#Thai food – BananaThai Language School

Discovering food in Thailand is an exciting way to dive into its lively culture and delicious cuisine. Whether visiting for a short trip or making Thailand your home, learning how to order food in Thai can be a fun and rewarding experience.

This guide makes it easy by sharing keywords and phrases, popular dishes, and simple tricks to personalize your order. You’ll feel more at home exploring Thailand’s famous flavors.

Ready to spice things up? Let’s start your journey into Thai dining!

The Word "Food" in Thai

The word for “food” in Thai is “อาหาร” (aa-hăan). It comes from Pali-Sanskrit origins, which refers to “sustenance or nourishment” (from Pali) and “food or intake” (from Sanskrit).

In Thai, the word “อาหาร – aa-hăan” is commonly used in formal speech, writing, and compound words. However, in everyday conversation, Thais often use other words like “ข้าว (kâao)”, which literally means “rice” but is often used to mean “a meal” in casual speech.

🍚 Examples for formal/ general use:

restaurant = ร้านอาหาร – ráan aa-hǎan

Thai food = อาหารไทย – aa-hǎan tai

healthy food = อาหารเพื่อสุขภาพ – aa-hǎan pêeua sùk-kà-pâab

🍚 Examples for casual speech:

Have you eaten yet? = กินข้าวหรือยัง – gin kâao rěeu-yang

Let’s find something to eat! = ไปหาอะไรกินกัน – bpai hǎa à-rai gin gan

How to Say "I Want..." in Thai

In Thai, the word “เอา – ao” is commonly used when ordering food because it is a concise and versatile way to express “I want” or “I’ll have.”

The Thai language often relies on context and short, direct expressions. This is why the word “เอา – ao” fits perfectly into this conversational style.

💡 Saying “เอา – ao” while pointing to a dish on the menu communicates clearly that you want that dish without needing extra words.

Let’s look at how to order the food in Thai:

Identify Your Dish: Study the menu and decide what dish you’d like. For example, if you’re a fan of curry, you might choose dishes with the word แกง (gaaeng) which means “curry”.
Formulate Your Order: Start by saying “เอา – ao” followed by the name of the dish.
For instance, if you want one bowl of green curry, you could say,
“ao gaaeng kǐiaw-wǎan”- เอาแกงเขียวหวาน This means, “I’d like one bowl of green curry.”
Specify Quantity: Add the required quantity right after the dish name, such as “หนึ่ง” (one) or “สอง” (two).
Normally, to tell the amount of any food, we have to put its container (unit words) right after the number as a unit of nouns, but you can drop it if you don’t know the word in Thai.
Politeness Counts: Always finish your order with “ครับ – kráp“ if you’re male or “ค่ะ – kâ“ if you’re female. This small addition makes your order polite and respectful.

For an example,
เอาผัดกะเพราหมูหนึ่งจานค่ะ (ao pàt ga-prao muu nèung jaan kâ)

= I want a dish of pork stir-fried basil.

📝 Sentence breakdown
– เอา ao = to want (word to casually order)
– ผัดกะเพราหมู pàt ga-prao muu = pork stir-fried basil
– หนึ่ง nèung = one (quantity)
– จาน jaan = plate (container or unit word)
– ค่ะ kâ = polite Thai ending

Ten Examples of Thai Dishes

Thai cuisine is renowned for its vibrant flavors and diverse dishes. Here are 10 popular Thai dishes that you might encounter—and order—with confidence:

Pat-thai (Pàt-tai - ผัดไทย)

A world-famous stir-fried noodle dish with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a plate of Pat-thai = ao Pàt-tai nèung jaan kráp / kâ – เอาผัดไทยหนึ่งจานครับ / ค่ะ

Dtôm-yam Gûng (Dtôm-yam Gûng - ต้มยำกุ้ง)

A spicy and sour shrimp soup packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and chili.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a bowl of Dtôm-yam Gûng = ao Dtôm-yam Gûng nèung chaam kráp / kâ – เอาต้มยำกุ้งหนึ่งชามครับ / ค่ะ

Sôm Dtam (Sôm Dtam - ส้มตำ)

A refreshing green papaya salad known for its crisp texture and zesty, spicy flavor.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a plate of Sôm Dtam = ao Sôm Dtam nèung jaan kráp / kâ – เอาส้มตำหนึ่งจานครับ / ค่ะ

Green Curry (Gaaeng Kǐiaw-Wǎan - แกงเขียวหวาน)

Also known as green curry, it is a creamy blend of coconut milk, green chili, fragrant herbs and meat.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a bowl of Gree Curry = ao Gaaeng Ki̬iaw-Wǎan nèung chaam kráp / kâ – เอาแกงเขียวหวานหนึ่งชามครับ / ค่ะ

Massaman Curry (Gaaeng Mát-Sà-Màn - แกงมัสมั่น)

A rich, aromatic curry with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg, usually made with chicken (gài) or beef (néeua).

