Learn Thai Like a Local

1. How to tell time in Thai in each time of the day
   1. How to tell time in Thai in the morning
   2. How to tell time in Thai at midday
   3. How to tell time in Thai in the afternoon
   4. How to tell time in Thai in the evening
   5. How to tell time in Thai at night time
2. Summary how to tell time in Thai

How to tell time in Thai in official way is not complicated as you can just say the Thai numbers and the o’clock in Thai official word after which is naa-rí-gaa (นาฬิกา). However, that is not how to tell time in Thai like a local. 

Let’s learn Thai how to tell time in Thai like a local through this blog together to be able to have an appointment or talk about time which is part of everyday life with Thai people better!

How to tell time in Thai in each time of the day

How to tell time in Thai in the morning

6-11 AM: Number + moong (โมง) + cháao (เช้า)

How to tell time in Thai in the morning is for 6-11 AM starting from saying numbers in Thai and followed by the casual word for o’clock in Thai moong (โมง) and ending with the word morning in Thai cháao (เช้า) as examples below:

• 6 AM = hòk moong cháao (หกโมงเช้า)
• 10 AM = sìp moong cháao (สิบโมงเช้า)

Note: You could hear in short without the word cháao (เช้า) as well because sometimes the context can tell if people are talking about morning or evening. 

For example, we will have breakfast at 6 AM tomorrow = prûng-níi gin kâao cháao hòk moong (พรุ่งนี้กินข้าวเช้า 6 โมง). 

How to tell time in Thai at midday

At midday in Thai is glaang-wan (กลางวัน) which is direct translation from English as glaang (กลาง) means middle and wan (วัน) means day.

However, there is even more casual word that is used in daily life for midday which is just one word “tîiang (เที่ยง)” which is shorten from tîiang-wan (เที่ยงวัน).

How to tell time in Thai in the afternoon

1-3 PM: bàai (บ่าย) + number + moong (โมง)

Afternoon in Thai is bàai (บ่าย). To tell time 1-3 PM in Thai, we say the word bàai (บ่าย) first then number and end with the word o’clock casual in Thai. However, for 1 PM in daily life it is often said without the word for number 1. Here is how to tell time in Thai in the afternoon:

• 1 PM = bàai nùeng moong (บ่ายหนึ่งโมง) or bàai moong (บ่ายโมง) 
• 3 PM = bàai săam moong (บ่ายสามโมง)

Note: How to tell time in the afternoon in Thai is slightly different compared to in the morning as we say the word afternoon in Thai at the beginning while we say the word morning in Thai at the end.

How to tell time in Thai in the evening

4-6 PM: Number + moong (โมง) + yen (เย็น)

Evening in Thailand is around 4-6 PM and 6 PM is normally the time when the sun goes down in Thailand. To tell time in Thai in the evening is just the same as in the structure of how to tell time in Thai in the morning by just changing the word morning to evening in Thai. The examples are below:

• 5 PM = hâa moong yen (ห้าโมงเย็น)
• 6 PM = hòk moong yen (หกโมงเย็น)

Note: You could hear in short without the word yen (เย็น) as well because the context can tell if you are talking about morning or evening.

For example, I finished work at 5 PM: chán sèt ngaan dtaawn hâa moong (ฉันเสร็จงานตอน 5 โมง).

How to tell time in Thai at night time

7-11 PM = number (start counting 7 as 1) + tûm (ทุ่ม)

After the sun goes down in Thailand, we have a special way to say time from 7-11 PM in Thai by starting to count 7 as 1 and add the word tûm (ทุ่ม) after. The examples are as following:

• 7 PM = nùeng tûm (หนึ่งทุ่ม)
• 9 PM = săam tûm (สามทุ่ม)

For midnight, we have a word for it which is “tîiang keun (เที่ยงคืน)” which keun (คืน) means night in Thai.

1-5 AM: dtii (ตี) + number

From 1 – 5 AM, there is also a special word for it which is dtii (ตี) and it will be put after the numbers as followings:

• 2 AM = dtii săawng (ตีสอง)
• 4 AM = dtii sìi (ตีสี่)

Note: tûm (ทุ่ม) is added after the number but dtii (ตี) is added before the number.

Summary how to tell time in Thai

• 6 – 11 AM = 6-11 moong cháao (6-11 โมงเช้า)
• 12 PM = tîiang <wan> (เที่ยงวัน) 
• ​​1 – 3 PM = bàai 1-3 moong (บ่าย 1-3 โมง) 
  • except 1 PM = often said just bàai moong* (บ่ายโมง)
• 4 – 6 PM = 4-6 moong yen (4-6 โมงเย็น)
• 7 – 11 PM = 1-5 tûm (1-5 ทุ่ม) *starting to count 7 as 1
• 12 AM = tîiang <kuuen> (เที่ยงคืน)
• 1-5 AM = dtii 1-5 (ตี 1-5)

How to tell time is Thai in daily life is quite difficult for beginners to learn. First thing is that you can try to understand the explanation of how things work by telling time in the Thai system at each time of the day and you will understand better with the summary above. 

Focus on those times we will use often like morning, midday, afternoon and evening, etc. first. Even if it is hard, there is definitely a way to remember by summarization and you can try to use it often when you have a chance to become familiar with it.

If you want to learn Thai by focusing on the important part and be able to use the language better with fun practice material and experienced Thai teachers for foreigners, try a trial class with us and experience learning Thai in a fun and effective way with Learn Thai Like A Local.