Food and drink in Thai
177 words in Thai on the topic “food and drink”: กาแฟ — coffee, ชา — tea, น้ำ — water, ขนม ปัง — bread.
177 words on the topic
- กาแฟкафэcoffeeThe word came from English coffee. In Thai you order it through kho — "I will take" — and asking for it "cooled" (yen) means asking for iced coffee
- ชาчаteaOne syllable that argues with chai, "yes": only the tone tells them apart. Thai tea is brewed with milk and sugar in advance — "plain tea" has to be asked for
- น้ำнамwater"Water" plain and water inside compounds: naam som — "water of an orange", juice. Drinking water in a cafe is naam plao, "plain water"
- ขนม ปังкханом пангbreadLiterally "floury sweet" + pang, from the Portuguese pao: bread came to Siam with the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. The Thai table does not know bread — it is food on the run
- อาหารаханfoodFood in general, and the second half of the word "restaurant". "Appetizing" and "pungent" grow from the same root — the root of food is everywhere in Thai
- นมномmilkOne syllable. In a cafe "coffee with milk" is said with the verb "to put in": kafae sai nom — literally "coffee put milk"
- เนย แข็งнёй кхэнгcheeseLiterally "hard butter": there was no cheese in the Thai kitchen, and the name was assembled from what there was. Soft cheese is still called "butter"
- เนื้อныаmeatMeat in general, and beef in particular; pork is a separate word. The same syllable names fabric and the lyrics of a song — a long vowel and the tone decide
- ปลาплаfishA long "aa", a mid tone. In counting it takes the animal classifier: plaa nueng tua — "one fish", literally "one body"
- ผัก สลัดпхак салатsaladLiterally "vegetables-salad": the word is English, the vegetable part is Thai. Thai salad is sharper than the European kind — the dressing is the main thing, not the greens
- ซุปсупsoupA borrowing, like the soup plate in a Thai meal. The native soups are named differently: the famous tom yam is not sup but tom yam
- เกลือклыаsaltOne syllable with a long "ua". In Thai cooking salt often yields to fish sauce — it is asked for less often than the chili
- เบียร์бияbeerEnglish beer. It is counted in bottles: song khuat — "two bottles", the classifier here is the bottle
- ไวน์вайwineEnglish wine. Red and white are told apart by color: wai daeng — "wine red". There is little winemaking in Thailand, and wine is an attribute of European restaurants
- ผล ไม้пон майfruitLiterally "fruit of the tree". The Thai fruit row — mango, durian, mangosteen — is longer than the temperate one, and all of it is phon lamai
- แอปเปิ้ลэппёнappleEnglish apple. For Thailand the apple is an import from the north, and it costs more than a mango. In counting it takes the classifier luk — "fruit"
- ส้มсомorangeThe orange and all citrus at once. Juice is "water of the orange": naam som — the most common drink of the heat
- มะเขือ เทศмакхыа тхетtomatoLiterally "overseas eggplant": makhuea is the eggplant, thet is "foreign". The history of the vegetable is kept right in the name
- ผักпхакvegetablesOne syllable, a falling tone. It is inside "salad" (phak salat) and inside a hundred garden words; Thai food without phak is unthinkable even in a meat dish
- อร่อยаройtasty; deliciousThe chief praise at the table: "aroi!" works as both a verdict and a thanks to the cook. The booster is mak: aroi mak
- กินкинto eatThe neutral "eat". Politer is than; about animals kin is used without embarrassment. The Thai greeting formula is "let's go eat rice": pai kin khao
- ดื่มдыымto drinkA long syllable with a dead end — the p is not released. About alcohol Thai speaks with the same word: duem bia — "drink beer"
- สดсатfresh; rawOne word for freshness and for raw: phak sot — fresh vegetables. The same sot names cash — "fresh" money
- สุกсукripe; cooked; readyRipe, cooked, done — one root: a mango suk and rice suk are made the same way. The unripe is a different word, dip
- อาหาร เช้าахан чаоbreakfastLiterally "food of the morning": familiar words in a pair. The hotel sign says the same — breakfast included
- อาหาร เที่ยงахан тиангlunchLiterally "food of noon". It sounds like tiang, "bed" — the first consonant and the tone tell them apart, a pair from the furniture lesson
- อาหาร เย็นахан йенdinner; supperLiterally "food of the evening": the familiar yen, "evening", here about the time, not the coolness. Assembled by the same scheme as breakfast
- เคี้ยวкхиауto chewTo chew attentively and slowly: khiau cha-cha — "chew slowly", a good mother's phrase
