Counting

Numbers and quantity

Build numbers and say how many, a lot and every.

Thai numbers are built from about a dozen words, and most of the system is regular: สามสิบ is three-ten, 30. Two things need memorising. 20 is ยี่สิบ, not สองสิบ, and one in the units place after ten becomes เอ็ด.

Worth memorising

สิบเอ็ดsìp-èt
11
ten-one, but with เอ็ด, not สิบหนึ่ง
ยี่สิบyîi-sìp
20
not สองสิบ
ยี่สิบเอ็ดyîi-sìp-èt
21
สามสิบsǎam-sìp
30
the remaining tens are regular
ร้อยrɔ́ɔi
100
พันpan
1,000
หมื่นmʉ̀ʉn
10,000
a separate word; English needs two
แสนsɛ̌ɛn
100,000
also a separate word
ล้านláan
1,000,000
ครึ่งkrʉ̂ng
half

Thai has two words for asking about quantity. กี่ means how many and needs a classifier after it. เท่าไหร่ means how much in general and is the usual word for asking a price.

คุณkunyouมีmiihaveลูกlûukchildrenกี่gìihow manyคนkon(for people)
How many children do you have?
อันanitemนี้níithisเท่าไหร่tâo-ràihow much
How much is this?
ผมpǒmIอยู่yùustayที่นี่tîi-nîihereสามsǎamthreeวันwandays
I've been here for three days.
Without more context, this can also mean I'm staying here for three days.

A lot, a little, every

มากmâak
very, a lot
after the word: แพงมาก, very expensive
นิดหน่อยnít-nɔ̀ɔi
a little
หลายlǎai
several, many
before a classifier
ทุกtúk
every
ทุกวัน, every day
บางbaang
some
บางคน, some people
คู่kûu
pair
โหลlǒo
dozen

Common mistake

หลาย and ทุก come before the classifier: several people is หลายคน, every day is ทุกวัน. For สอง and the other numbers, the order is the one shown above. Where มาก goes in a sentence is covered in “How much”.

Practise

Kai says

Water at Songkran has a meaning beyond the street water fights. Pouring it is part of showing respect and wishing others good fortune.