Is This A Legitimate Thai Phrase?

[Ahnsahn]

Is "Aloon sawat-dee" a legitimate Thai phrase? Is it another way of saying, 'Good morning?'

TIA

Edited May 6, 2008 by Ahnsahn

[pwills]

Is "Aloon sawat-dee" a legitimate Thai phrase? Is it another way of saying, 'Good morning?'

TIA

Aroon sawat = good morning (polite)

sawadi ton chaw another way of saying good morning or just sawadi.

[Ahnsahn]

Is "Aloon sawat-dee" a legitimate Thai phrase? Is it another way of saying, 'Good morning?'

TIA

Aroon sawat = good morning (polite)

sawadi ton chaw another way of saying good morning or just sawadi.

Ah.....thanks a lot Pwills! I thought that I had learned it that way but I could find no mention of this phrase in the 3 translation books that I now have........thanks again!

Edited May 6, 2008 by Ahnsahn

[meadish_sweetball]

Those phrases do exist but are not used very frequently, they would come off as a bit formal or stilted in everyday, non-formal interaction.

Most Thais I know do not greet each other in the morning with 'aroon sawat' or 'sawatdii dtawn chaao'.

[Ahnsahn]

Those phrases do exist but are not used very frequently, they would come off as a bit formal or stilted in everyday, non-formal interaction.

Most Thais I know do not greet each other in the morning with 'aroon sawat' or 'sawatdii dtawn chaao'.

Point taken! Maybe that explains why I couldn't locate any reference to the 'Aroon sawat' phrase in my latest Thai phrase books.......Thanx for the clarification!

[withnail]

IME sawatdii dtawn chaao is used mainly to translate the term good morning rather than in place of it.

[riga]

IME sawatdii dtawn chaao is used mainly to translate the term good morning rather than in place of it.

I remember the 6 yo niece of my girlfriend that every morning used to say to me "good morning" followed by "สวัสดีตอนเช้า"

She was probably repeating that exactly how they have learned in school

[stonybonytony]

I often get sawat di tawn chao from my Thai friends - but I'm not sure if they are being exaggeratedly polite for fun, or if (and I suspect this is it) they have some Thai phrases which they only use with farang - which means I end up learning Thai that Thai people would never use amongst themselves. But when other Thais hear me using it, they pick it up as 'Thai to use with farang' and the process perpetuates!

Similiar saying 'Chock Di' when clinking glasses - I was talking with a Thai friend the other day and they said that Thai people would never say this amongst them selves, they would use 'Chawm Gao'. But they had heard farang saying it and assumed this was what farang said when clinking glasses, so it had become established as the phrase Thai people use when drinking with farang, and hence the phrase farang learn to use when drinking with Thai people.

[mangkorn]

I think "chon" is better than "chawm" - ชนแก้ว

Edited May 7, 2008 by mangkorn

[withnail]

I often get sawat di tawn chao from my Thai friends - but I'm not sure if they are being exaggeratedly polite for fun, or if (and I suspect this is it) they have some Thai phrases which they only use with farang - which means I end up learning Thai that Thai people would never use amongst themselves. But when other Thais hear me using it, they pick it up as 'Thai to use with farang' and the process perpetuates!

Similiar saying 'Chock Di' when clinking glasses - I was talking with a Thai friend the other day and they said that Thai people would never say this amongst them selves, they would use 'Chawm Gao'. But they had heard farang saying it and assumed this was what farang said when clinking glasses, so it had become established as the phrase Thai people use when drinking with farang, and hence the phrase farang learn to use when drinking with Thai people.

Agree about Chock Dee.

[Nickthegreek]

I was actually told that yes Aroon sawat = good morning is polite, but it is used as the first statement of good morning and then sawatdii dtawn chaao is used for then on in the morning

just my tuppence worth

Edited May 7, 2008 by Nickthegreek

[meadish_sweetball]

That sounds completely off the wall to be honest, Nick. Doesn't ring with my personal experience of usage, nor of what my teacher told me regarding this at university.

