How to say excuse me in Thai

The tone on every syllable

Thai has five tones, and each syllable carries one. Here's the shape your voice makes on each part of ขอโทษครับ. The dotted line is your normal speaking pitch.

Other ways to say it

ขอโทษค่ะ	khǒr-thôot khâ excuse me / sorry (woman speaking)	▶
ขอโทษ	khǒr-thôot the bare word, without the polite ending	▶

Getting it right

• khǒr is rising: start low, dip slightly, then climb, like asking “hm?”
• thôot is falling: start high and drop.
• Men end with khráp (high). Women end with khâ (falling).

When to use it

• Getting someone's attention in a shop or restaurant, before you ask a question.
• Saying sorry when you bump into someone or make a small mistake.
• The same word does both jobs, so the situation tells people which one you mean.

Check your tones

Reading the tone is one thing; saying it is another. In Ravela's Pronunciation Lab you say ขอโทษครับ and see your pitch drawn over a native line, with notes on what to change. It's free to start, no card needed.

Practise ขอโทษครับ free Try the no-signup tone test

Questions people ask

Is excuse me the same as sorry in Thai?

Yes. ขอโทษ (khǒr-thôot) covers both: getting someone's attention and apologising.

What tones are in ขอโทษครับ?

Rising, falling, then high on ครับ. A woman says ค่ะ (khâ) instead, which is falling.

More Thai phrases

hello · thank you · sorry / excuse me · how are you? · delicious · how much? · beautiful · yes / no · where's the toilet? · I love you · good night · what's your name? · I don't understand · where are you from? · khráp and khâ · the bill, please

The audio is Ravela's reference voice. Romanisation follows Ravela's house style, with the tone marked on every syllable.