How to say “good night” in Thai

Fan dee: the good night Thais really use

ฝันfǎn means dream and ดีdii means good, so ฝันดีfǎn-dii is "good night" and "sweet dreams" in one. Parents say it to children, partners say it to each other, and friends send it as the last message of the day. It's for actual bedtime: when you leave the office at six, you say goodbye (ไปก่อนนะbpai gàwn ná), not good night.

Ratri sawat: the formal good night

ราตรีraa-dtrii is a literary word for night, from Sanskrit, joined to the same "well-being" root as สวัสดีsà-wàt-dii. ราตรีสวัสดิ์raa-dtrii-sà-wàt is what a TV presenter says at the end of the evening news or what's printed on a greeting card. Say it to a Thai friend at bedtime and they'll smile at how formal you sound.

Late-night messages

Night is prime LINE time. You'll see ฝันดีน้าfǎn-dii náa (stretched and cute), ฝันดีจ้าfǎn-dii jâa, and a goodnight sticker. Before that come the check-ins: นอนยังnawn yang ("are you asleep yet?"), ยังไม่นอนเหรอyang mâi nawn rǒe ("still up?") and ถึงบ้านแล้วtǔeng bâan láew ("home now"). Couples add ฝันดีนะที่รักfǎn-dii ná tîi-rák, "sweet dreams, darling", or the teasing ฝันถึงเค้านะfǎn tǔeng káo ná, "dream of me".

Pronunciation: dreams, not teeth

ฝันfǎn has a rising tone: start low and let it climb, as if asking "fun?". Say it flat and mid instead and you get ฟันfan, "teeth", so ฟันดีfan dii would be "good teeth". Thais will understand you from context, but it's a famous tone joke. ดีdii is long and level. In ราตรีสวัสดิ์raa-dtrii-sà-wàt the final letters are silent, so it ends on a clipped wàt.

Bedtime, Thai style

When you stay with a Thai family, your host may send you off to your room with พักผ่อนให้สบายนะpák-pàwn hâi sà-baai ná, "rest well"; answer ขอบคุณkàwp-kun and ฝันดีนะfǎn-dii ná. Parents and grandparents often send children to bed with a หอมhǎwm, the Thai sniff-kiss on the cheek, and ฝันดีนะลูกfǎn-dii ná lûuk, "sweet dreams, my child". And in the morning the first question is often หลับสบายไหมlàp sà-baai mǎi, "did you sleep well?"