Letters have names
Unlike English letters, every Thai consonant is named after a word that starts with it — ก is ก ไก่ (gor gai, "G-chicken"), ข is ข ไข่ (khor khai, "KH-egg"). When Thais spell a word they say these names. Learning a few names anchors the letters in memory.
| Letter | Name | Meaning of the name | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| ก | gor gai | chicken | g/k |
| ข | khor khai | egg | kh |
| ค | khor khwaai | buffalo | kh |
| ง | ngor nguu | snake | ng |
| จ | jor jaan | plate | j/ch |
| ด | dor dek | child | d/t |
| ต | tor tao | turtle | t |
| บ | bor baimaai | leaf | b/p |
| ป | por plaa | fish | p |
| อ | or ang | basin | vowel carrier |
| ม | mor maa | horse | m |
| ร | ror ruea | boat | r |
| ล | lor ling | monkey | l |
| ส | sor suea | tiger | s |
| ห | hor hiip | chest/box | h |
You'll notice several letters share the same sound (ข and ค are both "kh") — class differences set them apart for tone rules.
Three letter classes
The alphabet divides into mid (9 letters), high (10), and low (23) class consonants. The class doesn't change how the consonant sounds — it changes what tone the syllable gets.
- Mid class: ก จ ด ฎ ฏ ต บ ป อ — the "neutral" set.
- High class: ข ฉ ถ ผ ฝ ส ศ ษ ห — mostly aspirated sounds.
- Low class: ค ช ท พ ฟ ม น ง ร ล ว and partners of the high letters.
Reading romanization
Romanized Thai (English-letter spellings) is everywhere — menus, signs, guidebooks — but there's no single official system. The same word appears as "khop khun", "kob kun", or "kop khun" depending on the source.
| Romanization | Actual Thai sound | Don't misread as |
|---|---|---|
| ph | aspirated p (พ) | English "ph" = f — it's not "f" |
| th | aspirated t (ท) | English "th" in "think" or "this" — it's neither |
| kh | aspirated k (ข/ค) | just a strong k |
| bp / dt | unaspirated p/t (ป/ด) | between b/p or d/t — systems that use "bp" flag this |
| r | rolled r (ร) | English r — it's often trilled |
| ng | ng as in "singer" (ง) | n+g — it can start a syllable |
| ae | open vowel (แ) | like "cat" |
| ue / eu | central vowel (อึ) | no English equivalent |
Different books spell the same sound differently (ch/j, u/oo, aa/a). Follow the audio, not the letters.
How to actually learn the alphabet
- Learn the ~15 most common consonants with their names — that covers most signage.
- Learn 8–10 core vowels (a, i, u, e, o, ae, ai, ao, plus the silent-letter carrier อ).
- Practice reading real words (menu items, station names) rather than alphabet drills.
- Add tone rules later — decoding before perfection.
Pair this with how the script works and the five tones.
Mini practice
Q1. What does ก's name (gor gai) mean?
"Chicken" — every consonant is named for a word starting with it.
Q2. How many consonant classes are there?
Three: mid, high, and low. Class + mark + vowel decide the tone.
Q3. Is "ph" in romanized Thai pronounced like "f"?
Never — it's an aspirated p, as in "pin" with a stronger puff of air.
Q4. Can a Thai syllable start with ng (ง)?
Yes — ง is a normal initial consonant, like "singer" without the "si-".
Q5. Does standard romanization show tones?
No — that's why the same "maa" can be five different words. Use the audio.
Summary
- Consonants have word-names (gor gai = "chicken-G") — learn them by name.
- Three classes (mid/high/low) drive the tone rules.
- Romanization is inconsistent and tone-blind — use it as a hint only.
- Next: the five tones.
