Easiest Steps to Learn Thai Numbers 1-100 for Daily Conversations

Learning Thai numbers is one of the most practical steps you can take when visiting or living in Thailand. Whether you're bargaining at local markets, navigating public transportation, or ordering food, knowing how to count from 1 to 100 in Thai will give you an advantage in everyday interactions, especially in situations where English is not widely spoken in the Land of Smiles. Fortunately, counting in Thai is easier than you might think. With a few key principles and some practice, you'll be confidently using Thai numbers in no time. Let’s dive into our simple guide to mastering Thai numbers from 1 to 100.

Thai Numbers 1-10

To help you get started, here’s a breakdown of Thai numbers 1 to 10. Once you master the numbers from 1 to 10, expanding your knowledge to higher numbers becomes straightforward, as they follow a simple and consistent pattern. While there’s no shortcut to memorizing the first ten numbers, once you’re familiar with them, you’ll quickly pick up how to count from 11 to 100 with ease. Let’s begin!

Numbers 11-99

For numbers beyond 10, Thai has a few unique rules you’ll need to remember, particularly for numbers ending in 1 and multiples of 20. Let’s break it down:

11 to 19: To form these numbers, combine สิบ (sìp) for 10 with the numbers 1-9. For example, 11 is สิบเอ็ด (sìp èt) (Note: it's not หนึ่งสิบ (nùeng sìp) but sìp èt), 12 is สิบสอง (sìp sŏng), 13 is สิบสาม (sìp săam), and so on. This exception for 11, where the number หนึ่ง (nùeng) is replaced by เอ็ด (èt), is important to remember.

Multiples of 10 (20, 30, 40, etc.): Here, you start with the base number for the tens, followed by สิบ (sìp) for 10. For example, 20 is ยี่สิบ (yêe sìp) (Note: it's not สองสิบ (sŏng sìp)), and 30 is สามสิบ (săam sìp). This pattern continues with 40 (สี่สิบ, sèe sìp), 50 (ห้าสิบ, hâa sìp), and so on.

21 to 99: For numbers in this range, you combine the tens with the units. For example, 21 is ยี่สิบเอ็ด (yêe sìp èt), 45 is สี่สิบห้า (sèe sìp hâa), and 99 is เก้าสิบเก้า (gâo sìp gâo). The important thing to remember here is that, just like with 11, Thai uses เอ็ด (èt) instead of หนึ่ง (nùeng) for numbers like 21, 31, 41, and so on.

In summary, the key points to remember are:

• For numbers ending in 1 (like 11, 21, 31, etc.), เอ็ด (èt) is used instead of หนึ่ง (nùeng).
• The number 20 is ยี่สิบ (yêe sìp), not สองสิบ (sŏng sìp).

Practical Uses of Thai Numbers

Now that you know how to count to 100 in Thai, here’s how to put this knowledge into practice:

Shopping

Thai markets are known for their bargaining culture. Knowing numbers from 1 to 100 allows you to comfortably negotiate prices. For example, if a vendor says, "ห้าสิบบาท" (hâa sìp bàat), you’ll know they’re asking for 50 baht.

Giving Directions

Thai street numbers often exceed 10, so knowing numbers up to 100 can be useful when giving or understanding directions. For instance, if you need to go to "ซอยสี่สิบหก" (soi sìp sìp hòk), that means "Soi 46."

Telling Time or Counting Objects

Thai numbers are used when discussing time, addresses, and quantities. Knowing how to count to 100 will help you when dealing with larger numbers.

Tips for Mastering Thai Numbers

• Daily Practice: Integrate numbers into your daily life by counting objects, reciting phone numbers, or practicing prices.
• Use Visual Aids: Flashcards can be an effective way to memorize numbers and their corresponding Thai words.
• Listening and Repetition: Try listening to Thai speakers and repeating numbers out loud to improve your pronunciation.

Learn More Thai with Berlitz

Mastering Thai numbers is just the beginning. At Berlitz, our language courses provide an immersive learning experience that covers practical language skills for real-world use. Whether you’re new to Thai or looking to refine your knowledge, our native instructors guide you every step of the way.

Start your Thai language journey with us and gain the confidence to communicate in any situation. Curious about how we can help you learn basic Thai? Learn more here!