4 Best Thai English Dictionaries for Beginners
About the Author
Sesera editorial account organizes laptop, mini PC, smartphone, and gadget buying guides so readers can check the important points before buying.
Choosing a Thai-English dictionary can be tricky when you want to know which format and learning aids will suit your needs.
Depending on the book, you’ll find features such as grammar guidance, pronunciation support, and different ways to look up words.
This time, we’ll introduce the Thai Essential Dictionary, the Thai-English, English-Thai Dictionary for Non-Thai Speakers, Revised Edition, the Periplus Pocket Thai Dictionary, and the Tuttle Pocket Thai Dictionary.
Quick-reference table of recommended products
| Product name | Dictionary structure | Included learning aids | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
 Thai Essential Dictionary | Thai-to-English and English-to-Thai reference dictionary | Thai and English grammar supplements with examples | 480 pages |
| Thai-English, English-Thai Dictionary for Non-Thai Speakers, Revised Edition | English-Phonetic-Thai, Phonetic-Thai-English, and Thai-Phonetic-English sections | — | 658 pages |
 Periplus Pocket Thai Dictionary | English-Thai and Thai-English sections | Thai grammar and pronunciation reference guide | 160 pages |
 Tuttle Pocket Thai Dictionary | Vocabulary in both directions; Thai-English section organized alphabetically | — | 608 pages |
Thai Essential Dictionary
The Thai Essential Dictionary is recommended for beginners who want a two-way Thai-English reference with support for reading Thai words and phrases in romanized transcription. It contains 23,000 translations, and its grammar supplements cover main points of both Thai and English grammar with examples.
Thai-English, English-Thai Dictionary for Non-Thai Speakers, Revised Edition
This dictionary is recommended for English speakers who want a reference designed to help them communicate in Thai. Its three sections pair English with phonetic Thai, phonetic Thai with English, and Thai with phonetic English.
Periplus Pocket Thai Dictionary
The Periplus Pocket Thai Dictionary is recommended for travelers and beginning Thai learners who want a compact reference for looking up words in either direction. It has English-Thai and Thai-English sections, over 12,000 entries, and a guide to essential Thai grammar and pronunciation.
Tuttle Pocket Thai Dictionary
The Tuttle Pocket Thai Dictionary is recommended for English speakers who want to look up everyday vocabulary in both directions, including current Internet and social media terms. Its Thai-English section uses standard Thai Romanization and is arranged alphabetically, while words appear in both romanized form and traditional script.
Choose by how you want to look up Thai
- Beginners looking for romanized Thai words and Thai and English grammar support
- English speakers who want phonetic Thai lookup in three section pairings
- Travelers and beginning learners looking for a pocket-sized dictionary with Thai grammar and pronunciation guidance
- English speakers looking up everyday vocabulary, including Internet and social media terms, through alphabetized Thai Romanization
