How to say “hello” in Thai

Where sawasdee comes from

สวัสดีsà-wàt-dii is younger than most visitors think. It was coined in the 1930s by Phraya Upakit Silapasan, a scholar at Chulalongkorn University, from the Sanskrit svasti, "well-being, good fortune", and the government promoted it as the national greeting in the early 1940s. So every time you say it, you're wishing someone well.

Krap or ka, and why it's "sawadee"

Men add ครับkráp and women add ค่ะkâ, whoever they're talking to. Sawadika (or sawasdee ka) is simply สวัสดีค่ะsà-wàt-dii kâ run together: the women's form. Plenty of male visitors pick it up from hotel staff and say it all trip; Thais smile, but men should say สวัสดีครับsà-wàt-dii kráp.

The spelling explains the different romanizations. The middle syllable is written with a final s, but Thai pronounces that letter at the end of a syllable as a short, unreleased t: wàt. In fast speech the t almost disappears, so you hear something close to "sa-wa-dee". Sawasdee follows the letters; sawatdee and sawadee follow the sound.

How to pronounce it

Three syllables: sà (low and short), wàt (low and short, the t cut off), then dii (long and level, mid tone). Keep the first two low and flat, then a calm, even "dee". The classic English-speaker mistake is to stress the middle, "sa-WAS-dee", and lift the end so it sounds like a question. Thai has no stress like that: say it evenly and let the particle carry the friendliness.

The wai

Press your palms together at chest height, fingers pointing up, and bow your head slightly as you say สวัสดีsà-wàt-dii. The higher the hands and the deeper the bow, the more respect: fingertips around the chin suit most adults, and around the nose for elders, monks and your partner's parents. The younger person usually wais first.

When an adult wais you, return it. When children or service staff wai you, a smile and a nod is enough, and you don't need to wai them first. With your hands full, a smile and a small bow of the head does the job. Our culture page on the wai covers the details.

How Thais really say hello

With people they see every day, Thais often skip สวัสดีsà-wàt-dii altogether. Neighbours ask ไปไหนมาbpai nǎi maa ("where have you been?"), aunties ask กินข้าวหรือยังgin kâao rǔue yang ("have you eaten yet?"), and friends just call out each other's nickname. Staff greet you as you walk into a shop; at 7-Eleven you'll hear สวัสดีค่ะsà-wàt-dii kâ and a welcome line, and a smile is all anyone expects back. On the phone it's ฮัลโหลhan-lǒo.

Regional hellos are part of the fun. In Chiang Mai you'll hear women say สวัสดีเจ้าsà-wàt-dii jâo, and in Isan, สบายดีบ่sà-baai dii bàw ("are you well?") often takes the place of hello.