- กลืนклыынto swallowTo swallow and gulp down. Do not confuse with klin, "smell", from the same lesson: one letter, two senses
- หิวхиуappetite; hungerOne word both for hunger and for appetite: hiu is "feeling like eating". "No appetite" is mai hiu — already an answer, not a complaint
- ก้อนконlump; piece (round)A lump and a chunk: of bread, sugar, earth. The classifier for round lumps, and bread is counted exactly in them
- กลิ่นклинsmell; scentA smell in general, good or not so: the context tells. From it grow "fragrant" and "stinky" — two different words beside it
- หลัง อาหารланг аханafter mealsLiterally "the back of food", that is, "behind the food": lang means both "back" and "after". Words of "after" in Thai stand behind their noun
- เนยнёйbutterButter: the same word as in "cheese" — cheese is literally "hard butter". Vegetable oil is another word: nam man
- มัน ฝรั่งман фалуангpotatoLiterally "westerner's tuber": the potato was brought by Europeans, and Thais wrote it into the word. Faluang is both a European foreigner and the guava
- แป้งпэнгflourBy ear a relative of "expensive" and "stall": the tone and the context tell them apart. This word is flour, powder and starch — all white and fine
- น้ำ ผึ้งнам пхыэнгhoneyLiterally "water of the bee": phueeng is the bee. Honey for a Thai is water made by bees — a description more exact than any definition
- ถั่วтуаbean; legumeLegumes in general: beans, peas, peanuts — all of it thua. By ear near the word "ticket" — the tone and the context tell them apart
- หอม แดงхом дээнгonionLiterally "fragrant red": hom is fragrant, and daeng is the familiar red. The onion in Thai is described as an ornament
- แครอทкхрётcarrotFrom the English carrot: a young word, like the carrot itself in Thai cooking. Orange in Thai is "the color of the orange" — like the carrot
- พริกпхрикchili; pepper (hot)Chili, the pod pepper: the main spice of Thai cooking. The hotness is a separate word, phet, which will come later
- ถั่ว เปลือก แข็งтуа плыэк кхэнгnutsLiterally "beans in a hard shell": pluaek is the peel, and khaeng, "hard", is familiar. Thai keeps no separate word for a nut — there is a description
- เครื่อง เทศкхрыанг тхетspicesLiterally "foreign things": thet is foreign — the same word as in the westerners' potato. Spices were once a foreign trade
- ทำ อาหารтхам аханto cookLiterally "make food": both words are old acquaintances. Thai does not split "cook" and "boil" — it simply makes food
- ล้างлаангto washTo wash with water in general: dishes, hands, a car. Hands are laang mue, and that mue is the one from the gloves
- มีดмиитknifeA long "ii" and a dead ending: miit. A sharp knife is a separate word — the sharpness of a knife and of a taste are different things to Thais
- ตุ๋นтунto simmer; to stewTo simmer on a low fire. The familiar tom is both "to heat" and "to boil": in live speech Thais say it more often
- ทอดтхотto fry; to deep-fryTo fry in oil, to deep-fry: banana fritters and batter-fried chicken are all thot. By ear near the word "fault" — the tone decides
- อบопto bakeTo bake in the oven: bread, cookies, fish in foil. One short syllable: op
- หั่นханto cut up; to sliceTo cut into pieces: bread, onion, fruit. The initial h gives an aspirated sound
- หม้อмоpot; saucepanBy ear a copy of "doctor": only the tone tells them apart. A pot, a saucepan, a kettle — all of it this word; the size is specified by another word
- กระทะкратаfrying pan; griddleA flat pan for pancakes and frying. It sounds like "krata" — memorized at once
- เตาтаоstove; cookerA hearth, an oven and a cooker at once: tao is where the fire burns. By ear near "foot" and "gray" — the tone and the place decide
- จาน ราบчаан раапplateThe familiar jaan, "dishes", in general; the add-on makes it "flat". To a Thai a plate is dishes with a specification, not a separate word
- ถ้วยтуайcup; bowlA cup and a bowl at once: coffee, soup, dessert — all of it thuai. By ear near "ticket" and "bean" — the tone tells them apart
- แก้วгэоglass; glasswareBoth glass and glass at once: the material became the vessel. A glass of water is "a glass of the water" — literally glass of water
- ช้อนчонspoonIn Thailand the spoon is the main instrument: the fork goes in the left hand, and one eats with the spoon. It sounds short and even
- ส้อมсомforkBy ear a copy of "orange": only the tone and the place at the table tell them apart. The fork in a Thai meal is the junior instrument
- ขวดкхуатbottleThe voiceless final d is almost inaudible: khuat. A bottle of water is khuat naam: word plus word
- ทิชชู่тиччууtissue; paper napkinFrom the English tissue: paper napkins and little tissues at once. Said with a long "uu" at the end
- กา ต้ม น้ำка том намkettleLiterally "jug to heat water": ka is a jug with a spout. The electric kettle Thais call the same — by its work
- ถาดтхатtrayA tray and a canteen compartment at once: in the canteen food is carried on it. One syllable with a dead ending
- เดือดдыатboiling hotLiterally "boils": soup duat is soup straight from the stove. About the heat outside Thais speak with another word — the familiar "hot"
- เย็น เชียะйен чиаice-cold; chilledYen is "cool", a familiar word, and the add-on pushes it "to the ice". Cold water in a cafe is yen with ice — as Thais love it
- หิว ท้องхиу тхонгhungryLiterally "empty stomach": hiu, "hunger", is the familiar word, and thong is the belly. A hungry person in Thai is one with an empty belly
- รสротtaste; flavorA short word: the r without a vowel reads "ro" and the s goes silent. By ear it coincides with "car" — the tone and the context decide
- เค็มкхэмsaltySalty about food: oversalted soup is "salty-beyond". Salt is kluea, and the root is common
- เปรี้ยวприиаоsourSour: the lime in Thai cooking is the chief sour taste. Said with a long vowel: stretch it
- ขมкхомbitterBitter — the taste of medicine and useful herbs: "bitter medicine". One syllable, an even tone
- เผ็ดпхэтspicy; hot (of food)A hot chili, not a sharp knife: the knife has its own sharpness. The initial letter is aspirated, and this is one of the first words of a guest of Thailand
- อิ่มимfull (after eating); satiatedFullness in Thai is "having eaten one's fill": im laeo — "I am full", literally "already satiated". The refusal of a second helping begins with this word
- ชิมчимto taste; to try (food)To taste: to sample soup, sauce, fruit. The familiar word is "to try" in general, and this one is exactly with the tongue
- เมนูмэнууmenuFrom the English menu: said with a long "uu". In a Thai eatery the menu may be on the wall, not in the hands
- พนักงาน เสิร์ฟпханаккан сёрфwaiterLiterally "employee of serving": soep is "to serve", from the English serve. A waitress is named with the same word
- การ สั่งкан сангorder (act of ordering)Kan turns an action into a thing: the verb is "to order", and the noun is the order. With the same verb one commands a dog and an alarm clock
- สั่งсангto orderTo order food and to give commands at once: one word for the waiter and for the dog. At a restaurant: "order food"
- กับ ข้าวкап кхаоdish (to go with rice)Literally "with rice": kap is "with", khao is rice. The Thai meal is rice plus everything that goes with it; dishes for the rice are exactly this word
- หนึ่ง จานнынг чаанone portionLiterally "one dish-plate": portions are counted in plates. One portion of rice is khao nueng jaan
- โต๊ะ สอง คนто сонг кхонa table for twoLiterally "table of two people": three familiar words in a row. To ask for a table is kho to song khon — the first phrase of the evening
- ขนม หวานкханом ванdessertLiterally "sweet khanom": waan, "sweet", is the new word beside the familiar khanom. Thai desserts are coconut, rice and a lot of sugar
- ไม่ เอา เนื้อмай ао ныаno meat; without meatLiterally "not take meat": both words are old acquaintances. A vegetarian will also say "eat vegetarian", and that word has its own festival
- เค้กкхэкcakeEnglish cake, a falling tone. By ear it coincides with the "guest" of this lesson — the talk tells them apart
- พาสต้าпхаастааpasta; pasta (dried)It came from the Italian through the English, both syllables long. The separate kinds are "spaghetti", but at the store people more often say this word
- โยเกิร์ตйокёртyogurtAn English word in Thai letters: the tail sounds as in "birthday". The flavor is written as a second word: "orange flavor"
- ครีม ข้นкхриим кхонcream (thick, for cooking)Literally "cream thick": the thick word has the same consonant as "hard". Whipped cream is another word
- ไอศกรีมайсакриимice creamThe bookish word from the English ice cream; one letter here gives an s. In speech Thais more often say the short form — but on packs and in cafes always this
- ช็อกโกแลตчокколэтchocolateThe final letter reads as t. Bitter is the taste word you know; a bar is "a stick of chocolate"
- คุกกี้кхуккиcookieThe English cookie, with an aspirated consonant. Thai counts cookies in pieces: "three cookies" — the classifier comes later in the unit
- เนื้อ วัวныа буаbeefLiterally "cow meat": both words familiar. Pork and chicken are built the same way — Thai keeps no separate word for each meat
- เนื้อ แกะныа гэmutton; lambLiterally "goat-sheep meat": the same word as "unwrap the box" — it means both the animal and the action. In Thailand mutton is rare and expensive
- กุ้งкунгshrimp (fresh word)One syllable, a live consonant, a falling tone. Fresh ones are said with the fresh word you heard in "fresh air"
- องุ่นонгунgrapesThe first syllable has no vowel letter: it reads with a nasal. Wine in Thai is "grape wine" — the specification is made exactly so
- แตงกวาтэнгквааcucumberLiterally "melon-cucumber": the first word is the general name of the gourd family. The watermelon later in the lesson is also that word — the family holds together
- กะหล่ำ ปลีкалам плииcabbageLiterally "head-leaf": the second word is a bud, a head. Cauliflower is "head-flower" — the same device
- กระเทียมкратиамgarlicThe first syllable is a diminutive prefix, as in the mug of the home wave. A clove of garlic is the "petal" word
- ฟัก ทองфак тхонгpumpkinLiterally "golden gourd": the gold word is recognizable in shop names too. Pumpkin soup is a Thai classic
- มะเขือ ยาวмакхыа йаоeggplant; aubergineLiterally "long eggplant-kin": the same base word as in the tomato — it names the nightshade family in general. The long word you know from clothes
- มะนาวманаауlime; lemonThe same prefixed base as in the tomato. Thais do not split lime and lemon by word — in Thai cooking it is almost always lime
- แตงโมтэнгмоwatermelonLiterally "melon-pig": the tail comes from the pig word — the watermelon was named by the red color of its flesh. It sounds funny, but it is the polite ordinary word
- สตรอ เบอร์ รีсатрор бёр рииstrawberryEnglish strawberry in three syllables. Strawberries are brought from the north of Thailand, where they are cheaper
- ลูก แพรлук пхэpearLiterally "fruit-pear": luk is the same "fruit" as in son and ball. It came from the English pear, so the tail sounds European
- พีชпхиитpeachFrom the English peach, a live aspirated consonant. The word is one syllable, but it is said with a long vowel — do not eat the sound
- สูตรсуутrecipeA dead syllable: the final cluster reads only as t. The word lives in mathematics too: the multiplication table is said with it
- ปอก เปลือกпок плыэкto peel (vegetables, fruit)Literally "take off the peel": the verb peels only by removing — a banana, a potato. Scrubbing dishes is already the wash verb, another one
- ต้ม น้ำтом намto boil (water)Literally "cook water": the heat word you know as both "warm" and "stew" — Thais boil and simmer with it. About boiled water one says the boiling word, familiar
- คน ให้ เข้า กันкхон хай кхао канto mix; to stir togetherLiterally "stir so that it comes together as one": the short word here is "stir", not the familiar "person" — only the sense of the phrase tells them apart. A frequent line in recipes
- ใส่ เกลือсай клыаto salt; to add saltLiterally "put salt": both words familiar. Thai keeps no separate verb "to salt" — the salt is simply put in
- อุ่น อาหารун аханto reheat (food)A substitution: one warm word is taken by "lukewarm", and "reheat" Thais say with the same pair with food. Reheating in the microwave is this same phrase
- ให้ เย็นхай йенto cool (down)Literally "make cold": the give before a quality works as "make it so that". You have already built "make good" — the same scheme
- ตี ไข่тии кхаайto beat (eggs)Literally "beat the eggs": the verb is to beat — the same as in hitting a ball. The tone falls; do not confuse by ear with the place word
- เติม น้ำтём намto add water; to top up with waterLiterally "top up water": the verb is to add to something already there. Filling the car is said the same way
- ย่างйаангto grill; to barbecueA long live syllable, with no puff of air. "Grilled chicken" is on every corner in Thailand; frying in oil is another word already
- วัน หมด อายุван мот айуexpiration dateLiterally "day of the age running out": three familiar words in a row. On the pack Thais look for exactly this line, as we look for the date
- บูดбуутspoiled; gone off (of food)Only about food that has turned sour: milk and curry use it, machines use another word. A live consonant, a falling tone
- โหลлоjarA glass jar with a lid — for jam, coffee, coins. By ear a short word; do not confuse with the wheels of car rental
- ขอ เพิ่มкхо пхёмrefill; to ask for a refillLiterally "ask to add": both words familiar, and together — the free refill at the cafe. The waiter's counter-question: "shall I add more?"
