---

Welcome to Super Speed Thai!

---

Before we begin, let’s talk about how Thai writing works.

Thai writing may look complicated at first, but the basic idea is actually quite simple.

There are three things we’re going to learn about:

Consonants

These are the main Thai letters.

Vowels (in English A,E,I,O,U)

Vowels are added to the consonants to create sounds.

Tone marks

These are small marks that can change the tone of a syllable.

And one useful thing to know immediately:

Thai doesn’t have capital and lowercase letters.

So you don’t have to learn two versions of every letter.

Don’t worry about understanding all the details yet. We’ll introduce them gradually.

---

Begin Here

Today we’re going to start learning the Thai alphabet in a slightly different way.

Instead of simply trying to memorise unfamiliar shapes, we’re going to use memory hooks to make the letters easier to recognise.

---

The method is simple:

Look → Imagine → Connect → Repeat

• First, look carefully at the Thai letter.
• Then, try to see something familiar in its shape.
• Next, connect that image to the letter’s sound.
• Finally, practise and review it until it becomes familiar.

Don’t worry if you don’t remember everything immediately. That’s completely normal. We’ll keep coming back to these letters through drilling, testing and review.

---

Today’s Five Letters

Today, we’re going to learn our first five Thai consonants.

Just look. Don’t worry about remembering yet.

Thai letter	Sound	Thai name
ก	g/k (good, gate)	ก ไก่ (gor gai)
ข	kh (kite)	ข ไข่ (khor khai)
ค	kh (kite)	ค ควาย (khor khwai)
ม	m (man)	ม ม้า (mor ma)
น	n (nose)	น หนู (nor nuu)

For now, your main goal is simple:

• Recognise each letter and remember its basic sound.
• You don’t need to learn to read Thai words yet.
• You don’t need to memorise the traditional names yet.
• For now, we’re training your eyes to recognise the letters.

---

Meet the Letters

Now let’s take a closer look at each letter.

Don’t just look at the character and try to memorise it.

Instead, look at its shape and try to see the picture inside it.

That picture will become your memory hook.

---

Letter 1 — ก

🔊 Listen to ก (Kor Kai)

Sound: k, as in cat

Thai name: ก ไก่ (gor gai)

Memory hook: 🐔 Chicken and egg 🥚(g)

Take a good look at:

ก

Can you see a chicken?

Imagine you’re looking at the chicken from the side.

The rounded part at the top is its head, and the little point sticking out to the left is its beak.

So imagine that ก is simply the head of a chicken looking to the left.

Can you see it?

ก 🐔

Great!

Now make the connection:

ก → 🐔 Chicken → k

Whenever you see ก, think:

ก → Chicken → k

You don’t need to worry about the Thai name yet.

Just look at the shape, picture the chicken, and remember the k sound.

---

Letter 2 — ข

Sound: kh, as in kite, with a little extra breath

Thai name: ข ไข่ (khor khai)

Memory hook: 🐍 Cobra hissing

Now look carefully at:

ข

Can you see a cobra?

Imagine the a cobra standing up and hissing. This is usually what it does when it feels threatened.

The tail is going along the ground to the right and sticking up behind the body.

Look carefully at the different parts of the shape and try to put them together in your mind as a cobra snake which is hissing.

Can you see it?

ข 🐍

Excellent!

Now make the connection:

ข → 🐍 Cobra hissing→ kh

Remember, this is the kh sound, with a little extra breath.

For now, you don’t need to worry about the technical details. Just remember:

ข → Cobra → kh

---

Letter 3 — ค

Sound: kh, as in kite

Thai name: ค ควาย (khor khwai)

Memory hook: 👁️ Cyclops head

Now take a look at:

ค

Can you see a cyclops head?

Look at the large rounded part of the character.

Imagine it is the head of a strange creature, with the eye in the middle.

A cyclops has one eye.

That’s the important thing to remember.

Can you see your Cyclops head?

ค 👁️

Good!

Now make the connection:

ค → 👁️ Cyclops head→ kh

Notice something important:

ข and ค both have the basic kh sound.

That’s why the memory hooks are useful.

ข → Cobra hissing→ kh

ค → Cyclops head→ kh

The sounds are similar, but the pictures help you tell the letters apart.

---

Letter 4 — ม

Sound: m, as in man

Thai name: ม ม้า (mor ma)

Memory hook: 🔄 Upside-down M

This one is nice and simple.

Take a look at

ม

What does it remind you of?

If you turn the letter around it becomes an M.

So imagine:

ม → turn it upside down → M

Can you see the upside-down M?

ม

Great!

Now make the connection:

ม → 🔄 Upside-down M → m

Whenever you see ม, think:

ม → Upside-down M → m

Easy!

---

Letter 5 — น

Sound: n, as in nose

Thai name: น หนู (nor nuu)

Memory hook: 👃 Nose and ear

Now look at:

น

What does the shape remind you of?

Look carefully at the character and imagine it is a face looking to the right.

See the little loop going downwards at the bottom right?

Imagine that is a nose hanging down from a face. And the other loop on the left is an ear. Nose and ear.

The face is looking to the right and the nose is hanging down.

Can you see it?

น 👃

Great!

Now make the connection:

น → 👃 Nose and ear→ n

Whenever you see น, think:

น → Nose and ear→ n

---

Let’s Put Them Together

Now look at all five letters again:

ก　ข　ค　ม　น

Before you think about the sounds, try to see the pictures.

ก → 🐔 Chicken → k

ข → 🐍 Cobra hissing→ kh

ค → 👁️ Cyclops head→ kh

ม → 🔄 Upside-down M → m

น → 👃 Nose and ear→ n

---

Don’t worry if you can’t remember all five perfectly yet.

The important thing is that you’re actively looking at the shape and trying to see the picture.

That’s how we’re going to continue learning in Super Speed Thai:

Look → Imagine → Connect → Repeat

---

Drill 1 — Letter → Sound

Now let’s test your recognition.

Try to answer each one before looking at the answers.

1. ก = ?
2. ข = ?
3. ค = ?
4. ม = ?
5. น = ?

Answers

1. ก = 🐔 Chicken – k
2. ข = 🐍 Cobra hissing – kh
3. ค = 👁️ Cyclops head – kh
4. ม = 🔄 Upside-down M – m
5. น = 👃 Nose and ear- n

---

Drill 2 — Memory Hook → Letter

Now let’s go in the opposite direction.

Can you use the memory hook to find the correct Thai letter?

1. 🐔 Chicken = ?
2. 🐍 Cobra hissing = ?
3. 👁️ Cyclops head = ?
4. 🔄 Upside-down M = ?
5. 👃 Nose and ear = ?

Answers

1. 🐔 Chicken → ก
2. 🐍 Cobra hissing→ ข
3. 👁️ Cyclops head→ ค
4. 🔄 Upside-down M → ม
5. 👃 Nose and ear→ น

---

Final Test

---

🎉 Well Done!

You’ve completed Super Speed Thai Lesson 1 and learned your first five Thai consonants!

You now know how to recognise ก ข ค ม น, connect each letter to a memory hook, and remember its basic sound.

Don’t worry if you can’t remember every letter perfectly yet. We’ll review them again as you continue through the course.

Five letters down. You’re on your way! 🇹🇭

---