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Thai grammar: the simple rules that make Thai work

Short, clear guides to the patterns that make Thai work, each with audio examples, the mistakes learners make and a free lesson to practise.

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Quick answer

Thai grammar is simpler than it looks. Verbs never change, there are no tenses, no plurals, no articles and no gendered nouns. Sentences follow subject + verb + object, as in English, but describing words come after the noun: บ้านใหญ่bâan yài is a big house. Little words around the verb show time (จะjà will, แล้วláew already), counting needs a classifier, and particles like ครับkráp at the end set the tone.

Thai grammar at a glance

Eight things to know before your first sentence. Tap the speaker to hear each example.

  1. Verbs never change

    No conjugation, no endings: ไปbpai is go, goes, went and gone. Who and when come from the context or a time word.

    เมื่อวาน mûea-waanเขา kǎoไป bpaiทะเล tá-lee

    Yesterday she went to the beach.

  2. No plurals, no articles

    แมวmaew is a cat, the cat or cats. A number with a counting word makes it precise when it matters.

    มี miiแมว maewสาม sǎamตัว dtua

    I have three cats.

  3. Describing words come after

    Adjectives, this and that, colours and owners follow the noun: กาแฟเย็นgaa-fae yen is iced coffee, ร้านนี้ráan níi this shop.

    ร้านอาหาร ráan-aa-hǎanไทย taiร้าน ráanนี้ níiอร่อย à-ràwy

    This Thai restaurant is good.

  4. Adjectives are verbs

    No is before an adjective: ร้อนมากráwn mâak is it's very hot. And ไม่mâi (not) goes in front, as with any verb.

    วันนี้ wan-níiร้อน ráwnมาก mâak

    It's very hot today.

  5. Questions keep the word order

    Put the question word where the answer goes, usually at the end, or add ไหมmǎi for a yes/no question.

    ห้องน้ำ hâwng-náamอยู่ yùuที่ไหน tîi-nǎiครับ kráp

    Where's the toilet?

    Men ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหนครับ Women ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหนคะ

  6. Counting needs a classifier

    Noun, number, counting word: เบียร์สองขวดbia sǎwng kùat is two bottles of beer. People take คนkon, animals ตัวdtua.

    ขอ kǎwเบียร์ biaสอง sǎwngขวด kùatครับ kráp

    Two beers, please.

    Men ขอเบียร์สองขวดครับ Women ขอเบียร์สองขวดค่ะ

  7. Pronouns are often dropped

    When it's clear who you mean, leave out I and you. When you do use them, men say ผมpǒm for I and women ฉันchǎn.

    หิว hǐuไหม mǎi

    Are you hungry?

  8. Particles set the tone

    Small words at the end add politeness and feeling: ครับkráp or ค่ะkâ to be polite, นะná to sound friendly.

    ขอบคุณ kàwp-kunมาก mâakครับ kráp

    Thank you very much.

    Men ขอบคุณมากครับ Women ขอบคุณมากค่ะ

The grammar guides

Each guide answers one question, with tables, audio examples, common mistakes and a free lesson.

Thai grammar: FAQ

Is Thai grammar hard?

Not compared with most European languages: no conjugation, no tenses, no plurals, no genders and no articles. The new things for English speakers are classifiers for counting, the order of describing words and the particles. What really takes time in Thai is the tones, which are pronunciation, not grammar: see Thai tones.

Does Thai have tenses?

No. Verbs never change. Thais show time with time words (เมื่อวานmûea-waan, yesterday) and small markers like จะjà (will), กำลังgam-lang (right now) and แล้วláew (already). See Thai tenses.

How do Thai verbs work?

A Thai verb has one form for every person and every time. Verbs can follow each other without to or and: อยากไปกินyàak bpai gin is want to go and eat. Adjectives work like verbs too, so they need no is.

Where do adjectives go in Thai?

After the noun: บ้านใหญ่bâan yài (a big house), กาแฟเย็นgaa-fae yen (iced coffee). Words for very and a little come after the adjective: เผ็ดมากpèt mâak, very spicy.

Where should I start with Thai grammar?

With word order, then questions and not: those let you build real sentences on day one. The free Thai course teaches one pattern per unit, with drills and audio, in the order you need them.