สวัสดีครับ
sawatdee khrap
The English phrase "hello as a man" is translated into Thai as สวัสดีครับ (sawatdee khrap).
สวัสดีครับ is the most common and all-purpose way for a male speaker to say hello. In more casual or concise settings, you may also use the shorter version ดีครับ.
Which one should you use?
While สวัสดีครับ is the standard all-purpose greeting, ดีครับ serves as a shorter and more concise polite way to say hello. Additionally, in informal settings, the polite particle can be dropped entirely to say สวัสดี.
How do you pronounce it?
sawatdee khrap
When do people say it?
When saying สวัสดีครับ, it is customary to perform a gesture called a wai by putting your palms together and slightly bowing your head.
Did you know?
- While สวัสดี is now the standard greeting, it was actually coined in 1935 by a professor and officially adopted by the government in 1941 to modernize the language.
- When performing the wai gesture during your greeting, the height of your hands relative to your face signals the level of respect you intend to show the other person.
- If you are a man speaking to a woman, you use ครับ (khrap), but if you are a woman speaking to anyone, you must use a different particle, ค่ะ (kha).
Examples in context
- สวัสดีครับsawatdi khrapHello.
- สวัสดีครับคุณครูsawatdi khrap khun khruHello, teacher.
- สวัสดีครับทุกคนsawatdi khrap thuk khonHello, everyone.
Example conversation
Thanakit enters a room to meet Kanokwan.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanสวัสดีค่ะ คุณธนกฤตsawatdi kha khun thanakitHello, Mr. Thanakrit.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritสวัสดีครับ คุณกนกวรรณsawatdi khrap khun kanokwanHello, Ms. Kanokwan.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanสบายดีไหมคะsabai di mai khaHow are you?
- ธนกฤต Thanakritสบายดีครับ ขอบคุณครับsabai di khrap khop khun khrapI am fine, thank you.
