Beginner guide
The Thai alphabet, letter by letter
Thai is written with 44 consonants, around 32 vowel forms and five tones. Tap any letter below to hear a native voice say its name. This preview covers how the writing system fits together and the 44 consonants. The full guide — vowels, finals, tone rules, clusters, marks and numerals — is inside the app.
Start here
How Thai writing works
- There are no spaces between words. A space marks the end of a clause or sentence, the way a comma or full stop does in English.
- There are no capital letters and no full stops.
- Thai reads syllable by syllable: initial consonant, then the vowel wherever it is drawn, then the final consonant, then the tone.
- A vowel written before the consonant is still spoken after it — the eye and the mouth follow different orders.
- Tone is not optional decoration: it is part of the word, decided by the consonant's class, the vowel length, the ending and any tone mark.
The vocabulary
What Thai calls each part
Thai teaching uses its own names for every layer of the script — inside and outside vowels, classes, live and dead words, the tone marks and the tones themselves. Learn the term once and any Thai teacher, textbook or app makes sense.
letter / character
Any single written character — consonant, vowel piece or mark.
consonant
The 44 consonant letters. พยัญชนะต้น (phá-yan-chá-ná dtôn) is the initial consonant of a syllable.
vowel
Vowel forms — written before, after, above, below or around the consonant.
short vowel / long vowel
Vowel length. It changes the meaning of the word and helps decide the tone.
final consonant
The consonant that closes a syllable. Only eight endings exist.
final-sound groups
The eight groups every final collapses into: แม่กก กด กบ กม กน กง เกย เกอว.
mid class
The 9 mid-class consonants — the only ones that take all four tone marks.
high class
The 11 high-class consonants. Unmarked live syllables rise.
low class
The 24 low-class consonants — over half the alphabet.
live syllable
Ends in a long vowel or in -m -n -ng -i -u. The sound can be held.
dead syllable
Ends in a short vowel or in -k -t -p. The sound stops dead.
tone
Both the tone itself and the four tone marks written above the initial consonant.
tone sound
The five tones: สามัญ (mid), เอก (low), โท (falling), ตรี (high), จัตวา (rising).
tone mark
The written mark — ไม้เอก ไม้โท ไม้ตรี ไม้จัตวา. The mark is not the tone: class and syllable type decide the result.
consonant cluster
Two consonants blended at the start, as in กร ปล ขว. อักษรควบแท้ = true, อักษรควบไม่แท้ = false.
leading consonant
A silent ห or อ in front that hands its class to the next letter, changing the tone.
silent-letter mark
The ์ mark that kills the letter underneath, mostly in loanwords.
short-a mark
The ั hat that writes short 'a' when a final consonant follows.
vowel-shortening mark
The ็ mark that shortens the vowel it sits over.
repeat mark
The ๆ mark: say the word before it twice.
syllable
The unit Thai reads in: initial + vowel + final + tone.
Thai numerals
The digits ๐–๙, still used on signs, forms and dual-price menus.
Step 1
The 44 consonants
Every Thai consonant has a nickname — a letter plus a word that starts with it, the way English children learn “A is for apple”. Thai children learn ก ไก่ (“gɔɔ gài”, chicken). Each letter also belongs to a class — mid, high or low — and that class, together with the vowel and any tone mark, decides the tone of the syllable.
How to read each card
Big letter, then its nickname in Thai and romanised, then what the nickname means. “Start” is the sound it makes at the beginning of a syllable, “End” the sound it makes at the end — often a different, unreleased sound. The badge is its class, and the class is what decides the tone.
Showing 44 letters.
