Thai · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 19

ที่ร้านอาหารAt the restaurant

nʉ̀ŋ ráan aa-hǎan

Ordering at a restaurant. The key point: the CLASSIFIER. Thai orders it "noun + number + classifier": ข้าว หนึ่ง จาน (rice one plate), ก๋วยเตี๋ยว สอง ชาม (noodles two bowls), น้ำ หนึ่ง แก้ว (water one glass). จาน (plate) for single dishes, ชาม (bowl) for soupy food, แก้ว (glass) for drinks. English speakers often forget the classifier ("ข้าวหนึ่ง" ✗ → "ข้าวหนึ่งจาน" ✓). Order with "ขอ + [item] + [number] + [classifier]". New words: ร้านอาหาร, เมนู, สั่ง, ข้าว, ก๋วยเตี๋ยว, จาน, แก้ว, ชาม, ที่, น้ำ. Pronunciation corner: the tones of "ข้าว, สั่ง, น้ำ".

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ข้าวหนึ่ง? ข้าวหนึ่งจาน?

  1. พนักงานรับrápอะàไรraiดีdiiคะkháWhat would you like?
  2. Jamesขอkhɔ̌ɔข้าวkhâaoหนึ่งnʉ̀ŋครับkrápOne rice, please. (slip: Thai needs the classifier "จาน" — say "ข้าวหนึ่งจาน")
  3. พนักงาน"ข้าวkhâaoหนึ่งnʉ̀ŋจานcaan"ค่ะต้องtɔ̂ŋมีmiiลักษณนามláksànáanaam"จานcaan""ข้าวหนึ่งจาน" — you need the classifier "จาน".
  4. Jamesอ๋อɔ̌ɔขอkhɔ̌ɔข้าวkhâaoหนึ่งnʉ̀ŋจานcaanกับkàpน้ำnáamหนึ่งnʉ̀ŋแก้วkɛ̂ɛoครับkrápOh, one plate of rice and one glass of water, please.
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สั่งอาหาร— Ordering

  1. พนักงานรับrápอะàไรraiดีdiiคะkháWhat would you like?
  2. Maleeขอkhɔ̌ɔก๋วยkǔaiเตี๋ยวtǐaoหนึ่งnʉ̀ŋชามchaamกับkàpน้ำnáamหนึ่งnʉ̀ŋแก้วkɛ̂ɛoค่ะOne bowl of noodles and one glass of water, please.
  3. พนักงานได้dâaiค่ะนี่nîiเมนูmee-nuuค่ะCertainly. Here is the menu.
  4. Maleeขอบkhɔ̀ɔpคุณkhunค่ะThank you.
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ร้านráanอาaaหารhǎan

nounrestaurant

เมนูmee-nuu

nounmenu

สั่งsàŋ

verbto order

ข้าวkhâao

nounrice; meal

ก๋วยkǔaiเตี๋ยวtǐao

nounnoodles (soup)

จานcaan

classifierplate (classifier)

แก้วkɛ̂ɛo

classifierglass (classifier)

ชามchaam

classifierbowl (classifier)

ที่thîi

classifierportion, serving (classifier)

น้ำnáam

nounwater

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Classifiers: noun + number + classifier

Explanation

When giving a quantity, Thai orders it "noun + number + classifier" (unlike English!): ข้าว หนึ่ง จาน (rice-one-plate = ข้าวหนึ่งจาน), ก๋วยเตี๋ยว สอง ชาม, น้ำ หนึ่ง แก้ว. Choose the classifier by the item: จาน (single dishes), ชาม (soupy food), แก้ว (drinks), ที่ (one serving). English speakers often forget the classifier because English just says "one rice" — "ข้าวหนึ่ง" ✗ → "ข้าวหนึ่งจาน" ✓. Order with "ขอ + [item] + [number] + [classifier]": ขอข้าวหนึ่งจาน.

Examples

  • ขอเมนูหน่อยครับMay I have the menu, please?
  • ขอข้าวหนึ่งจานOne plate of rice, please.
  • ก๋วยเตี๋ยวสองชามTwo bowls of noodles.
  • ขอน้ำหนึ่งแก้วOne glass of water, please.
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วรรณยุกต์เวลาสั่งอาหาร— Tones When Ordering

Read the ordering words aloud, keeping the tones:

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