Learn Thai in 2 Weeks:
Your Pre-Trip Language Prep
5-7 phrases per day. 10 minutes of practice. By day 14, you will have enough Thai to order food, take taxis, shop at markets, and handle basic emergencies.
Foundation: Greetings, Numbers, Food, Transport
This week builds your foundation. By day 7, you will know how to greet people, ask prices, order food, and direct a taxi. These phrases cover 80% of daily interactions.
Greetings & Politeness
The phrases you will use dozens of times every day. Start here.
Basic Responses
How to respond when people speak to you, even if you do not understand.
Numbers 1-10
Numbers are used constantly for prices, times, and counting. Master 1-10 first.
Money & Prices
Asking prices, understanding answers, and basic bargaining vocabulary.
Food Ordering Basics
Order food at restaurants and street stalls. Thai food is half the trip.
Dietary Needs
Tell people what you cannot or do not want to eat.
Transportation
Getting around by taxi, tuk-tuk, or showing directions.
Practical Application: Shopping, Hotels, Emergencies
Week 2 expands your abilities for real situations. Navigate markets, handle hotel stays, and know what to say if something goes wrong.
Shopping & Markets
Navigate Thai markets and shops with confidence.
Market Interactions
More phrases for the back-and-forth of Thai market shopping.
Hotels & Accommodation
Check in, ask about your room, and request what you need.
Hotel Requests
Ask for things you need during your stay.
Emergency Phrases
Phrases you hope not to need, but should know just in case.
More Health & Safety
Additional phrases for health situations and describing problems.
Review & Practice
Key phrases to cement your learning. Mix and match these daily.
Pronunciation Quick Tips
Thai is a tonal language with 5 tones. Getting close is often enough for communication.
The Polite Particles
Add kráp (if you are male) or kâ (if you are female) to the end of sentences. It makes everything more polite and Thais will appreciate the effort.
Tone Marks in This Guide
We use accent marks to indicate tones: à = low, â = falling, á = high, ǎ = rising. No mark = mid tone. Learn more about tones.
Do Not Worry About Perfection
Thais are incredibly forgiving of imperfect pronunciation. Making an effort to speak Thai, even badly, almost always gets a warm response. Just try.
Keep Going
Finished the 2-week plan? Here is where to go next.
Real Situations
Deep-dive into specific scenarios: restaurants, markets, taxis, massages, and emergencies with full phrase lists.
Master the 5 Tones
Understand how Thai tones work and avoid the most common pronunciation mistakes learners make.
Practice with Jam Kham
Use spaced repetition to memorize these phrases permanently. The app reminds you to review just before you forget.
Common Questions
How much time do I need each day?
Plan for 10-15 minutes. Learn the new phrases (5 minutes), then review the previous days (5-10 minutes). Short daily sessions beat long occasional cramming.
What if I only have 1 week before my trip?
Focus on Week 1 only. Days 1, 4, 5, and 7 are the most critical: greetings, prices, food, and transport. You can skip the rest and still get by.
Should I learn Thai script too?
Not necessary for a short trip. Focus on pronunciation using the romanization. Thai script is included here so you can show words to locals if pronunciation fails.
What if Thais switch to English?
Common in tourist areas. Just smile and continue in Thai if you want to practice. Most Thais appreciate the effort and will slow down to help you.
Ready to Get Travel-Ready?
This guide gives you the phrases. Jam Kham helps you remember them when it matters.
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