Would be interesting to hear input from more people, especially Thais.

[Nickthegreek]

Meadish, having checked again, a number of Thais I work with confirm it to be the first statement of good morning, generally only used at the crack of dawn....ie sunrise and then later in the morning, sawatdii dtawn chaao is used. Sadly I have not been to university to study Thai, so I would not know that for sure..

Edited May 7, 2008 by Nickthegreek

[meadish_sweetball]

Thanks Nick. Still not convinced, but who knows. I've been wrong many times before.

[CSS]

I was actually told that yes Aroon sawat = good morning is polite, but it is used as the first statement of good morning and then sawatdii dtawn chaao is used for then on in the morning

just my tuppence worth

Actually, my impression of Aroon sawat was also that it was a statement used, or primarily used only just after waking up or just after the person you're addressing has woken up.

[mangkorn]

I agree with CSS's impression - but I suspect it isn't very commonly used. I have said it myself, just to see the reaction, which is always quaint bemusement...

Also have to agree with meadish on the whole of it. My guess is that when a farang like Nick asks people directly, they are going to give him the most formal answer - especially since the question would seem to be seeking that answer. (And if they are employees, or subordinates, then more's the reason for replying in that fashion.) It sounds like the very same thing that happens in Latin America: we always tell the foreigners that we only speak in the most formal and polite Spanish terms - and that, of course, is a big, fat load of nonsense.

Saying such things to outsiders is a way of putting the best (or false) face forward; some sort of vague sense of cultural pride, or whatever. But, just sayin' so don't make it true...

I also took an informal survey on "sawat dee dtawn chao" among some friends and neighbors, and nobody agreed that it was a common thing to say. Most of them also chuckled.

[Nickthegreek]

I was actually told that yes Aroon sawat = good morning is polite, but it is used as the first statement of good morning and then sawatdii dtawn chaao is used for then on in the morning

just my tuppence worth

Actually, my impression of Aroon sawat was also that it was a statement used, or primarily used only just after waking up or just after the person you're addressing has woken up.

If you read between the lines this is what I was trying to say..as to being told different things because I am a farrang well, with this I totally disagree.!!! I was trying to give a statement that was easy to read andf not as long winded so as not to confuse the original OP.

I would say that an educated family would be more inclined to use these terms and one that is not lazy using the Thai language,just my observations,i have seen it used many times,this is from my staff to me and my wifes family amongst them selves...not just for the Farrnag benefit,however I am never up early enough to use Aroon sawat..

[Johpa]

Actually, my impression of Aroon sawat was also that it was a statement used, or primarily used only just after waking up or just after the person you're addressing has woken up.

Aroon sawat is a great phrase to use at the crack of dawn and translates as a peaceful dawn, used when the eastern sky is still red awaiting the rising sun and the bustle of the typical Thai day has not yet begun. It never fails to bring a smile to a Thai to hear a westerner use it. Just don't use it when you and a buddy have to awake very early to do some task you both would rather avoid.

[mangkorn]

If you read between the lines this is what I was trying to say..as to being told different things because I am a farrang well, with this I totally disagree.!!! I was trying to give a statement that was easy to read andf not as long winded so as not to confuse the original OP.

I would say that an educated family would be more inclined to use these terms and one that is not lazy using the Thai language,just my observations,i have seen it used many times,this is from my staff to me and my wifes family amongst them selves...not just for the Farrnag benefit,however I am never up early enough to use Aroon sawat..

Nick:

"from my staff to me..." - well, that was pretty much my point, about a subordinate relationship - rather than among peers. People speak differently in such cases (and not only in Thai).

Also, and I'm not trying to be flippant here, just curious: if you're not up that early, how do you know that your wife's family says "aroon sawat" to each other?

Cheers.

