In the Restaurant & Dining
Ordering food is one of the most important language situations in Thailand — and Thai restaurant operators are used to communicating with gestures and pointing.
| German | Thai (Phonetic) | Thai Script |
|---|---|---|
| I would like to order | sàng aa-hǎan kráp/kâ | สั่งอาหารครับ/ค่ะ |
| This please / I would like... | ao ... kráp/kâ | เอา...ครับ/ค่ะ |
| Rice | kâao | ข้าว |
| Fried rice | kâao pàt | ข้าวผัด |
| Noodles (soup) | gǔay-dtǐaw | ก๋วยเตี๋ยว |
| Chicken | gài | ไก่ |
| Pork | mǔu | หมู |
| Beef | nǔea | เนื้อ |
| Shrimp | gûng | กุ้ง |
| Water | náam | น้ำ |
| Beer | biia | เบียร์ |
| Not spicy | mâi pèt | ไม่เผ็ด |
| A little spicy | pèt nít-nòi | เผ็ดนิดหน่อย |
| Very delicious! | a-ròi mâak! | อร่อยมาก! |
| The bill please | chék bin kráp/kâ | เช็คบิลครับ/ค่ะ |
| Without fish sauce | mâi sài nám-bplaa | ไม่ใส่น้ำปลา |
| I eat vegetarian | gin jeh | กินเจ |
| Without MSG | mâi sài pǒng-chuu-rót | ไม่ใส่ผงชูรส |
💡 Tipp
The magic phrase: "Aroi maak!" (very delicious!) — say this to the cook or street food vendor, and you'll have a friend for life. Thais are extremely proud of their food, and an honest compliment is rewarded with a beaming smile.