fbpx
Facebook
Email
WhatsApp

Extra polite Thai phrases used with a service staff

I am now Traveling in Phuket for 2 weeks and it’s been an amazing time here. The city started to feel more alive. I also enjoyed the beaches, hiking, coconut, and of course, the hotel I am staying in.

One thing I recognized is that the staffs are so well trained and polite. They speak such a nice and polite Thai here, even though it’s might be too polite to talk to friends. In this post, I would like to give you example sentences of extra polite Thai.

5 sentences politely used with the hotel staff and guests

Extra Polite Thai:

ด้วยความยินดี (dûay kwaam-yin-dii)

ด้วย (dûay) = together with 
ความยินดี (kwaam-yin-dii) = pleasure as a noun

Casual Thai:

ยินดี (yin-dii)

It’s a short version and it means something like “my pleasure!”. This is already nice enough. There is no need to be more polite than this when talking to friends. 

Extra Polite Thai:

ต้องอะไรเพิ่มเติมไหม (dtôrng-gaan à-rai pûeam-dtuem mǎi)  

ต้องการ (dtôrng-gaan) = to want (formal) 
อะไร (à-rai) = something, anything (in this case)
เพิ่มเติม (pûeam-dtuem) = on top, more, to add 

Casual Thai:

เอาอะไรอีกไหม (ao à-rai ìik mǎi)

เอา (ao) = to want (informal)
อีก (ìik) = more

Extra Polite Thai:

ขออนุญาต (kǒoh à-nú-yâad) + verb 

This phrase is really polite. It’s used when you want to ask for permission to do something. 

ขออนุญาตเข้าห้องน้ำ
(kǒoh à-nú-yâad kâo hôrng-náam)
= May I go to the toilet? May I use the toilet?

ขออนุญาตโอนสายไปห้องอาหาร
(kǒoh à-nú-yâad ohn-sǎai pai hôrng-aa-hǎan)
= May I transfer your line(call) to the dining room? 

Casual Thai:

ขอ (kǒoh) + verb

To speak in daily life, ขอ (kǒoh) is already enough to use as “I would like to or May I?”

ขอสั่งอาหาร
(kǒoh sàng aa-hǎan)
= I would like to order food. 

Join 5-day Easy Thai challenge

Get a series of short lessons via email to master basic Thai sentences. Best for beginners.

Extra Polite Thai:

ขอบพระคุณ (kòorb-prá-kun)

This phrase shows a lot of gratitude towards the receiver. Most of the time, it’s used by service staff or someone who is in the lower level (younger, lower position) with someone who is much higher is social rank. It’s also used in the formal written language as well. 

Casual Thai:

ขอบคุณ (kòorb-kun) 

This is the most commonly used phrase as “Thank you”. I can be used in any situations – not too formal and not too casual.

 ขอบใจ (kòorb-jai) 

If you’re talking to your friend, someone who is in the same or younger age, this is a friendly phrase.

Extra Polite Thai:

กรุณารอสักครู่ (gà-rú-naa roor sàk-krûu)

The key word for the politeness is the word กรุณา (gà-rú-naa) which means “please”. There is another formal word, the word โปรด (bpròhd). However these two words are not commonly used in daily conversation.  

รอ (roor) means to wait
สักครู่ (sàk-krûu) means “for a moment”

Casual Thai:

รอแป๊บนึงนะ (roor páep nueng ná)

แป๊บ (páep) is a very casual slang word means “moment”.
นึง (nueng) is a casual version of หนึ่ง (nùeng) or “one”.

You can also add the word “ช่วย (chûay)” in front of the sentence. It works as “please” but it’s more casual than “กรุณา (gà-rú-naa)”

Podcast lesson

Listen to this episode of “Learn Thai GluuayGluay Podcast” on Spotify or YouTube to learn this topic on the go with my full explanation and examples.

I hope you enjoy learning Thai with me. If you have any questions, feel free to write me at info@bananathaischool.com na ka.

Become fluent in speaking Thai with Intensive Thai course

Build a conversational foundation with fundamental vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure and practical phrases to converse daily Thai with ease and confidence.

● 45 online video lessons
● Downloadable textbook
● Downloadable exercise and solution
● Online flashcards
● Quizzes
● Certificate of course completion
● Personal support via emails

Starts from 1800 baht

Leave a Reply

Our Thai Group Class in April is Open! 🚀 Set your goal and become fluent in Thai in 2024

✔️ Small group (max 4 students)
✔️ Engaging learning experience
✔️ Professional native Thai teachers
✔️ Access to notes and recorded video lessons
✔️ Exclusive Line Community
✔️ Certificate of course completion

See Schedule

Cookie Consent

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized content and analyze our traffic. Find out how we use cookies.