How to Say Sorry and Excuse Me in Thai

If you want to know how to say sorry in Thai, the simplest way is khǒ thôht (ขอโทษ) — one flexible phrase that also means excuse me in Thai. Men add khráp and women add khâ to stay polite: khǒ thôht khráp or khǒ thôht khâ. Use it to apologize, to squeeze past someone, or to get a stranger's attention.

When I first moved to Thailand, I over-apologized like a nervous tourist — saying sorry for things no Thai person would ever apologize for. Over time I learned that saying sorry here is less about the words and more about tone, timing, and body language. This guide covers every version of sorry and excuse me you'll actually need, how formal each one is, the difference between an apology and sympathy, and the face-saving culture that decides when an apology even makes sense.

How do you say sorry in Thai? (quick reference)

If you only remember one phrase, make it khǒ thôht. Here are the phrases most travellers and expats reach for, from a light social sorry to a full apology:

• ขอโทษ — khǒ thôht — sorry / excuse me (the all-purpose word)

• ขอโทษครับ / ขอโทษค่ะ — khǒ thôht khráp / khǒ thôht khâ — polite sorry (male / female)

• ขอโทษจริงๆ — khǒ thôht jing jing — I'm really sorry (sincere)

• ขออภัย — khǒ aphai — I apologize (formal, official)

• ขอทาง — khǒ thaang — excuse me, may I get past?

• เสียใจด้วย — sǐa jai dûai — I'm sorry (for your loss / sympathy)

Notice that the same English word sorry maps onto two very different Thai ideas: apologizing for a fault (khǒ thôht) and feeling sad for someone (sǐa jai). Getting that split right is the single biggest thing that separates a beginner from someone who sounds natural.

Khǒ thôht (ขอโทษ): the one word for sorry and excuse me

Khǒ thôht (ขอโทษ) literally means "I ask for punishment" — khǒ (ขอ) is "to ask for" and thôht (โทษ) is "punishment" or "blame". You are symbolically offering to take the blame, which is why it works for everything from a tiny bump to a genuine apology.

Pronounce it roughly kaw-thôat, with a rising tone on khǒ and a falling tone on thôht. The tones matter more than the exact vowels — a flat, toneless "ko tot" can sound blank or even rude. If Thai tones are new to you, start with our guide to the five Thai tones and general Thai pronunciation basics.

Almost every time, you should attach a politeness particle. Men say khǒ thôht khráp (ขอโทษครับ) and women say khǒ thôht khâ (ขอโทษค่ะ). Dropping the particle isn't wrong, but it sounds curt — a bit like muttering "sorry" without looking up. If you're unsure how khráp and khâ work, read our full guide to the politeness particles khráp and khâ.

To soften a casual sorry among friends, add ná: khǒ thôht ná (ขอโทษนะ) feels warm and light, like "sorry about that." To make it stronger and more sincere, add jing jing (จริงๆ, "really really"): khǒ thôht jing jing means "I'm truly sorry."

How to say excuse me in Thai

The good news: khǒ thôht is also how you say excuse me in Thai in most everyday situations. But there are a few specific moments where a different phrase sounds more natural.

Getting past someone in a crowd

On a packed BTS train or a busy market lane, say khǒ thôht khráp/khâ to ask someone to let you through. If you want to be extra clear, use khǒ thaang (ขอทาง), which literally means "may I have the way?" A quick khǒ thôht plus a small hand gesture and a smile gets you through almost anywhere.

Getting a stranger's attention

To flag down someone you don't know — to ask for directions, say — open with khǒ thôht khráp/khâ, exactly like "excuse me, could you help?" in English. It's polite, warm, and instantly signals that you're being respectful.

Calling a waiter or shop staff

Here's a cultural surprise: Thais usually don't say "excuse me" to call a waiter. Instead they use a friendly kinship word. Call a younger server nɔ́ɔng (น้อง, "younger sibling") and an older one phîi (พี่, "older sibling"). A cheerful phîi khráp / phîi khâ across the room is completely normal and far more natural than shouting "excuse me."

Interrupting or saying "pardon?"

To interrupt politely, lead with khǒ thôht khráp/khâ before your question. If you didn't catch what someone said, you can say khǒ thôht, mâi dâi yin (ขอโทษ ไม่ได้ยิน, "sorry, I didn't hear") or simply arai ná khráp / arai ná khá (อะไรนะ, "what was that?"). Note the softening ná — it keeps the question from sounding blunt.

