สวัสดี
sà-wàt-dii/sa˨˩.wat̚˨˩.diː˧/
สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii) is the Thai word for greetings.
สวัสดี is the most common way to greet someone in Thai and can be used at any time of the day to mean both hello and goodbye. สวัสดี is a common way of saying hi or hello among friends and peers.
Meaning: formal way of saying "hello" (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Thailand, the greeting Sawasdee Jao is common.
How does it change in a sentence?
Male speakers add the particle ครับ (khrap) to the end of a phrase to conclude a sentence politely. Female speakers add the particle ค่ะ (kha) to the end of a phrase to conclude a sentence politely.
How do you pronounce it?
sà-wàt-dii (IPA: /sa˨˩.wat̚˨˩.diː˧/)
Did you know?
- The phrase สวัสดี was not used as a general greeting until the 1930s, when it was officially introduced by the Thai government to modernize the language.
- While สวัสดี is the standard greeting, Thai people often greet friends by asking กินข้าวหรือยัง which means 'have you eaten yet?'
- The word สวัสดี is actually a wish for your well-being rather than a simple 'hello'. It is derived from an ancient Sanskrit term meaning 'good fortune' or 'success'.
Examples in context
- สวัสดีค่ะ ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักค่ะsawatdee kha yin dee thee dai roo jak khaHello, nice to meet you.
- สวัสดีครับ คุณครูsawatdee krap khun kruHello, teacher.
- สวัสดีตอนเช้าครับทุกคนsawatdee torn chao krap took khonGood morning, everyone.
Example conversation
A formal business meeting in a bright office.
- พิมล Pimonสวัสดีค่ะ คุณธีรภัทรsawatdee kha khun theeraphatHello, Mr. Theeraphat.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatสวัสดีครับ คุณพิมลsawatdee krap khun pimolHello, Ms. Pimol.
- พิมล Pimonเชิญนั่งก่อนค่ะchern nang korn khaPlease, have a seat.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatขอบคุณครับkhob khun krapThank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry สวัสดี, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries สวัสดี, CC BY-SA 4.0.