ก ไก่
gɔɔ gài
chicken
- Start:
- g
- End:
- k
hard g, as in 'go' — never 'j'
At the end: stops as an unreleased -k
Shape: a chicken's head and tail, no loop on top
Careful: ถ has a loop; ภ has a loop and a flag
ไก่ — gài — chicken
ข ไข่
khɔ̌ɔ khài
egg
- Start:
- kh
- End:
- k
k with a puff of air, as in 'kite'
At the end: unreleased -k
Shape: an egg sitting in a nest
Careful: ช has no loop head
ไข่ — khài — egg
ฃ ขวด
khɔ̌ɔ khùat
bottle
- Start:
- kh
- End:
- k
same kh — retired, you will not meet it
Shape: ข with a notch, like a cracked bottle
ขวด — khùat — bottle
ค ควาย
khɔɔ khwaai
buffalo
- Start:
- kh
- End:
- k
the same kh, but low class
At the end: unreleased -k
Shape: a buffalo's two horns
Careful: ด has a straight back; ค curls
ควาย — khwaai — buffalo
ฅ คน
khɔɔ khon
person
- Start:
- kh
- End:
- k
same kh — retired
Shape: ค with a flat top
คน — khon — person
ฆ ระฆัง
khɔɔ rá-khang
bell
- Start:
- kh
- End:
- k
kh, rare, mostly in Pali words
At the end: unreleased -k
Shape: a bell with a clapper hanging inside
ระฆัง — rá-khang — bell
ง งู
ngɔɔ nguu
snake
- Start:
- ng
- End:
- ng
ng as in 'singer' — Thai puts it at the START of words too
At the end: -ng as in 'sing'
Shape: a snake curled up
งู — nguu — snake
จ จาน
jɔɔ jaan
plate
- Start:
- j
- End:
- t
j as in 'jar', but unaspirated and crisp
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a plate with a rim
Careful: ว is the same curve without the tail
จาน — jaan — plate
ฉ ฉิ่ง
chɔ̌ɔ chìng
small cymbals
- Start:
- ch
- End:
- —
ch with a strong puff of air
Shape: two cymbals with a stand
ฉัน — chǎn — I (female / informal)
ช ช้าง
chɔɔ cháang
elephant
- Start:
- ch
- End:
- t
ch as in 'chair'
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: an elephant's trunk raised
Careful: ซ is the same shape with a tail
ช้าง — cháang — elephant
ซ โซ่
sɔɔ sôo
chain
- Start:
- s
- End:
- t
s as in 'sun'
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: ช with a hook — a chain link
ซื้อ — sʉ́ʉ — buy
ฌ เฌอ
chɔɔ chəə
tree
- Start:
- ch
- End:
- —
ch, very rare
Shape: a tree with three branches
เฌอ — chəə — tree (poetic)
ญ หญิง
yɔɔ yǐng
woman
- Start:
- y
- End:
- n
y as in 'yes'
At the end: -n
Shape: ย with a skirt underneath — a woman
หญิง — yǐng — woman
ฎ ชฎา
dɔɔ chá-daa
theatrical crown
- Start:
- d
- End:
- t
hard d, formal words only
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: ฏ with a curled foot — an ornate crown
Careful: ฏ has a straight foot
กฎ — gòt — rule / law
ฏ ปฏัก
tɔɔ pà-tàk
cattle goad
- Start:
- t
- End:
- t
unaspirated t, formal words only
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a cattle goad with a straight point
ปฏิบัติ — bpà-tì-bàt — to practise
ฐ ฐาน
thɔ̌ɔ thǎan
pedestal
- Start:
- th
- End:
- t
th with a puff, formal words
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a pedestal with a wide base
ฐาน — thǎan — base
ฑ มณโฑ
thɔɔ mon-thoo
Montho (character)
- Start:
- th
- End:
- t
th (sometimes d), rare
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a seated figure
มณโฑ — mon-thoo — Montho
ฒ ผู้เฒ่า
thɔɔ phûu-thâo
elder
- Start:
- th
- End:
- t
th, rare
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: an elder with a long beard
เฒ่า — thâo — elderly