Sorry vs. sorry: khǒ thôht vs. sǐa jai

English uses one word — sorry — for two different feelings, and this trips up almost every learner. Thai keeps them separate:

• khǒ thôht (ขอโทษ) = an apology. You did something, or you're interrupting, and you take responsibility.

• sǐa jai (เสียใจ) = feeling sad or sorry for someone. It literally means "lose heart" and expresses empathy, not fault.

So if a Thai friend tells you a relative passed away, you never say khǒ thôht — that would sound like you caused it. You say sǐa jai dûai (เสียใจด้วย), "I'm sorry for your loss." Mixing these up is one of the most common and most awkward beginner errors, so it's worth locking in early alongside the other beginner mistakes to avoid.

Severity levels: from a light sorry to a formal apology

Thai apologies scale up depending on what happened. Match the level to the situation — over-apologizing can be as awkward as under-apologizing.

1. Level 1 — social lubricant. You bumped someone, you're squeezing past, you interrupted. Say khǒ thôht khráp/khâ with a smile and move on. No big deal.

2. Level 2 — a real but small mistake. You're late, you spilled something, you made an error. Say khǒ thôht jing jing (I'm really sorry) and briefly explain or offer to fix it.

3. Level 3 — formal or official. In business, announcements, or signage you'll see khǒ aphai (ขออภัย). "We apologize for the inconvenience" is khǒ aphai nai khwaam mâi sadùak (ขออภัยในความไม่สะดวก).

4. Level 4 — a serious wrong. For something that genuinely hurt someone, words alone aren't enough. A sincere khǒ thôht is paired with a wâi (the palms-together gesture), a lowered head, and a real effort to make things right.

The pattern that Thais respect most isn't dramatic wording — it's a calm, sincere apology plus action. Saying sorry ten times means little; fixing the problem once means everything.

Useful Thai sorry and excuse me phrases

Here's a practical phrasebook you can screenshot before a trip. Each phrase includes Thai script and a consistent romanization with tone marks:

• ขอโทษที่มาสาย — khǒ thôht thîi maa sǎai — sorry I'm late

• เป็นความผิดของผม / ของฉัน — pen khwaam phìt khǒng phǒm / khǒng chǎn — it's my fault (male / female)

• ขอโทษที่รบกวน — khǒ thôht thîi rópguan — sorry to bother you

• ยกโทษให้ผม / ฉันด้วย — yók thôht hâi phǒm / chǎn dûai — please forgive me

• ขอโทษ ไม่ได้ตั้งใจ — khǒ thôht, mâi dâi tâng jai — sorry, I didn't mean to

• ขอโทษนะ — khǒ thôht ná — sorry (soft, casual)

• เสียใจด้วยนะ — sǐa jai dûai ná — I'm so sorry (condolences)

Practising these out loud, with the tones, beats memorising a wall of vocabulary. If you want a broader survival kit, pair this with our essential Thai phrases for your trip and the most important Thai words for beginners.

When do Thai people actually apologize? (mâi pen rai and saving face)

This is the part travel phrasebooks skip. In Thailand, how and whether you apologize is shaped by the culture of face and harmony. Knowing this stops you from either over-apologizing or accidentally causing offence.

Mâi pen rai: the great smoother-over

For small mishaps, Thais often wave the whole thing away with mâi pen rai (ไม่เป็นไร), "never mind / it's okay." If you apologize and someone replies mâi pen rai khráp/khâ, that's your cue to let it go too — insisting on apologizing further can make things more awkward, not less. It's the polite full stop. Learn the full range of meanings in our guide to what mâi pen rai really means.

Saving face: kreng jai and sǐa nâa

Two ideas run underneath every Thai apology. Kreng jai (เกรงใจ) is a considerate reluctance to impose on or embarrass others. Sǐa nâa (เสียหน้า) means "to lose face." Because publicly blaming someone makes them lose face, Thais often avoid loud, direct apologies in front of others — a quiet word, a smile, or simply fixing the issue can be preferred over a dramatic "I'm so sorry!" scene.

