สวัสดี
sà-wàt-dii/sa˨˩.wat̚˨˩.diː˧/
The English phrase "namaste" is translated into Thai as สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii).
Meaning: a greeting (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bangkok, one can say Sawatdee khrap. In Chiang Mai, one can say Sawatdee kha jao.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: sà-wàt-dii. The romanization is sà-wàt-dii and the IPA is /sa˨˩.wat̚˨˩.diː˧/.
Did you know?
- The word สวัสดี was not always used as a daily greeting. It was officially coined in the 1930s to modernize the Thai language and create a standardized way to say 'hello'.
- The greeting is almost always accompanied by the 'Wai', a gesture where you press your palms together near your chest or face and bow slightly.
- The term สวัสดี is used for both 'hello' and 'goodbye'. The meaning depends entirely on whether you are arriving or departing.
Examples in context
- สวัสดีครับsawatdi khrapHello.
Example conversation
A man and a woman meet at a coffee shop.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritสวัสดีครับคุณพิมลsawatdi khrap khun phimonHello, Ms. Phimon.
- พิมล Pimonสวัสดีค่ะคุณธนกฤตsawatdi kha khun thanakritHello, Mr. Thanakrit.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritสบายดีไหมครับsabai di mai khrapHow are you?
- พิมล Pimonสบายดีค่ะsabai di khaI am fine.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry สวัสดี, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
