Learn enough Thai for your trip in two weeks
A day-by-day plan. Ten to fifteen minutes a day, one small set of phrases each day, said out loud until they come without thinking.
The short answer: two weeks is enough to arrive polite and able to handle the everyday moments: hello and thank you, numbers and prices, a taxi, a plate of food, a market stall. You won't be chatting. You will be understood more often than you expect, and people will warm to you for trying. The plan below gives you one job a day. Each day follows a lesson in the Thailand Survival Pack, so you hear every phrase in Thai before you say it.
How to use this plan
Every day has the same three steps, and none of them is reading quietly.
- Hear it, then say it out loud. Open the day's Survival Pack lesson and repeat each phrase straight after the audio. Reading Thai in your head doesn't prepare your mouth for a taxi.
- Check the tones on one or two words. The free Pronunciation Lab draws your pitch against a native reference and scores how close it is. It runs in your browser, no signup.
- Use yesterday's phrases again today. Say them while you make coffee. The point is that they come out without thinking when someone is waiting.
The Survival Pack is 15 short spoken lessons. No Thai script is needed, and the first 4 are free. The rest open with membership, monthly or yearly, which has a 7-day free trial when you start it inside the app. Each day below names the lesson to open.
Week one: the words you can't do without
Day 1: Hello, thanks & being polite
Learn hello and thank you, and pick your polite ending. Men end sentences with ครับ khráp, women with ค่ะ khâ. It depends on who is speaking, not who you're speaking to. The khráp and khâ guide has the detail.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| สวัสดีครับ | sà-wàt-dii khráp | hello (man speaking) |
| สวัสดีค่ะ | sà-wàt-dii khâ | hello (woman speaking) |
| ขอบคุณครับ | khòp-khun khráp | thank you (man speaking) |
| ขอบคุณค่ะ | khòp-khun khâ | thank you (woman speaking) |
| ไม่เป็นไร | mâi bpen rai | no worries |
Day 2: Yes, no, and "a little Thai"
Yes, no, can and can't, plus the sentence that sets expectations and earns patience.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ใช่ | châi | yes |
| ไม่ใช่ | mâi châi | no |
| ได้ | dâai | can |
| ไม่ได้ | mâi dâai | cannot |
| ผมพูดภาษาไทยได้นิดหน่อย | phǒm phûut phaa-sǎa thai dâai nít-nòi | I can speak a little Thai (man speaking) |
Day 3: Excuse me, and asking for help
Today's phrases rescue the other days. Say ไม่เข้าใจ mâi khâo-jai early and cheerfully rather than nodding along.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอโทษนะครับ | khǒr-thôot ná khráp | excuse me (man speaking) |
| ขอถามหน่อย | khǒr thǎam nòi | may I ask something |
| ไม่เข้าใจ | mâi khâo-jai | I don't understand |
| พูดช้าๆหน่อย | phûut cháa-cháa nòi | please speak a bit slowly |
| ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน | hông-nám yùu thîi-nǎi | where's the bathroom |
There's a full page on asking where the toilet is and another on excuse me.
Day 4: Numbers & money (baht)
Start with how much, the word for baht, and a few numbers. The lesson walks you through counting; here are the ones to get into your mouth first.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| เท่าไหร่ | thâo-rài | how much |
| บาท | bàat | baht |
| สอง | sǒng | two |
| สี่ | sìi | four |
| แปด | bpàet | eight |
| เก้า | kâo | nine |
| สิบบาท | sìp bàat | ten baht |
More on how to say how much, including the tones.
Day 5: Numbers and paying without stress
Hearing a price is harder than saying one. Today, listen to the lesson's prices with your eyes closed and say the number back. Then learn the lines you'll use at a till.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| สองร้อยบาทค่ะ | sǒng rói bàat khâ | two hundred baht |
| ที่นี่รับบัตรไหมครับ | thîi-nîi ráp bàt mǎi khráp | do you take cards here? |
| จ่ายที่ไหน | jàai thîi-nǎi | where do I pay |
| ทอนสิบบาทครับ | thon sìp bàat khráp | ten baht change |
Day 6: Taxis, Grab & Bolt
Four phrases get you almost anywhere, with a map on your phone to point at.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ไปที่นี่ | bpai thîi-nîi | go here |
| ขอมิเตอร์ครับ | khǒr mí-dtêr khráp | meter, please (man speaking) |
| ตรงไป | dtrong bpai | go straight |
| จอดที่นี่ | jòt thîi-nîi | stop here |
The whole journey, from the airport rank to the back seat, is in Thai for the airport, taxis and Grab.
