There are no shortcuts around this. ðĨš Building your vocabulary base is absolutely essential when it comes to learning a language. How else will you be able to learn to speak in Thai if you don’t have the vocabulary to express basic concepts such as your feelings, or describe simple activities? ð
Instead of blindly memorizing Thai vocabulary, I will share below a cheat code to memorize Thai vocab in a fast and easy way. Read on to find out more! ð
Structure of Thai Vocab
Most Thai words are formed by combining a root word with another word to create a new vocab word of a similar meaning. For example,
| Root Word | Another Word | Meaning of the Combined Word |
| Heart (Jai / āđāļ) | Enter (Khao / āđāļāđāļē) | Khao Jai (āđāļāđāļē + āđāļ) To enter one’s heart, i.e. to understand |
| Factory / A large room (Rong /āđāļĢāļ) | Study (Rian / āđāļĢāļĩāļĒāļ) | Rong Rian (āđāļĢāļ + āđāļĢāļĩāļĒāļ) A large room / factory for studying, i.e. a school |
| Person / Professional (Nak / āļāļąāļ) | Sports (Kiilaa / āļāļĩāļŽāļē) | Nak (āļāļąāļ + āļāļĩāļŽāļē) A professional sports person, i.e. an athlete |
Based on the above structure, knowing one root word will help you build your Thai vocabulary base easily by combining it with other related words to form new vocabulary words. Are you ready to see this in action? ð
Interested to learn the Thai Language? Here’s what you can explore!
Practice your Thai speaking skills and learn how to use Thai to express everyday small talk.
A serious Thai learner aiming to master Thai reading and writing? Start off by learning to text in Thai!
Go for regular Thai classes. Use your SkillsFuture credits to offset your Thai Language course fees!
How to Say the Different Rooms in Thai
Room in Thai is hong (āļŦāđāļāļ, falling tone). Similar to the concept above, combining the word hong with many other words will give you a whole easily-remembered Thai vocabulary list. ðĨģ
| Another Word | Meaning of the Combined Word |
| Sleep (Norn/āļāļāļ) | Hong Norn (āļŦāđāļāļ + āļāļāļ) Sleeping Room i.e. bedroom |
| Water (Narm/āļāđāļģ) | Hong Narm (āļŦāđāļāļ + āļāđāļģ) Water Room i.e. washroom/toilet |
| Book (Samut/āļŠāļĄāļļāļ) | Hong Samut (āļŦāđāļāļ + āļŠāļĄāļļāļ) Books Room i.e. library |
| Eat Food (Thaan Aharn/ āļāļēāļ + āļāļēāļŦāļēāļĢ) | Hong Thaan Aharn (āļŦāđāļāļ + āļāļēāļ + āļāļēāļŦāļēāļĢ) Eating Food Room i.e. dining room |
How to say Different Colours in Thai
Colour in Thai is sii (āļŠāļĩ, rising tone). As per the concept above on how Thai vocabulary is structured, combining the word sii with many related words will give you a the complete list of colours in Thai language. ðĨģ
| Another Word | Meaning of the Combined Word |
| Red (daeng/āđāļāļ) | Sii Daeng (āļŠāļĩ + āđāļāļ) = Red Colour |
| Orange (sorm) *also refers to the fruit orange | Sii Sorm (āļŠāļĩ + āļĄāđāļ§āļ) = Orange Colour |
| Yellow (leuang/āđāļŦāļĨāļ·āļāļ) | Sii Leuang (āļŠāļĩ + āđāļŦāļĨāļ·āļāļ) = Yellow Colour |
| Green (khiaw/āđāļāļĩāļĒāļ§) *fai / āđāļ = light *fai khiaw fai daeng / āđāļ + āđāļāļĩāļĒāļ§ + āđāļ + āđāļāļ = green light red light, i.e. traffic light | Sii Khiaw (āļŠāļĩ + āđāļāļĩāļĒāļ§) = Green Colour |
| Dark Blue (narm ngern/āļāđāļģāđāļāļīāļ) | Sii Narm Ngern (āļŠāļĩ + āļāđāļģāđāļāļīāļ) = Dark Blue Colour |
| Light Blue (faa /āļāđāļē) *also means sky | Sii Faa (āļŠāļĩ + āļāđāļē) = Light Blue Colour |
| Purple (muang/āļĄāđāļ§āļ) | Sii Muang (āļŠāļĩ + āļĄāđāļ§āļ) = Purple Colour |
| Pink (chompuu/āļāļĄāļāļđ) | Sii Chompuu (āļŠāļĩ + āļāļĄāļāļđ) = Pink Colour |
| Black (dam/āļāļģ) *jai / āđāļ = heart *jai dam / āđāļ + āļāļģ = black heart i.e. callous | Sii Dam (āļŠāļĩ + āļāļģ) = Black Colour |
| White (khaaw/āļāļēāļ§) | Sii Khaaw (āļŠāļĩ + āļāļēāļ§) = White Colour |
| Gold (thong/āļāļāļ) | Sii Thong (āļŠāļĩ + āļāļāļ) = Gold Colour |
| Silver (ngern/āđāļāļīāļ) *also means money | Sii Ngern (āļŠāļĩ + āđāļāļīāļ) = Silver Colour |
| Brown (narm taan/āļāđāļģāļāļēāļĨ) *also means sugar | Sii Narm Taan (āļŠāļĩ + āļāđāļģāļāļēāļĨ) = Brown Colour |
You can use this method to pick up Thai vocabulary easily from Thai dramas. Or guess the meaning when watching Thai dramas without subtitles.
Get help with learning to read, write and text in Thai today! ðĨ°
About the author – see the About page for more information
Joanne Tan is an aspiring polyglot and has so far mastered English, Chinese and Thai languages. She first started learning Thai in 2015 before staying in Bangkok for 5 months, and then continued studying Thai up to Advanced Levels at the National University of Singapore. In 2017, Joanne was awarded ‘Advanced Thai Proficiency’ by the Sirindhorn Thai Language Institute of Chulalongkorn University. Today, Joanne freelances as a beginner Thai teacher in Singapore and helps her Thai friends actively promote Thai culture.
