When you are bartering for mangoes or buying a plate of Pad Thai, knowing your numbers in Thai is a total game-changer. While many vendors in tourist areas speak a bit of English or will point to a calculator, shouting out your numbers in tone-accurate Thai instantly breaks the ice and ensures you are paying local prices.
The great news? Thai numbers are incredibly logical. Once you learn 1 to 10, the rest of the numbers up to 100 fit together like a perfect mathematical puzzle. Here is your pocket guide to market counting.
1. The Foundation: Numbers 1 to 10
Master these ten syllables first. Pay close attention to the tones, as these are the building blocks for every transaction.
| Number | Thai Script | Transliteration & Tone Guide | Pronunciation Hint |
| 1 | หนึ่ง | Neung (Low) | Sounds like “nerng” with a dropped, flat tone. |
| 2 | สอง | Song (Rising) | Swoop your voice up like you are asking a question. |
| 3 | สาม | Saam (Rising) | Another rising tone; draw out the “aa” sound. |
| 4 | สี่ | See (Low) | Drop your voice flat and low. |
| 5 | ห้า | Haa (Falling) | A sharp, emphatic “haa!”. (Hence why Thais type “55555” for “hahahaha”). |
| 6 | หก | Hok (Low) | A short, sharp, low-toned drop. |
| 7 | เจ็ด | Jet (Low) | Short and low, like the word “jet” plane. |
| 8 | แปด | Bpaet (Low) | A hard “bp” sound (halfway between a B and a P). |
| 9 | เก้า | Kao (Falling) | A sharp downward step, like a heavy sigh. |
| 10 | สิบ | Sip (Low) | Short and low, like taking a “sip” of water. |
2. The Teens (11 to 19): The First Quirks
To make a number in the teens, you simply say Sip (10) followed by the single digit. However, there is one major rule change you must memorize:
- The number 11 does not use “Sip Neung”. The number 1 changes to Et (เอ็ด) whenever it lands in the final slot of any combined number.
- 11 > Sip-et (Low-Low)
- 12 > Sip-song (Low-Rising)
- 13 > Sip-saam (Low-Rising)
- …and so on, up to:
- 19 > Sip-kao (Low-Falling)
3. Counting by Tens (20 to 90)
To count the larger increments, you just multiply the single digit by ten (e.g., 30 is “Saam-sip” $\rightarrow$ Three-Tens). But watch out for 20, which gets its own unique name:
- 20 > Yee-sip (Falling-Low) $\leftarrow$ Crucial note: Never say “Song-sip”!
- 30 > Saam-sip (Rising-Low)
- 40 > See-sip (Low-Low)
- 50 > Haa-sip (Falling-Low)
- 60 > Hok-sip (Low-Low)
- 70 > Jet-sip (Low-Low)
- 80 > Bpaet-sip (Low-Low)
- 90 > Kao-sip (Falling-Low)
4. Piecing It Together (21 to 99)
Now you can build any price in the market. You simply state the tens column, followed by the single digit. Remember the “Et” rule for any number ending in 1!
- 21 > Yee-sip-et (Twenty-One)
- 35 > Saam-sip-haa (Thirty-Five)
- 42 > See-sip-song (Forty-Two)
- 99 > Kao-sip-kao (Ninety-Nine)
And the grand finale: 100 is Neung-roi (Low-High).
The Market Blueprint: Putting Numbers into Sentences
When you are standing in front of a street food cart, use this 3-step sequence to ask for prices and pay smoothly:
1.Ask the Price:The Inquiry.
Point to the item and say: An nee thao rai krap/ka? (How much for this one?). The vendor will shout out a number from the guide above.
2.State Your Payment:The Hand-off.
When handing over a large bank note, you can state what you are giving them to avoid confusion: Bแบงค์ [Number] krap/ka (e.g., “Bank neung-roi” for a 100 baht note).
3.Double Check the Change:The Conclusion.
The vendor will give you your change (ngern thon). If they hand you back 45 Baht, they will likely say See-sip-haa as they hand it over. Smile, say Khob khun krap/ka, and enjoy your food!