Thank you in Thai: khàwp-khun and how to reply

Thank you in Thai is ขอบคุณ (khàwp-khun), and in almost every real conversation it comes with a polite particle on the end: ขอบคุณครับ (khàwp-khun khráp) if you are a man, ขอบคุณค่ะ (khàwp-khun khâ) if you are a woman. You will see it spelled kob khun, khob khun or kop khun in English. The first syllable has a low tone and the second is level, and the p at the end of khàwp is not released, so it sounds closer to "kawp-koon" than to "kob-kun".

Thank you with khráp and khâ

The particle is not decoration. A bare ขอบคุณ to a stranger sounds clipped, the way "thanks" can sound curt in English when you needed "thank you very much". The particle is chosen by the speaker, not the listener: a man says ครับ (khráp) to everyone, a woman says ค่ะ (khâ) to everyone. See Polite particles: khráp and khâ for the full rules.

Thank you very much in Thai

ขอบคุณมาก (khàwp-khun mâak) is thank you very much, and ขอบคุณมากครับ or ขอบคุณมากค่ะ is the version you will use for a real favour: a neighbour who took in a parcel, a stranger who walked you to the right bus stop. ขอบคุณนะ (khàwp-khun ná) is warmer and softer, the thank you between colleagues or friends, and it still takes a particle after it when you are speaking up: ขอบคุณนะครับ.

Khàwp-jai: thanks to someone younger

ขอบใจ (khàwp-jai) also means thank you, but it is said downward: by a parent to a child, a teacher to a student, a boss to a junior, an older friend to a younger one. It is kind, not rude, in the right direction. Said upward, to someone older or to a stranger, it sounds as if you have put yourself above them. If you are not sure, use ขอบคุณ: it is never wrong.

Thanking someone for something

To say what you are thanking someone for, put ที่ (thîi) and a verb after ขอบคุณ: ขอบคุณที่มา (khàwp-khun thîi maa), thank you for coming, ขอบคุณที่ช่วย (khàwp-khun thîi chûay), thank you for helping. For a thing rather than an action, use สำหรับ (sǎm-ràp), for: ขอบคุณสำหรับอาหาร (khàwp-khun sǎm-ràp aa-hǎan), thank you for the food. On a message or an email you will also see ขอบคุณล่วงหน้า (khàwp-khun lûang-nâa), thank you in advance.

How to reply when someone thanks you

The everyday reply is ไม่เป็นไร (mâi bpen rai), which here means you're welcome, it was nothing. It is the same phrase Thai people use for never mind and no problem, and Mai pen rai: the Thai never mind covers the rest of its jobs. In a shop or a hotel you will hear staff use the more formal ยินดีค่ะ or ยินดีครับ (yin-dii), with pleasure, or the full ด้วยความยินดี (dûay khwaam yin-dii). You can use those too, but ไม่เป็นไร is what a friend or neighbour will expect.

Thank you and the wai

A thank you to someone older, to a teacher, or for a real favour often comes with a wai: palms together at chest height, a small bow of the head. Do not wai a cashier, a waiter or a driver who thanks you; a smile and ขอบคุณครับ or ขอบคุณค่ะ is the right return. The wai: who, when and how has the full map of who gets one.