- กลับ บ้านклап банto take away; takeawayLiterally "return home": at the cafe the question is "take away or eat here?" Both words you have known for a long time
- ไม่ ใส่ น้ำ ตาลмай сай нам таанno sugar; without sugarLiterally "do not put sugar": Thai negates the action, not the thing — not "without sugar" but "do not put sugar". All three words familiar
- กิน เจкин джёI am vegetarianLiterally "eat vegetarian": the last word is a Chinese word about meat-free, egg-free food. A woman says the same — the word is about the food, not the sex
- ทาน ให้ อร่อยтаан хай аройenjoy your meal; bon appetitLiterally "eat tasty": the first word is the polite form of eating, politer than the plain one. Said before every meal — at home and to a stranger at the next table
- อาหาร ไขมันахан кхаманfatty foodLiterally "food of fat": the fat is a kin of the egg word — by the yolk. Fried and fatty the Thai names with this word
- ลูก อมлук омcandy; sweetLiterally "child of sucking": the sucking is to hold in the mouth. The Thai candy is a thing to be sucked; lollipops and caramel share one word
- อาหาร ประจำ ชาติахан праджам чатnational dishLiterally "food attached to the nation": the attachment is fixed. The dish a country is known by
- อาหาร ริม ทางахан рим таангstreet foodLiterally "food at the edge of the road": the edge is the one from the lips. The main restaurant of Thailand is the roadside
- อบ ใหม่оп майfreshly bakedLiterally "baked recently": the familiar op, "to bake", plus mai, "new". Sot, "fresh", is about the market; bread is this one
- ขนม ปัง แข็งкханом панг кхэнгstale (bread)Literally "bread hard": Thai created no separate word. The adjective "hard" is the familiar khaeng
- เนื้อ หมูныа мууporkMeat is nuua, you know it, and the pig is muu: pork is "pig meat". Thai keeps no separate word for every kind of meat
- เนื้อ ไก่ныа кайchicken (meat)The same scheme: kai is the chicken, so chicken meat is "chicken meat". On the grill it is called shorter — kai yang
- เนื้อ เป็ดныа пэтduck (meat)Pet, the duck, you know from the nature lesson; on the plate Thai says "duck meat". Rice with duck is a Thai classic
- หมู สับмуу сапminced meatLiterally "chopped pork": sap is to chop. There is no separate word "mince" — Thai says what it did to the meat
- แฮมхэмhamEnglish ham, a live aspirated ph. Ham in Thailand is sandwich filling; it does not ask for the Thai table
- ไส้ กรอกсай крокsausageLiterally "crispy filling": sai is the filling, krok is the crunch. Thai sausages are grilled right on the street
- ทูน่าтуунааtunaEnglish tuna, both syllables long. Most often tuna lives in a can: canned — thuna krapong
- แซลมอนсэнмонsalmonEnglish salmon; the final l sounds as n, as in the familiar bin — the bill
- กุ้ง ขาวкунг кхаоshrimpKung, "shrimps", you know; at the market they are told apart by color, and the white one is the most ordinary. The word khao, "white", is familiar too
- อาหาร ทะเลахан тхалэseafoodLiterally "food of the sea": both words you know. Signs are written the same way: "seafood cooked here"
- พลัมпхламplumEnglish plum, a live aspirated ph: phlam. Plums in Thailand are imports from the north, and they cost more than mangoes
- ราส เบอร์ รีраас бёр рииraspberryEnglish raspberry in three pieces — exactly like the familiar strawberry, satroe boe rii. Raspberries are a rarity in Thailand
- แตงแก้วтэнгкэоmelonLiterally "glass melon": taeng is the family name of the gourds, kaeo is glass. The watermelon, taeng mo, is of the same family
- ทับทิมтаптимpomegranateThe same word means "ruby": pomegranate seeds are as translucent as the stone. One spelling, two meanings — only the business at hand tells them apart
- สับปะรดсаппаротpineappleOne word, three syllables: sap-pa-rot. Pineapple in Thailand is cheap, and it is eaten with salt and chili — do not be surprised
