The Thai alphabet for beginners
Thai script looks tricky, but it follows clear rules. Here's how it works, plus thirteen starter letters, each with the picture word Thai children use to learn it.
13 starter letters
| Letter | Name | Key word | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| ก | kɔɔ kài | ไก่ (chicken) | k (as in skin) |
| ข | khɔ̌ɔ khài | ไข่ (egg) | kh (as in kite) |
| ค | khɔɔ khwaai | ควาย (buffalo) | kh (as in kite) |
| ง | ngɔɔ nguu | งู (snake) | ng (as in sing) |
| จ | jɔɔ jaan | จาน (plate) | j (soft, like jam) |
| ด | dɔɔ dèk | เด็ก (child) | d |
| ต | tɔɔ tào | เต่า (turtle) | t (as in stop) |
| น | nɔɔ nǔu | หนู (mouse) | n |
| บ | bɔɔ bai-máai | ใบไม้ (leaf) | b |
| ป | pɔɔ plaa | ปลา (fish) | p (as in spin) |
| ม | mɔɔ máa | ม้า (horse) | m |
| ส | sɔ̌ɔ sʉ̌a | เสือ (tiger) | s |
| อ | ɔɔ àang | อ่าง (basin) | silent; holds a vowel |
How Thai script works
Thai has 44 consonant letters (two are no longer used) and more than 30 vowel forms. Vowels are written around the consonant: before it, after it, above it or below it, but they are always said after the consonant.
Thai is written from left to right with no spaces between words. Spaces show the end of a phrase or sentence instead.
Every letter has a name
Each consonant is named with a key word, just like “A for apple”. ก is called kɔɔ kài (often written “gor gai”), which means “k for chicken”. Thai children learn all 44 letters with these words, and so can you.
Five tones
Thai has five tones: mid, low, falling, high and rising. The same syllable can mean different things depending on its tone. The tone of a written syllable comes from three things: the consonant's class (middle, high or low), the type of syllable, and any of the four tone marks written above it.
You don't need the rules on day one. Listening and copying come first; the rules make sense once your ears know the sounds.
How to start reading
- Learn five or six letters at a time, with their key words.
- Start with the middle-class letters such as ก ด ต บ ป อ: their tone rules are the simplest.
- Read short words you already know, like ตา (taa, grandad) and มา (maa, come).
- Practise a little every day. Nong Chang's free Read Thai track takes you step by step.
Keep going with Nong Chang
These words come from our free Thai course for families: 6 levels of short lessons, audio for every word, speaking practice and a kids' mode.
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