Wear in Thai

“Wear” in Thai is ใส่sài; you'll also hear สวมsǔam (formal).

ใส่ sài

to wear, to put on (clothes, shoes, glasses); to put in verb

sài low

Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.

ไม่ใส่mâi sài + an ingredient means 'without it': ไม่ใส่ผักmâi sài pàk (no vegetables).

สวม sǔam

to wear, to put on (formal, written) verb

sǔam rising

Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”

Taught in Unit 5 · Lesson 2: Ordering of the free course.

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How to use it

ใส่sài is the everyday word for wearing anything: clothes, shoes, glasses, a helmet, even perfume. It's the same word as "put in", so you put on a shirt the way you put sugar in coffee. Taking things off is ถอดtàwt, and signs and formal Thai use สวมsǔam.

Temples ask for clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and shoes come off before you go into a temple building or someone's home.

More verbs in Thai

All verbs

เป็น bpen Be
to be (a nationality, a job, a role)
มี mii Have
to have
ไป bpai Go
to go
มา maa Come
to come
กิน gin Eat
to eat
ดื่ม dùuem Drink
to drink

Learn this word in Unit 5, free

Unit 5 · Street food · Ordering. Short lessons with audio for every word, speaking practice and spaced review. No sign-up needed.

Practise it free (2 min) See Unit 5

Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones