Shangri Lingua

How to say “baht” in Thai

บาท

bàat

/bàːt/

บาท means baht.

Pronunciation and usage

Tone: low

The currency of Thailand. Prices put the number first: ห้าสิบบาท (hâa-sìp bàat) is fifty baht.

Reading the romanization: the mark over a vowel shows its tone. bp and dt are a p and a t with no puff of air, while plain p, t and k have the puff. The IPA shows the exact sounds, and Learn the IPA explains how to read it.

Examples

  • ข้าวจานนี้ห้าสิบบาท

    kâao jaan née hâa-sìp bàat/kʰâːw t͡ɕaːn níː hâː.sìp bàːt/

    This plate of rice is fifty baht.

How it’s spelled

Thai is written in a fixed order, which isn’t always the order you hear. Here’s each letter of บาท in the order you’d write it.

  • บ

    “b” starts the word.

    bo baimai, from ใบไม้ (leaf)Mid class

    A loop at the top left, a flat base, and a right side that stops level. Compare ป.

  • า

    The vowel “long a”. Written after the consonant.

    sara aa

    A hook over the top and a straight drop down.

  • ท

    “t” ends the word.

    tho thahan, from ทหาร (soldier)Low class

    A loop at the top left, a dip, and two legs. Compare ห.

Why the tone is low

  1. It starts with บ, which is mid class.
  2. There’s no tone mark, so the kind of syllable decides.
  3. It ends in “t”, a sound that stops short, so the syllable is dead.
  4. Mid class and dead gives a low tone.

New to consonant classes and live or dead syllables? See how Thai tones work.

Learn to write it

The Shangri Lingua app teaches บาท in its Thai writing course. You write the word one letter at a time, with your finger or Apple Pencil, and the app checks each letter and gives you more help if you get stuck. Get it on the App Store.

More shopping and money

Browse all Thai vocabulary.