ณ เณร
nɔɔ neen
novice monk
- Start:
- n
- End:
- n
n, in formal and Pali words
At the end: -n
Shape: ฌ wearing a monk's robe
เณร — neen — novice monk
ด เด็ก
dɔɔ dèk
child
- Start:
- d
- End:
- t
d as in 'door'
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a child's head with a curl
Careful: ค has a wavy back, ด is straight
เด็ก — dèk — child
ต เต่า
tɔɔ tào
turtle
- Start:
- t
- End:
- t
t with NO puff — between English 'd' and 't'
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a turtle with its head out
Careful: ค/ด family — ต has a notch on the right
เต่า — tào — turtle
ถ ถุง
thɔ̌ɔ thǔng
sack
- Start:
- th
- End:
- t
t with a puff, as in 'top'
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: ก with a loop — a sack tied at the neck
Careful: ก has no loop; ภ adds a flag
ถนน — thà-nǒn — road
ท ทหาร
thɔɔ thá-hǎan
soldier
- Start:
- th
- End:
- t
th as in 'top', low class
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a soldier standing to attention
Careful: n-shaped like ห — ท has a flat left leg
ทำ — tham — do / make
ธ ธง
thɔɔ thong
flag
- Start:
- th
- End:
- t
th, formal
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a flag on a pole
Careful: ร is the same stroke without the top bar
ธนาคาร — thá-naa-khaan — bank
น หนู
nɔɔ nǔu
mouse
- Start:
- n
- End:
- n
n as in 'no'
At the end: -n
Shape: a mouse with a long tail
Careful: ม has a loop on the left, น on the right
หนู — nǔu — mouse / I (young female)
บ ใบไม้
bɔɔ bai-máai
leaf
- Start:
- b
- End:
- p
b as in 'boy'
At the end: unreleased -p
Shape: a leaf on a stem, loop at bottom-left
Careful: ป is the same with a tall spike
บ้าน — bâan — house
ป ปลา
pɔɔ plaa
fish
- Start:
- p
- End:
- p
p with NO puff — between English 'b' and 'p'
At the end: unreleased -p
Shape: บ with a fishing rod sticking up
Careful: บ (no spike), ษ (spike plus curl)
ปลา — bplaa — fish
ผ ผึ้ง
phɔ̌ɔ phʉ̂ng
bee
- Start:
- ph
- End:
- —
p with a strong puff, as in 'pen'
Shape: a bee's stinger pointing up
Careful: ฝ has a small flag on the spike
ผม — phǒm — hair / I (male)
ฝ ฝา
fɔ̌ɔ fǎa
lid
- Start:
- f
- End:
- —
f as in 'fan', high class
Shape: ผ with a lid flap
ฝน — fǒn — rain
พ พาน
phɔɔ phaan
offering tray
- Start:
- ph
- End:
- p
ph = p with a puff (never 'f')
At the end: unreleased -p
Shape: a tray on two legs
Careful: ฟ adds a spike; ผ has no left loop
พ่อ — phɔ̂ɔ — father
ฟ ฟัน
fɔɔ fan
teeth
- Start:
- f
- End:
- p
f as in 'fan', low class
At the end: unreleased -p
Shape: พ with a tooth sticking up
ไฟ — fai — fire / light
ภ สำเภา
phɔɔ sǎm-phao
junk boat
- Start:
- ph
- End:
- p
ph with a puff, formal
At the end: unreleased -p
Shape: ถ with a sail — a junk boat
Careful: ถ and ก are the same body
ภาษา — phaa-sǎa — language
ม ม้า
mɔɔ máa
horse
- Start:
- m
- End:
- m
m as in 'man'
At the end: -m, lips closed
Shape: a horse's head, loop on the left
Careful: น mirrors it
ม้า — máa — horse
ย ยักษ์
yɔɔ yák
giant
- Start:
- y
- End:
- i
y as in 'you'
At the end: -i glide, as in 'buy'
Shape: a giant with a raised arm
ยาก — yâak — difficult
ร เรือ
rɔɔ rʉa
boat
- Start:
- r
- End:
- n
a tapped r; in fast speech often said as l
At the end: -n
Shape: a boat with a mast
Careful: ธ adds the top bar
ร้อน — rɔ́ɔn — hot