[appleman]

I have lived in Thailand for 40 years and have never heard anyone say "aroon Sawat" except for farangs, Thais to farangs, and in Thai soap operas. I have never heard "sawadee dawn chao" ever. In fact, Thais normally do not say good morning, nor do they use a greeting like good afternoon or good night. Good friends will very rarely even use the greeting "sawadee". BTW, there is another word, "ratree sawat" which is translated as "good night". I have also never heard this in normal Thai conversation. You do hear this in Thai soap operas though.

[Johpa]

I have lived in Thailand for 40 years and have never heard anyone say "aroon Sawat" except for farangs, Thais to farangs, and in Thai soap operas. I have never heard "sawadee dawn chao" ever. In fact, Thais normally do not say good morning, nor do they use a greeting like good afternoon or good night. Good friends will very rarely even use the greeting "sawadee". BTW, there is another word, "ratree sawat" which is translated as "good night". I have also never heard this in normal Thai conversation. You do hear this in Thai soap operas though.

LOL, as it would indeed be rare to hear a Thai say "aroon sawat" in everyday conversation, although I have, on the very rare occasion I was out and about in the early dawn, heard the phrase spoken by some senior citizens who, I think, find such formal speech to be a sign of education and politeness. I would expect that Thais under the age of 70 might find the phrase rather pretentious. But as a Farang, I find it to be one of those quaint little phrases that I can get away with that helps break the ice with strangers, especially at 5:00AM. If I used it with one of my Thai neighbors at 5:00 AM, well forum rules prevent me from quoting the most likely responses.

In the villages where I spend the bulk of my time when in-country, the only greetings I hear at any time of day or night are either "where are you going?" (pai nai) or "have you eaten yet?" (kin khao leew ru yang).

[siamesekitty]

it's not used in everyday informal conversation, nor in formal conversation, for that matter. As far as I know it's just a quaint little way of saying "good morning", especially when you have just woken up.

I say it quite often just for fun, to break away from the usual "waddee kha". Actually throws people off sometimes (esp. if they're not used to my quirky ways)

[frenchfarangjomtien]

Hello,

I also have never heard RATREE SAWAT

Are you sure it really exists ?

Very weird ! Any more explanation ?

Thanks a lot.

[SimonN]

ราตรีสวัสดิ์

[MJCM]

Hello,

I also have never heard RATREE SAWAT

Are you sure it really exists ?

Very weird ! Any more explanation ?

Thanks a lot.

It's a literal translation of Good Night,

Ratri = Night (Welaa Klang Khun)

Sawat = From Sawatdee

[GarryP]

I have rarely heard and never used "sawadi don chao" (I have only ever heard it used by foreigners and certain locals when taking the Mickey). Have used and heard "Aroon Sawadt". Always early in the morning and the first greeting after waking up.

Have used and heard "ratree sawadt". Say it when going to bed or taking leave to go to bed.

[roly]

I often get sawat di tawn chao from my Thai friends - but I'm not sure if they are being exaggeratedly polite for fun, or if (and I suspect this is it) they have some Thai phrases which they only use with farang - which means I end up learning Thai that Thai people would never use amongst themselves. But when other Thais hear me using it, they pick it up as 'Thai to use with farang' and the process perpetuates!

Similiar saying 'Chock Di' when clinking glasses - I was talking with a Thai friend the other day and they said that Thai people would never say this amongst them selves, they would use 'Chawm Gao'. But they had heard farang saying it and assumed this was what farang said when clinking glasses, so it had become established as the phrase Thai people use when drinking with farang, and hence the phrase farang learn to use when drinking with Thai people.

I've been using Chock Dee for 4 years. Last month met a new GF and she told me it's WRONG...chohn gairo (excuse the spelling in English) is what the Thais say. I always knew that you COULD say gairo but nobody ever used it with me, as it seems to have become the phrase Thais use with farangs as you mentioned. Funny old world.