Learn Thai: Thai Numbers 1–20

Mastering numbers is an essential first step for any student of Thai, as they appear constantly in daily life, from shopping at local markets to telling the time or sharing a phone number. This lesson introduces the foundational counting system from one through twenty. Learning the first ten digits is your priority, as they form the building blocks for almost all larger numerical combinations. For instance, the number two is สอง (sǎawng) and three is สาม (sǎam). Once you reach ten, or สิบ (sìp), the system becomes highly logical and predictable. To form the numbers twelve through nineteen, you simply place the word for ten before the single digit, such as in the word for thirteen, สิบสาม (sìp-sǎam).

There are two important irregularities to keep in mind as you move through this list. First, when the number one appears at the end of a compound number like eleven, the word changes from หนึ่ง (nuèng) to เอ็ด (èt). Therefore, eleven is spoken as สิบเอ็ด (sìp-èt). Second, the word for twenty does not use the standard word for two; instead, it uses a unique prefix to become ยี่สิบ (yîi-sìp). Pay close attention to the phonetic guides provided, as Thai is a tonal language where the pitch of your voice is just as important as the sounds themselves. By internalizing these twenty terms, you will gain the confidence to navigate basic prices and quantities during your initial steps into the Thai language.