Day 7: Buses, boats, trains & 12Go, plus a review
Learn how to ask for a ticket, then open Taxis, Grab and getting around as a review of yesterday. Finish by saying every phrase from Days 1 to 6 once, from memory. Anything that stalls goes back on tomorrow's list.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอตั๋วไป-กลับสองใบครับ | khǒr dtǔa bpai-klàp sǒng bai khráp | two return tickets, please |
| รถไฟออกเที่ยงครับ | rót-fai òk thîang khráp | the train leaves at midday |
| กี่โมง | kìi-mong | what time |
Week two: food, markets and manners
Day 8: 7-Eleven & convenience stores
Low pressure, and a good place to try Thai on a real person. The cashier will usually say something you don't catch; a smile and your polite ending are a fine answer.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอน้ำ | khǒr nám | water, please |
| น้ำสิบบาทครับ | nám sìp bàat khráp | water is ten baht |
| สแกนคิวอาร์โค้ดค่ะ | sà-kaen khiw-aa-khôot khâ | scan the QR code (what the cashier may say) |
Day 9: Coffee & ordering food
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอกาแฟร้อนครับ | khǒr kaa-fae rón khráp | a hot coffee, please |
| ขอเมนูหน่อยค่ะ | khǒr mee-nuu nòi khâ | can I have the menu, please? |
| เอาข้าวผัดไก่หนึ่งจานครับ | ao khâaw phàt kài nèung jaan khráp | one chicken fried rice, please |
| ไม่เผ็ด | mâi phèt | not spicy |
Day 10: Ordering food and water
Add the small requests that make a meal go your way, then the compliment that makes the cook's day.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| เผ็ดน้อยๆนะครับ | phèt nói-nói ná khráp | just a little spicy, please |
| ขอข้าวเพิ่มครับ | khǒr khâaw phêrm khráp | more rice, please |
| เอากลับบ้านครับ | ao klàp bâan khráp | to take away, please |
| อร่อยมาก | à-ròi mâak | very tasty |
The stall-by-stall version is in ordering street food in Thai.
Day 11: The bill & paying
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| เช็คบิล | chék bin | the bill |
| จ่ายบิลหน่อยครับ | jàai bin nòi khráp | pay the bill, please |
| อร่อยเลย | à-ròi loey | really tasty |
See also how to ask for the bill.
Day 12: Markets & bargaining
The words are easy. The tone of voice matters more: light, smiling, never pushy.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอดูหน่อย | khǒr duu nòi | may I have a look |
| แพงไป | phaeng bpai | too expensive |
| ลดได้ไหม | lót dâai mǎi | can you lower it? |
| อันไหนถูกที่สุดครับ | an-nǎi thùuk thîi-sùt khráp | which one is the cheapest? |
How it plays out, and when not to bargain at all, is in bargaining at Thai markets.
Day 13: Staying safe in Bangkok, and etiquette & travel tips
Two short lessons today. The safety phrases you hope not to need, and the manners you'll use every day: shoes off where asked, modest dress at temples, a small bow of the head.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ช่วยด้วย | chûay-dûay | help! |
| ตำรวจท่องเที่ยว | dtam-rùat thông-thîaw | tourist police |
| ผมหลงครับ | phǒm lǒng khráp | I'm lost (man speaking) |
| กรุณาถอดรองเท้า | kà-rú-naa thòt rong-tháo | please take off your shoes (a sign you'll see) |
| แต่งกายสุภาพ | dtàeng-kaai sù-phâap | dress modestly |
Day 14: Say all of it
No new phrases. Go through the whole list out loud from memory, in order of the trip: airport, taxi, hotel, shop, food, market, temple. Put the two or three words that still feel wobbly through the Pronunciation Lab. Then stop. You're ready enough, and the rest happens in Thailand.
One tone contrast to get right this fortnight
Tone is part of the word, so a wrong tone can be a different word. These three sound almost identical to an English ear and you'll use all of them.
mài · new
low
mâi · not
falling
mǎi · question word
rising
Thai people are generous listeners and context rescues you often, but not every time. The Thai tones guide explains all five, and the pronunciation guide covers the sounds English doesn't have.
Questions travellers ask
Can you really learn useful Thai in two weeks?
Enough to be polite and handle everyday moments, yes. You won't hold a conversation, but greetings, numbers, taxis, ordering food and a market stall are all within reach at 10 to 15 minutes a day, if you say the phrases out loud rather than reading them.
How many minutes a day do I need?
Ten to fifteen. One short Survival Pack lesson, said back out loud, plus a quick tone check on a word or two. Doing it daily matters more than doing it for longer.
Do I need to learn Thai script for a holiday?
No. The Thailand Survival Pack is spoken only, with romanised Thai and the tone marked on every syllable, so you never have to read Thai script.
Which Survival Pack lessons are free?
The first 4 of the 15 lessons are free, no card needed, on iPhone, Android and the web. The rest open with membership, monthly or yearly, which starts with a 7-day free trial when you begin it inside the app.
Is Thai on Duolingo?
No. Duolingo has no Thai course, which is one reason travellers end up looking for a short spoken plan like this one.
More for your trip
Essential Thai phrases for travellers · Airport, taxis and Grab · Ordering street food · Bargaining at markets · Your first 48 hours in Bangkok
Fourteen days, then Thailand
Thailand Survival Pack: 15 lessons, spoken only, Thai audio on every phrase. The first 4 are free.
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