How to say “goodbye” in Thai

Why not laa gon?

Most phrasebooks give ลาก่อนlaa-gàwn for goodbye. It's a real word, from ลาlaa (to take leave) and ก่อนgàwn (first, before), but it carries weight: you hear it in breakup songs, in dramas when someone leaves for good, and at final farewells. Say it to the 7-Eleven cashier and it sounds like you're emigrating. Keep it for the end of a long chapter, and use the phrases below for everyday goodbyes.

What Thais say when they leave

• ไปก่อนนะbpai gàwn ná, "I'm going first": the standard way to leave friends, colleagues or a shop where you've been chatting. Add ครับkráp or คะká with people you don't know well.
• สวัสดีsà-wàt-dii with a wai: for elders, teachers, your host, and the end of a formal meeting.
• ขอตัวก่อนนะkǎw dtua gàwn ná: the polite way to excuse yourself early from a dinner or party.
• บ๊ายบายbáai-baai or บายbaai: casual and very common, with a wave.
• On the phone: แค่นี้นะkâe níi ná ("that's all, then"), followed by บายbaai or สวัสดีsà-wàt-dii.

See you later and take care

แล้วเจอกันláew joe gan is "see you later". Add a time to make a plan: เจอกันพรุ่งนี้joe gan prûng-níi (see you tomorrow), เจอกันตอนเย็นjoe gan dtawn-yen (see you this evening). For "take care", say ดูแลตัวเองนะduu-lae dtua-eeng ná to someone who is ill or going far. When a friend sets off on a trip or starts a new job, the send-off is โชคดีนะchôok-dii ná, literally "good luck".

Thai goodbyes are full of care. Hosts walk guests to the gate or the car, tell the driver ขับรถดีๆนะkàp rót dii-dii ná (drive carefully) and ask everyone to message when they get home. Grandparents may bless a traveller with ไปดีมาดีนะbpai dii maa dii ná, "go well, come back well".

How to pronounce it

• ก่อนgàwn: low tone. Thai's g sits between English g and k, with no puff of air, and the vowel is the "aw" in "law". Spellings like gon and korn both try to show this.
• นะná: short and high. For women, นะคะná ká is two quick high syllables.
• เจอjoe: like "jer" in a British accent, with no r. That's the jer in spellings like laew jer gan.
• แล้วláew: high tone, the "a" of "cat" gliding into a w.

Regional and texting goodbyes

In Isan you'll hear ไปก่อนเด้อbpai gàwn dôe, with the friendly Isan particle เด้อdôe. In chats, friends sign off with ไปละนะbpai lá ná ("off now"), บายbaai or, late at night, ฝันดีfǎn-dii, "sweet dreams".