ล ลิง
lɔɔ ling
monkey
- Start:
- l
- End:
- n
l as in 'love'
At the end: -n
Shape: a monkey's curled tail
Careful: ส has a taller neck
เล็ก — lék — small
ว แหวน
wɔɔ wɛ̌ɛn
ring
- Start:
- w
- End:
- u
w as in 'wet'; also acts as a vowel
At the end: -u glide, as in 'now'
Shape: a ring, open at the top
Careful: จ is the same curve with a tail
วัน — wan — day
ศ ศาลา
sɔ̌ɔ sǎa-laa
pavilion
- Start:
- s
- End:
- t
s, in Sanskrit loans
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: ค with a spike — a pavilion roof
ศึกษา — sʉ̀k-sǎa — study
ษ ฤๅษี
sɔ̌ɔ rʉʉ-sǐi
hermit
- Start:
- s
- End:
- t
s, in Sanskrit loans
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: ป with a curl — a hermit's topknot
ภาษา — phaa-sǎa — language
ส เสือ
sɔ̌ɔ sʉ̌a
tiger
- Start:
- s
- End:
- t
s as in 'sun', high class — the everyday s
At the end: unreleased -t
Shape: a tiger with a raised paw
Careful: ล has a shorter neck
สวย — sǔai — beautiful
ห หีบ
hɔ̌ɔ hìip
chest
- Start:
- h
- End:
- —
h as in 'hat'; also silent, raising a low letter to high class
Shape: a chest with a lid
Careful: ท is upside-down by comparison
ห้า — hâa — five
ฬ จุฬา
lɔɔ jù-laa
kite
- Start:
- l
- End:
- n
l, rare, mostly in Pali
At the end: -n
Shape: ห with a kite tail
จุฬา — jù-laa — kite / Chula
อ อ่าง
ɔɔ àang
basin
- Start:
- silent / ɔɔ
- End:
- —
no sound of its own — the silent carrier, or the vowel ɔɔ
Shape: a basin, a plain circle
อาหาร — aa-hǎan — food
ฮ นกฮูก
hɔɔ nók-hûuk
owl
- Start:
- h
- End:
- —
h as in 'hat', low class
Shape: ฮ is ห with an owl's ear tuft
ฮา — haa — hilarious
Letters that look alike
Most early reading mistakes are shape mistakes, not sound mistakes. Learn the one detail that separates each set.
ก has no loop. ถ adds a loop head. ภ adds the loop plus a sail on the right.
ข has a loop head; ช starts with a bare curve.
ค waves at the back, ด is straight-backed, ต adds a notch on the right.
บ is plain, ป grows a tall spike, ษ has the spike plus a curl.
The pair with a left loop (พ ฟ) is low class; the loopless pair (ผ ฝ) is high. The spike marks the f-letters (ฝ ฟ).
Mirror images: ม loops on the left, น loops on the right.
ธ is ร with a bar across the top.
ส has the taller, straighter neck.
จ ends in a downward tail; ว is a clean open loop.
ห leans its loop left with a tall right leg; ท sits flat with a hook.
Class cheat sheet
Mid class
อักษรกลาง — àk-sɔ̌ɔn glaang
ก จ ฎ ฏ ด ต บ ป อ
9 letters. With no tone mark, a live syllable is mid tone. Mid-class letters can take all four tone marks.
High class
อักษรสูง — àk-sɔ̌ɔn sǔung
ข ฃ ฉ ฐ ถ ผ ฝ ศ ษ ส ห
11 letters. With no tone mark, a live syllable rises. Dead syllables are low.
Low class
อักษรต่ำ — àk-sɔ̌ɔn dtàm
ค ฅ ฆ ง ช ซ ฌ ญ ฑ ฒ ณ ท ธ น พ ฟ ภ ม ย ร ล ว ฬ ฮ
24 letters — over half the alphabet. With no tone mark, a live syllable is mid; dead syllables split by vowel length.
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The rest of the writing system
Vowel placements and hidden vowels, the eight final sounds, live and dead syllables, the full tone-rule table, clusters and silent leaders, marks and symbols, Thai numerals and the handwriting primer are part of the Siang course.
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