Why over-apologizing feels off

In many Western cultures, "sorry" is a reflex — we say it when someone else bumps us. In Thailand, spraying apologies everywhere can read as anxious or even a little insincere. A single, calm khǒ thôht lands better than five rushed ones. Save the sincere apologies for when they genuinely count.

Body language when you apologize in Thai

Words are only half of it. In Thai culture, your body communicates as much as your mouth — and getting the physical cues right makes even shaky pronunciation forgivable.

• The wâi. For a sincere apology to someone older or senior, a wâi (palms pressed together, slight bow) shows real respect. For a casual "excuse me," skip it — a smile is enough.

• Lower your head and body. When you pass in front of someone seated — especially an elder or a monk — dip your head and duck slightly. It signals "sorry to cross your space."

• Keep it gentle. A soft voice, relaxed shoulders, and eye contact that isn't aggressive all read as sincere. Loud, animated apologies can feel like you're making a scene.

• Mind your feet. Never point your feet at someone or step over them; if you accidentally do, a quick khǒ thôht smooths it over.

The Thai smile does a lot of heavy lifting here. A warm, slightly embarrassed smile with your khǒ thôht communicates humility far better than perfect grammar — and it's the same smile that makes saying hello with sawasdee and saying thank you in Thai land so warmly.

Common mistakes foreigners make

• Confusing khǒ thôht and sǐa jai. Saying khǒ thôht for a death or misfortune sounds like you caused it. Use sǐa jai dûai for sympathy.

• Dropping the particle. Bare khǒ thôht can sound curt. Add khráp or khâ in almost every situation.

• Wâi-ing the waiter. You don't wâi service staff or children. A smile is right; a formal wâi feels awkward.

• Over-apologizing. Repeating sorry after someone says mâi pen rai prolongs the discomfort. Let it go.

• Flat tones. "Ko tot" with no tones can sound blank. The rising-then-falling melody is what makes it read as genuine.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "I'm sorry" in Thai?

Say khǒ thôht (ขอโทษ), adding khráp if you're male or khâ if you're female: khǒ thôht khráp / khǒ thôht khâ. For a sincere apology, add jing jing ("really") to get khǒ thôht jing jing.

What does khǒ thôht mean?

Khǒ thôht (ขอโทษ) literally means "I ask for punishment/blame." In practice it covers both "sorry" and "excuse me," making it the single most useful politeness phrase for travellers in Thailand.

How do you say excuse me in Thai to get past someone?

Use khǒ thôht khráp/khâ or the more specific khǒ thaang (ขอทาง, "may I have the way?"). Pair it with a small hand gesture and a smile and people will happily make room.

Is khǒ thôht formal or informal?

It's neutral and works everywhere. Add khráp/khâ to make it polite, ná to make it casual and warm, or switch to khǒ aphai (ขออภัย) for formal, official, or written apologies.

How do you respond when someone apologizes in Thai?

Reply with mâi pen rai khráp/khâ (ไม่เป็นไร), meaning "it's okay / never mind." It reassures the other person and gracefully closes the exchange — the Thai equivalent of "no worries."

What's the difference between khǒ thôht and sǐa jai?

Khǒ thôht is an apology for something you did or are doing. Sǐa jai (เสียใจ) expresses sadness or sympathy for someone else, as in "I'm sorry for your loss" — sǐa jai dûai. Never use khǒ thôht for condolences.

Do Thai people say sorry a lot?

Less reflexively than many Westerners. Thanks to the mâi pen rai mindset and the culture of saving face, small mishaps are often waved away rather than apologized for. A calm, sincere sorry when it truly matters carries more weight than constant apologies.

How do you say "excuse me" to a waiter in Thailand?

Instead of "excuse me," call staff with a friendly phîi (พี่) for someone older or nɔ́ɔng (น้อง) for someone younger, plus khráp/khâ. It's warmer and far more natural than a formal excuse-me.

Put it into practice

Saying sorry and excuse me in Thai comes down to one flexible phrase — khǒ thôht — plus the right particle, the right level of sincerity, and an awareness of face. Master that, and you'll navigate everything from a crowded train to a genuine apology with grace.

The fastest way to make these phrases stick is to hear the tones and say them out loud. Try a free Pasaa trial lesson — you'll practise khǒ thôht, khráp/khâ, and everyday phrases with native audio and instant tone feedback, so you don't just know what to say, but exactly how to say it.