How do I ask for a glass (or tall plastic cup, etc.) with ice only

[nakriian]

Okay, you walk into a KFC/McDonald's/etc., and want to ask for a cup with ice only. The reason you are doing this is because you have a plastic bottle of Coke in your bag. Not sure how to make this request. I would say something like

ขอน้ำแก็งเปล่าหนึ่งแก้วครับ

However, this seems odd, seems like I am saying "I want 1 glass of empty ice"

ผมขอแก็วใส่น้ำแก็งครับ <= this is what i want to say, but I think it might confuse Thai people and maybe it just sounds unnatural.

Note: I have no problem paying for the cup of ice. I am not asking for a free cup of ice. In USA we can do this, they usually charge some small fee.

[djaidee]

ขอน้ำแก็งเปล่าหนึ่งแก้วครับ

First of all there is a spelling mistake instead of น้ำแก็ง it has to be น้ำแข็ง for "Ice".

Secondly I think that Thais won't charge you anything but what I think for sure is that you would get a "what do you want"-Look and that it may take some time until the Staff understands what you want, even when you speak correct Thai, correct Sentence Structure etc.

Because for Thais I think it would be to unusual to ask for something like that, it is so cheap to buy a Coke with Ice at Mc Donalds, 7/11 or whatever that it would mean the "loss of face" bringing your own Coke and asking for Ice - no Thai never ever what do so.

So I suggest that you keep your Coke for the evening to drink at your Hotel and just buy a new one with Ice.

Learning a Language is also learning about Cultural Things, Behaviour in a different Country etc.

Back to your original Question, I would just ask for the Ice and if not understood you can add to put it in a Cup.

So ขอน้ำแข็งหน่อยนะครับ surely would do it - after that you could add ขอใส่ในแก้วนะครับ

[nam phyyng]

Good reply djaidee!

[Tod-Daniels]

Yep, I hafta agree with "djaidee" on this one. As much as I try not to take into account ANY Thai cultural stuff in my interactions with Thais here, askin' for a glass of ice in a fast food place (or even a soi side stall selling food) because I had my own bottle of Coke is something even I'd never do here.

Now I have seen signs in food courts at the drink counters which said glasses w/ice are for sale, but I've never seen it in McDonald's or restaurants.

You could ask แก้วน้ำแข็งขนาดใหญ่มันเท่าไหร่ this translates word for word as "glass-ice-size-big-it-how-much" or once you actually re-sequence the words to make a coherent English sentence; "how much is a big glass w/ice?" That possibly would be understood by the Thai listening, although I don't know how "correct" the sentence structure is as it's definitely my weak point in Thai.

[nunnapass]

น้ำแข็งเปล่าครับ

[nakriian]

น้ำแข็งเปล่าครับ

Good answer nunnapass. I just came from McDonald's and I ordered พายสับปะรดและน้ำแข็งเปล่าหนึ่งแก้ว ̣(pineapple pie and one cup of ice). I said, "ขอพายสับปะรดและน้ำแข็งเปล่าหนึ่งแก้ว" and I was given a tray with a pineapple pie and one cup of ice. I was only charged for the pineapple pie.

[Tod-Daniels]

Amazing Thailand. .

After all, it's the little things that count. If getting a free glass of ice is high on your priority list, more power to you and your ability in being able to speak Thai clear enough that you were understood and you accomplished your goal.

Glad it worked out.

[djaidee]

The good thing is that you were buying something else - but ordering just a Glass with Ice (ordering nothing else) even if you are willing to pay for it, seems to me very unusual and I think no Thai would ever do so.

You can as well buy a Coke with Ice.

Or what you see a lot and is also very cheap, is buying a very big Plastic Bag with Ice Cubes inside, they are sold everywhere like 7/11 etc. Then people gather around with a Bottle of Whiskey, some Bottles of Soda and the Ice Cubes to make it freezing cold.

A Bad Habit is that Thais even drink their Beer with a lot of Ice Cubes - that's a "No-Go" for Germans, makes the Good Taste of the Beer to "Watery"