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Exercise

Tell the time in Thai

Two ways to practise: read the clock and say the time in Thai, or hear/read the Thai and drag the hands to match.

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Tip: the audio is the reference for pronunciation — the romanisation is only an approximation.

How to tell the time in Thai

Thai doesn't use a simple 1–12 clock the way English does. In everyday speech the hour word changes with the part of the day, which is exactly why a visual trainer helps. The colloquial system works like this:

  • 1–5 AM — ตี + number: ตีสอง = 2 AM.
  • 6–11 AM — number + โมงเช้า: แปดโมงเช้า = 8 AM.
  • 12 noon — เที่ยง.
  • 1–3 PM — บ่าย + number + โมง: บ่ายสองโมง = 2 PM.
  • 4–6 PM — number + โมงเย็น: สี่โมงเย็น = 4 PM.
  • 7–11 PM — number + ทุ่ม, counting from 1 again: สองทุ่ม = 8 PM.
  • Midnight — เที่ยงคืน.
  • Minutes — add the number + นาที; half past is ครึ่ง (บ่ายโมงครึ่ง = 1:30 PM).

Tips to learn Thai time faster

  • Learn the four day-part words first (เช้า, บ่าย, เย็น, ทุ่ม) — the rest is just numbers plugged in.
  • Make sure your Thai numbers are solid; every time depends on them.
  • Start with whole hours, then add half hours, then minutes — use the difficulty buttons above.
  • Always say it out loud and compare with the audio; tones matter.
  • Watch out for the evening: ทุ่ม restarts the count, so 7 PM is “one ทุ่ม”.
  • Practise a few minutes every day rather than one long session.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say the time in Thai?

Thai uses a spoken clock that changes with the part of the day: ตี for 1–5 AM, โมงเช้า for the morning, บ่าย…โมง and โมงเย็น for the afternoon, and ทุ่ม for the evening, with เที่ยง (noon) and เที่ยงคืน (midnight).

How do you say “half past” in Thai?

Add ครึ่ง after the hour — for example บ่ายโมงครึ่ง is 1:30 PM.

Is there a formal Thai time system?

Yes. The formal 24-hour system uses นาฬิกา (e.g. 13:00 = สิบสามนาฬิกา) and appears in announcements and official contexts. This trainer teaches the everyday spoken system you'll actually hear.

Read more: the full guide to telling the time in Thai. Next: practise saying the date in Thai, or build the numbers you need with the Thai numbers flashcards.