Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| สวัสดี | sà-wàt-dii | /sa˨˩.wat̚˨˩.diː˧/ | |
| สวัสดีครับ | sà-wàt-dii | ||
| สวัสดีค่ะ | sà-wàt-dii | ||
| หวัดดี | wàt-dii | /wat̚˨˩.diː˧/ | alternative form |
The phrase is used as a general greeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The word สวัสดี is derived from Sanskrit roots meaning well-being or prosperity.
Which one should you use?
While สวัสดี is the standard form, you will encounter variations based on gender and social context. For formal or polite situations, men use สวัสดีครับ and women use สวัสดีค่ะ. In casual settings, particularly among Thai youth, the shortened version หวัดดี is common.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For polite and formal interactions, males should use สวัสดีครับ and females should use สวัสดีค่ะ. The form หวัดดี is colloquial and should be used in casual settings with friends or people of equal status.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Thai, politeness is often expressed through particles at the end of a phrase. Male speakers add the particle ครับ to the end of สวัสดี to make it polite. Female speakers add the particle ค่ะ to the end of สวัสดี to make it polite.
How do you pronounce it?
sà-wàt-dii
Did you know?
- The word สวัสดี shares a common ancestor with the word 'swastika' in Sanskrit, as both derive from the root 'svasti' meaning 'well-being'.
- While สวัสดี is used as 'hello', it is also the standard way to say 'goodbye' in Thai.
- In Thailand, it is common to follow สวัสดี with a question about whether you have eaten yet, which often serves as a secondary greeting.
Examples in context
- สวัสดี!Hello!This shows a simple exclamation of hello.Tatoeba #7784257 by pastelite, translation #373330 by CK
- สวัสดีทอมHello, Tom.This shows how to use the greeting with a name.Tatoeba #7784255 by pastelite, translation #54604 by Zifre
- พูดสวัสดีSay hello.This is a sentence about saying hello.Tatoeba #7878975 by pastelite, translation #2111563 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nicha and Witthawat meet at a coffee shop.
- ณิชา Nichaสวัสดีค่ะคุณวิทวัสsawatdi kha khun witthawatHello, Mr. Witthawat.
- วิทวัส Witthawatสวัสดีครับคุณณิชาsawatdi krap khun nichaHello, Ms. Nicha.
- ณิชา Nichaสบายดีไหมคะsabai di mai khaHow are you?
- วิทวัส Witthawatสบายดีครับ ขอบคุณครับsabai di krap khop khun krapI am fine, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries สวัสดี, หวัดดี, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries สวัสดี, หวัดดี, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
