Learn Thai as Thais speak it.

Thailand is a different place when you can talk to the people.

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At a wooden counter, a woman orders from a grey-haired man in an apron, an iced coffee between them. ขอกาแฟเย็น
หนึ่งแก้ว kɔ̌ɔ gaa-fεε yen nʉ̀ng gε̂εoone iced coffee please

Try one card.

Thai has five tones. à is low, â falling, á high, ǎ rising, and mid has no mark.

At a yellow cart in a park, a grey-haired tea seller hands a woman a cup of Thai iced tea. ชาเย็น

chaa yen

Thai iced tea

How it works.

  1. chaa yen

    ชาเย็น

    Thai iced tea

    Hear it.

    The card plays the Thai, and again slower when you ask.

  2. cháa yen

    Write what you hear.

    Keys add the tone marks and the vowels English has no letters for.

  3. chaa yen

    Letters right. Tone on "chaa" is mid, you wrote high.

    See which tone slipped.

    The card names the syllable, and shows the pitch it should have.

New words come a few at a time, each asked at least twice, and older ones come back when they are due.

What's in the course.

All 30 levels
  1. 0The sound systemเสียง
  2. 1Survivalขอน้ำหน่อย
  3. 2Core verbsไปมา
  4. 3Questionsทำไม
  5. 4Food and drinkกินข้าว
  6. 5Numbers, money, timeกี่โมง
  7. 6Getting aroundไปที่ไหน
  8. 7Now and not yetตอนนี้
  9. 8Wanting and needingอยาก
  10. 9People and describingครอบครัว
  11. 10Home and routineบ้าน
  12. 11Shoppingซื้อของ
  13. 12Errands and the cityจอง
  14. 13Feelings and healthสบายดีไหม
  15. 14Trouble and courtesyช่วยด้วย
  16. 15Work, study, techทำงาน
  17. 16Weather and Thailandฝนตก
  18. 17If, because, but, soเพราะว่า
  19. 18Comparingกว่า
  20. 19The words at the endนะ
  21. 20Thai lifeเที่ยว
  22. 21Opinion and storyคิดว่า
  23. 22Heart wordsใจ
  24. 23Talking about Thaiพูดได้แล้ว
  25. 24Months and the calendarเดือน
  26. 25Relatives and counting thingsพี่น้อง
  27. 26Jobs, football, and the small wordsอาชีพ
  28. 27Sayingsสำนวน
  29. 28News and societyข่าว
  30. 29Between friendsเพื่อนสนิท

ก

The Thai alphabet

Letters come a few at a time, inside words you can already say.

In a small neighbourhood shop with a drinks fridge, the shopkeeper gives a woman a bottle of water. ขอน้ำเปล่า
หนึ่งขวด

A day in Thailand

One woman's day in Thailand, drawn as a comic. Each balloon fills in when you learn its line.

  • ชาเย็นchaa yenThai iced tea
  • มะม่วงmá-mûangmangodue
  • ขอบคุณค่ะkɔ̀ɔp kun kâthank you

Your words

Every word you have met is kept, with the ones due for review marked.

It works offline.

Install it as an app. Open a sitting while you are online, and it goes on with no connection.

  1. Study with no connection.

    The answers are saved, and the header says Offline.

  2. Back online, it sends them.

    It starts by itself. Sync progress is there to press if a send does not get through.

  3. Saved to the account.

    Sign in on another device, and the progress is there.

In Chrome or Edge, use the install icon in the address bar. On an iPhone, press Share, then Add to Home Screen.

Learn your first words.

Try the preview
On a wooden terrace above misty tea hills, a woman holds a cup of tea in both hands.

Early-bird prices.

Includes the whole course, spoken Thai and the Thai alphabet.

Early-bird prices end on 31 December 2026.You can learn Thai forever for the price of two Grab rides to the airport.

Choose a plan, then make an account or log in, and pay on Stripe's page. The price includes tax. A full refund is open for 30 days.

Questions.

Does it work on my phone?

Yes. It runs in the browser on a phone, a tablet or a computer, and it can be installed as an app that goes on with no connection. Sign in on another device and your progress is there.

Does it work offline?

Yes, once a sitting has been opened while you are online. Answers are saved and go to your account when the connection is back.

How much time does it take?

It takes as long as you want. Each time you study, you get a few new words, each asked at least twice, and older words come back when it is time to review them. You can change how many new words you get in your account settings.

Do I need to read Thai first?

No. Spoken Thai is taught in romanization, so you can speak before you read. The Thai alphabet is a track of its own beside it.

Which romanization does it use?

It uses Paiboon, the system in Benjawan Poomsan Becker's Thai textbooks. The marks tell you each tone: à is low, â falling, á high, ǎ rising, and mid has no mark.

How are the tones checked?

You type each word in Paiboon romanization, with its tone marks. The course compares your answer with the word, syllable by syllable. When a tone is wrong, it names the syllable, the tone it has, and the tone you wrote. It reads what you type and does not listen to your voice.

Can I try it first?

Yes. Try a card on this page, or the preview, with no account.

What if it isn't for me?

Write within 30 days of paying and you get the whole payment back. No reason is needed.

Who makes rian gèng?

Luisfer Romero Calero makes it while learning Thai too. Luis's partner, who is Thai, checks the words and the audio. Pristine Mekong Pte. Ltd., a company registered in Singapore, sells the plans.

What does rian gèng mean?

rian gèng is เรียนเก่ง in Thai script, and it means to learn well. You may also see it written rian geng, without the tone mark, or riangeng, as in the web address.

A woman sits in the grass by Kwan Phayao, the lake at Phayao, with her eyes closed, hills fading into the distance.

You are going to finally speak Thai.

Open the course Get started