- ส้ม เช้งсом чэнгmandarinSom — the orange and all citrus at once — you know; the mandarin is set apart by the word cheng. It peels more easily than an orange — that is why it is popular
- กีวีкивиkiwi (fruit)English kiwi, read almost as written. For Thailand the kiwi is an import, and it costs noticeably more than papaya
- อะโวคาโดавокхадоavocadoEnglish avocado, the kh read with a puff of air. In Thai drinks avocado is whipped with milk — and that is a dessert
- ลูก เกดлук кэтraisinLiterally "fruit-raisin": luk is the same "fruit" as in counting apples. Raisins go into Thai baking and into rice dessert
- มะเดื่อмадыаfigThe first syllable ma is the same prefix as in "tomato" and "lime". In Thailand figs are met dried more often than fresh
- พริก หวานпхрик ваанbell pepperPhrik — the hot chili — is already taken; the bell kind is set apart by the word "sweet". In Thai food it is a rare guest; it goes into salads
- บวบ อิตาลีбыап итаалииzucchiniLiterally "Italian buap": buap is the garden relative of the cucumber, italii is Italy. That is how the zucchini is labeled in the big stores
- บีท รูทбиит руутbeetrootEnglish beet root in two pieces. The beet is a stranger to Thai cooking — it is brought from the north and grated into salads and juices
- ไชเท้าчайтхаоdaikon radishThe white daikon — the closest radish relative that grows in Thailand; the red radish the Thai market does not know. It goes into soup
- สมุนไพรсамунпхрайherbs; greensOne word for all the herbs: cilantro, basil, mint — all of it samunphrai. At the market herbs are sold in bunches and cost pennies
- ผัก ชี ฝรั่งпхак чи фалуангdillLiterally "foreigner's cilantro": chi is cilantro, faluang is "overseas" — the same root as in the potato. Dill is a guest from the West in Thai cooking
- พาสลีย์пааслииparsleyEnglish parsley in Thai letters; the final y is not read. Like dill, parsley is an herb of Western cooking; a Thai would rather take cilantro
- ขิงкхингgingerOne syllable with a falling tone, an aspirated kh: khing. Fried ginger with meat is a Thai classic — look for it in the name of the dish
- ข้าว โพดкхао пхотcornLiterally "rice-grain": khao, rice, you know — for Thai, corn is the same bread. Fried corn is street food
- ผัก โขมпхак кхомwater spinachThai water spinach is leafy garden greens, fried with garlic in a minute. Phak, vegetables, you know
- ขนม ปัง ก้อนкханом панг конbread rollKhanom pang, bread, you know; a roll is "a lump of bread", and kon, a lump, is familiar too. The little roll for breakfast is this one
- พายпхайpieEnglish pie, a live aspirated ph. Apple pie is phai aeppoen; Thai bakeries keep it by the till
- ขนม เค้กкханом кхэкpastry; small cakeKek, the cake, is already yours; a pastry is a little cake for one bite. They are bought one by one
- โดนัทдонатdonutEnglish donut; the final t is not released: donat. Thai bakeries make the glaze in tea and strawberry flavors
- ขนม อบкханом опbaked goodsLiterally "baked sweets": op, to bake, you know from the oven. A collective: cookies and rolls at once
- แยมйэмjamEnglish jam, a live syllable with a falling tone. Strawberry jam is built like any modifier: yaem plus the berry
- น้ำ เชื่อมнам чыэмsyrupLiterally "sweet water": chueam is "to simmer in syrup". Thai desserts float in it — that is not a misprint in the recipe
- ข้าว โพด ป๊อบкхао пхот попpopcornLiterally "popping corn": khao phot, corn, you know from the last lesson, and pop is the English pop. No one watches a film without it
- มัน ฝรั่ง ทอดман фалуанг тхотpotato chipsLiterally "fried potato": both words you know. Thai chips are thin fried potato in a transparent bag
- หมาก ฝรั่งмак фалуангchewing gumLiterally "betel-guava" — a story about chewing that settled into the word. There is neither betel nor guava in the pack — only gum
- น้ำ อัด ลมнам ат ломlemonade; sodaLiterally "water stuffed with air": at is "to cram in", lom is wind. Fizzy drink and lemonade are one thing for Thai