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a bowl of Massaman = ao Gaaeng Mát-Sà-Màn nèung chaam kráp / kâ – เอาแกงมัสมั่นหนึ่งชามครับ / ค่ะ

Dtôm Kàa Gài (Dtôm Kàa Gài - ต้มข่าไก่)

A mild yet flavorful soup made with coconut milk, galangal, and tender pieces of chicken.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a bowl of Dtom Kaa Gai = ao Dtôm Kàa Gài nèung chaam kráp / kâ – เอาต้มข่าไก่หนึ่งชามครับ / ค่ะ

Thai Fried Rice (Kâao-Pàt - ข้าวผัด)

Thai fried rice that can be customized with various proteins and vegetables.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a plate of fried rice with shrimp = ao Kâao-Pàt Gûng nèung chaam kráp / kâ – เอาข้าวผัดกุ้งหนึ่งจานครับ / ค่ะ

Chicken Rice (Kâao Man Gài - ข้าวมันไก่)

A simple yet savory chicken and rice dish, often served with a flavorful dipping sauce.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a plate of Kaao-man Gai = ao Kâao Man Gài nèung jaan kráp / kâ – เอาข้าวมันไก่หนึ่งจานครับ / ค่ะ

Kâao Gà-prao Mǔu (Kâao Gà-prao Mǔu - ข้าวกะเพราหมู)

A popular savory and spicy Thai dish, it consists of stir-fried pork with holy basil (กะเพรา, Gà-prao), garlic, and chili. It is served over steamed rice (ข้าว, Kâao) and often has a fried egg on top. The meat can be customized to your preference.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a plate of Kâao Gà-prao Mǔu = ao Kâao Gà-prao Mǔu nèung jaan kráp / kâ – เอาข้าวกะเพราหมูหนึ่งจานครับ / ค่ะ

Kâao Soy (Kâao Soy - ข้าวซอย)

A northern Thai specialty featuring egg noodles in a creamy, spiced curry broth.

🗣️ Example Order:

I want a bowl of Kâao Soy = ao Kâao Soy nèung chaam kráp / kâ – เอาข้าวซอยหนึ่งชามครับ / ค่ะ

Common Words for Ingredients in Thai

Let’s learn basic words for common ingredients so you can order food with particular protein and customize your dishes effectively.

Thai Word	Transliteration	English Translation
หมู	Mǔu	Pork
ไก่	Gài	Chicken
เนื้อ	Néeua	Beef
ปลา	Bplaa	Fish
กุ้ง	Gûng	Shrimp
หมึก	Mèuk	Squid
เต้าหู้	Tâo-hûu	Tofu
ไข่	Khài	Egg
ข้าว	Khâao	Rice
ก๋วยเตี๋ยว	Gùai-dtǐao	Noodles
น้ำปลา	Nám-bplaa	Fish sauce
น้ำตาล	Nám-dtaan	Sugar
พริก	Prík	Chili
กระเทียม	Grà-thiam	Garlic
ซีอิ๊ว	Sii-íw	Soy sauce
ซอสหอยนางรม	Sót hǒi naang rom	Oyster sauce
เกลือ	Gluuea	Salt
ผงชูรส	Phǒng chuu-rót	MSG (flavor enhancer)

How to Customize Your Dish with "sài / mâi sài" (ใส่ / ไม่ใส่)

Thai cuisine is famous for its rich, customizable flavors. One of the easiest ways to tailor your meal is by using the simple commands “ใส่ – sài” (to include) and “ไม่ใส่ – mâi sài” (to exclude).

When you customize your dish using “ใส่ sài (put)/ ไม่ใส่ mâi sài (don’t put)”, you control exactly what goes into your meal, ensuring it perfectly matches your taste preferences and dietary needs.

Here are some ideas to enhance your Thai dining experience by using “ใส่ sài/ ไม่ใส่ mâi sài”:

✅ Add Ingrediens: Use “ใส่ – sài” to add extra ingredients like chili (= sài prík), garlic (= sài grà-tiiam), or basil (= sài gà-prao) for a bolder taste that brings out the dish’s essence.
❌ Customize for Your Diet: Opt for “ไม่ใส่ – mâi sài” to remove ingredients such as peanuts (= mâi sài tùua), seafood (= mâi sài aa-hǎan tá-lee), or onions (= mâi sài hǎawm) if you have allergies or simply prefer a cleaner flavor profile.

With this simple order, you unlock the potential of Thai cuisine and create an interactive and satisfying dining experience.

Summary

Ordering Thai food doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

1). Start with simple phrases like “Ao…” (เอา = I want…) followed by the name of the dish and the number you want (nèung for 1 or sǎawng for

2). You can use the keywords like sài (ใส่ = include..) and mâi sài (ไม่ใส่ = don’t add/ exclude…) to customize your meal. Try out different dishes and don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors!

Thailand’s street food culture is one of the best in the world, and knowing how to order will make your experience even more enjoyable. You may want to check out the following to learn more about Thai food:

🎞️ YouTube

🥘 Comprehensible Thai: Thai Fast Food อาหารตามสั่ง (Beginner)

🍜 Learn Thai to order noodles like a boss

If you want to learn more Thai phrases and practice real-life conversations, check out Banana Thai’s online courses for a fun and engaging way to improve your Thai skills.

Now you’re ready to order your favorite Thai dish with confidence. Enjoy your meal! or Taan hâi à-ròi ná! (ทานให้อร่อยนะ!)

Table of Contents

The Word "Food" in Thai

How to Say "I Want..." in Thai