (khâao)
SUBJECT ·
VERB ·
OBJECT
Asking questions
Classifiers
When counting, Thai requires a classifier word.
Example
หนังสือ สาม เล่ม
nǎng-sʉ̌ʉ · sǎam · lêm
book · three · [classifier for flat items]