- น้ำ แร่нам рэmineral waterLiterally "water from a vein": rae is ore, a spring. A bottle of it in the heat is the first purchase of the day
- น้ำ โซดาнам содааsoda waterEnglish soda; the d is voiced. In a bar it is simply sparkling water with nothing — ice and bubbles
- ค็อกเทลкхоктхенcocktailEnglish cocktail: an aspirated kh, and the final l sounds as n. Cocktails are drunk by the sea and on the rooftop bars
- โกโก้кокхооcocoaEnglish cocoa; the second syllable carries a falling tone. Hot cocoa is the evening drink; iced coffee is the day one
- กาแฟ สำ เร็จ รูปкафэ сам рет рупinstant coffeeLiterally "coffee of finished form": sam ret, "to come off", you know. The "three in one" sachet — coffee, sugar and creamer at once — is this one
- ซอง ชาсонг чаtea bagLiterally "envelope of tea": song, the envelope, you know. Bagged tea Thais call exactly this — "tea in a little envelope"
- น้ำ เดือดнам дыатboiling waterDeuat, "boiling", you know from the lesson about hot; boiling water is "boiling water". Tea is poured with exactly this
- เหล้าлаоliquor; alcoholOne word for all the strong drink: rice, sugarcane — all of it lao. The leading h is not read: lao
- เครื่อง ดื่มкхрыанг дыымdrink; beverageLiterally "drink machine": khueang assembles objects out of deeds — the vacuum cleaner and the blender are built the same way. On the shelf the drinks stand in rows
- น้ำ ผลไม้нам пхонламайjuiceLiterally "water of fruit": naam, water, you know, and phonlamai is fruit. Thai keeps no separate word for juice
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- ขอ กาแฟ ครับкхо кафэ кхрапCoffee, please (a man says it)
- ขอ ชา ครับкхо ча кхрапTea, please (a man says it)
- ขอ น้ำ ครับкхо нам кхрапWater, please (a man says it)
- ขอ ขนม ปัง ครับкхо кханом панг кхрапBread, please (a man says it)
- อาหาร อร่อย มากахан арой макThe food is very tasty
- กาแฟ ใส่ นมкафэ сай номCoffee with milk (literally: coffee put milk)
What is worth knowing about these words
กาแฟ (кафэ) — coffee. The word came from English coffee. In Thai you order it through kho — "I will take" — and asking for it "cooled" (yen) means asking for iced coffee.
ชา (ча) — tea. One syllable that argues with chai, "yes": only the tone tells them apart. Thai tea is brewed with milk and sugar in advance — "plain tea" has to be asked for.
น้ำ (нам) — water. "Water" plain and water inside compounds: naam som — "water of an orange", juice. Drinking water in a cafe is naam plao, "plain water".
ขนม ปัง (кханом панг) — bread. Literally "floury sweet" + pang, from the Portuguese pao: bread came to Siam with the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. The Thai table does not know bread — it is food on the run.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Thai?
The word came from English coffee. In Thai you order it through kho — "I will take" — and asking for it "cooled" (yen) means asking for iced coffee
- How do you say “meat” in Thai?
Meat in general, and beef in particular; pork is a separate word. The same syllable names fabric and the lyrics of a song — a long vowel and the tone decide
- How do you say “fruit” in Thai?
Literally "fruit of the tree". The Thai fruit row — mango, durian, mangosteen — is longer than the temperate one, and all of it is phon lamai
- How do you say “to drink” in Thai?
A long syllable with a dead end — the p is not released. About alcohol Thai speaks with the same word: duem bia — "drink beer"
- How do you say “to swallow” in Thai?
To swallow and gulp down. Do not confuse with klin, "smell", from the same lesson: one letter, two senses
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “coffee” in Thai?
«กาแฟ», read “кафэ”. The word came from English coffee. In Thai you order it through kho — "I will take" — and asking for it "cooled" (yen) means asking for iced coffee. It is one of 177 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 177 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.