There are a number of words in Thai which are usually translated as “Please”, but which are mostly used in slightly different senses.

Certain other words which cannot readily be translated are also used when it is desired to make an order or request sound a little more polite.

1. CHERN c (เชิญ) “Invite”.

   This is used when the request can be considered as an invitation to do something or to go somewhere.

   	CHERN NUNG	เชิญนั่ง	Please sit down.
   	CHERN LOW MAH	เชิญเข้ามา	Please come in.

2. PROT l (โปรด) “Will you please”.

   This is ordinarily used in the written language and when you are asking to have something done for you, by an equal.

   In conversation it sounds rather formal and is not very much used except in certain cases where it becomes a mild form of order.

   	PROT NUNG TEENEE	โปรดนั่งที่นี่	Please sit here.
   	PROT TORT SEU-A	โปรดถอดเสื้อ	Please take your coat off.

3. KOR r (ขอ) “Please”.

   This is the word most generally used in conversation when asking for a favour of any sort.

   It is a much less abrupt way of asking for something than to use OW MAH “bring”.

   	KOR NUM	ขอน้ำ	Please bring me some water.
   	KOR HY CHUN DOO	ขอให้ฉันดู	Please let me look at it.

4. NOY l (หน่อย) “A little”, SUK l (สัก) “As much as”, TEE c (ที).

   To use KOR alone is considered a little abrupt in conversation and the request is often softened down and made more polite by adding one or more of the words above at the end of the sentence.

   When used in this way these words are not subject to translation.

   In many cases the word KOR is omitted altogether, and just which word or combination of words you use in any particular case depends a lot on individual preference and the euphony of the sentence.

   	POOT CHAH CHAH NOY KRUP พูดช้า ๆ หน่อยครับ		Please speak a little slower.
   	PIT FY TEE KA	ปิดไฟทีค่ะ	Please turn out the light.
   	KOR NUM KAANG GORN NEUNG ขอน้ำแข็งก้อนหนึ่ง Please bring me a lump of ice.
   	SONG SABOO MAH HY CHUN TEE ส่งสบู่มาให้ฉันที		Please hand me the soap.
   	OW NEE PY HY KOON PRAPAHT NOY เอานี่ไปให้คุณประภาสหน่อย Please give this to Mr. Prapart.

5. CHOO-AY d (ช่วย) “Help”.

   This is often used in place of KOR at the beginning of a request sentence when you are asking for something to be done.

   As with KOR it can be used alone, in which case the request sounds rather abrupt, or it can be softened down by adding one or more of the words in (d) above at the end of the sentence.

   	CHOO-AY PERT PRADTOO TEE ช่วยเปิดประตูที	Please open the door/gate.
   	CHOO-AY OW MEET MAH HY CHUN NOY Please bring me a knife. ช่วยเอามีดมาให้ฉันหน่อย
   	CHOO-AY SONG NER-Y NOY ช่วยส่งเนยหน่อย	Please pass the butter.

6. GAROONAH l-h-c (กรุณา) “Kindly”.

   This is sometimes used in such sentences as “Will you kindly tell me...”. It is used in writing but seldom in conversation and is only mentioned as you may meet it in your reading.
   

Generated by Lyndon Hill on Thu Jul 20 18:40:34 BST 2006.

Copyright remains with the original authors.