Learn Thai greetings and how to use Wai in different social situations
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| Welcome back to ThaiPod101.com’s learn Thai in three minutes. The fastest, easiest, and most fun way to learn Thai. |
| From the previous lesson, you learned… |
| สวัสดีค่ะ ดิฉันชื่อรวินท์พรค่ะ (sà-wàt-dii khà. dì-chǎn chûue Rawinporn khà) |
| Hello. My name is Rawinporn. |
| And for males… |
| สวัสดีครับ ผมชื่อศุภชัยครับ (sà-wàt-dii khráp. phǒm chûue {sù-phá-chai} khráp) |
| Hello. My name is ศุภชัย(Sùphàchai). |
| In this lesson, we’ll learn how to greet and “WAI” in Thai. It is SUPER easy and you’ll learn them all in THREE minutes. |
| First, we have สวัสดี(sà-wàt-dii…) สวัสดี(sà-wàt-dii) which is equivalent to “hello”. And you know what… สวัสดี(sà-wàt-dii) can be used at any time of the day. |
| If you are male, you say… สวัสดีครับ(sà-wàt-dii khráp) |
| And… |
| If you are female, สวัสดีค่ะ(sà-wàt-dii khà) |
| Yes, it is SUPER easy. |
| And now, I’m going to explain what “WAI” is! |
| “Wai” is not only a gesture used to say hello but also a sign of respect. Most of the case, younger people do “Wai” to people who are older, higher in status or to people you respect. |
| There are three levels of “Wai”. Are you ready!!?? |
| The first, in order to “Wai” monks, priests, and royal family, pressing your palms together near your chest, then, lower your head and raise your hands until the thumbs touch the middle between eyebrows, and bow at the same time. |
| There you go! |
| Next, how to “WAI” highly respected people, for example, teachers, or parents. How to do is pretty similar to the previous one. However, your thumbs must touch your nose and index fingers touch the middle between your eyebrows, then bow at the same time. |
| Last but not least, how to “WAI” older people or people with the same level. The same as before but the index fingers touch your nose. |
| Still |
| There you go! Now it’s time for Rawinporn’s hint! |
| If someone gives you a “Wai”, it usually means that they pay respect toward you. To return their good manner, the receiver usually “Wai” back. What to do is just simply put your palms together in front of your chests… like this… |
| I’m sure you are a master in Thai greetings now. In next lesson, you will learn more about the greeting “How are you?” and how to answer this question. |
| See you next time… |
| สวัสดีค่ะ(sà-wàt-dii khà) |
14 Comments
HideHello Birthday Cat,
Thank you very much. We're really apprecaited. No, you not "wai" animal or younger person. If younger person "wai" to you, you can accepted the "wai" by put your palm together middle of your chest bend your head a bit. You do the "wai" to older person first, (grandma/ grandpa or whom you can see clearly they are older than you.)Hope that's help. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
ปริษา Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
Very informative lesson. I use also wai when I greeat my dog Chester after returning from work.
Hello Karen,
Thank you for comment. A "wai" is the gesture you do while say "hello" to show respect to an elderly people or more superior. Staff or worker would do a "wai" to customers to show respect. Among colleagues learner would be considered, if the other is older or more supperior or not. Hope that’s help. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.
Have a good day.
Parisa Koknoi
Team ThaiPod101.com
I see a lot of wais as a hello between colleagues at work and for instance between trainers at the gym. It is a quicker, less formal wai- is this about respect or more a hello between peers?
Hello Ben,
Thank you very much for your comment and shared experience with us here. I would recommend to not "wai" the services staff, such as cabin crew, receptionist or waiter and waitress before they "wai" you. You just "wai" them back after they "wai" you by just put your palm together on your chest and bend your body a little bit, also for people who younger than you. You should do the "wai" to older people you respect, to say hello, goodbye and thank you. Hope that's help. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help. We wish you will have a good progress with Thai.
Have a nice day.
Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
Hello,
It's interesting, I have been to Thailand quite a few times and I've always appreciated being "wai"-ed; however it feels quite awkward when I do it and maybe that's because I was simply overdoing it. My friend would wai everytime a waiter/waitress would serve his meal and so on. I used to be the same but I stopped doing it as I felt awkward (we're both french).
Hello Silleeq Hunt,
Thank you very much for your comment and question. Yes, this is "how to great people in Thai language. If you visit you will always hear people say sà-wàt-dii khráp, sà-wàt-dii khâ and do the wâai posture with respectful smile. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help. We wish you will have a good progress with Thai.
Have a nice day.
Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
This is not really learning the thai language is it?
Hello Michael,
Thank you very much for your comment and question. We will be happy when you do the "wai" to us, I don't think any one will find it offense because of your fingers. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help. We wish you have a good progress with Thai.
Have a nice day.
Parisa
Team ThaiPod101.com
I like that, how and when to wai helps a lot, and it seems a natural thing to do.
However, I have a damaged 3rd finger on my left hand (I can't straighten it) and that means I can't press my palms together if I touch finger tips and my wai looks odd. Best I can do is to interleave the 3rd fingers. Would that be acceptable or cause offense?