Real world: menus, food stalls and prices

Thai menus look dense, but dish names are built from a small set of parts. Learn the parts and you can read most menus at a street stall or a food court.

Menu sections

• ข้าวkâao rice dishes · ก๋วยเตี๋ยวgǔay-dtǐaw noodle soups
• ต้มdtôm soups · แกงgaeng curries
• ผัดpàt stir-fried · ทอดtâwt deep-fried · ย่างyâang grilled
• ยำyam spicy salads
• เครื่องดื่มkrûeang-dùuem drinks · ของหวานkǎwng-wǎan desserts

How dish names work

The base or cooking method comes first and the meat last:

• ข้าวผัดกุ้งkâao-pàt gûng fried rice with prawns
• ผัดกะเพราหมูpàt-gà-prao mǔu stir-fried pork with holy basil
• ต้มยำกุ้งdtôm-yam-gûng tom yum with prawns

So you can point at a dish and choose the meat: หมูmǔu (pork), ไก่gài (chicken), กุ้งgûng (prawns) or ทะเลtá-lee (seafood).

Sizes, extras and prices

• ธรรมดาtam-má-daa regular · พิเศษpí-sèet large, with extra
• ใส่ไข่ดาวsài kài-daao add a fried egg, usually about 10 baht more
• 50 บาทbàat, ฿bàat50 and 50.- all mean the same price, read ห้าสิบบาทhâa-sìp bàat

Ordering words

At cafés and juice stands you'll tick or say หวานน้อยwǎan náwy (less sweet); at stalls, ไม่เผ็ดmâi pèt (not spicy) and กลับบ้านglàp bâan (to take away).

Look out for อาหารตามสั่งaa-hǎan dtaam sàng, made-to-order food: the cook will make almost any standard dish. And ขายดีkǎai-dii marks a best seller.

Typical mistake: reading ผัดpàt as "pad" with an English d. Thai finals are unreleased, and this one is a short, low t.