Learning Thai

[Scumbag]

There is some good stuff in the attached pdf file. I am moving this to the Learning Thai Language forum.

phrasebook_basic.pdf

[Sofa King High]

I tried this course, again, they are teaching you spoken thai and a lot of this you will not use, it's the same as in English, we are taught Queens English but speak mostly in slang. Get a teacher and use your $200 wisely!

 

Funny considering how I've heard them really praise the 'fact' that "We teach you real Thai, not outdated dictionary Thai". The only Skype teacher I've seen in $30 an hour, may as well just sponsor a BG and learn via Skype the EFL way   (J/K)

I admire your learning written Thai and want to myself one day, but the thought of 70+ letters is a daunting task!

[Davie Duke]

Will you do (something) and smoke and HJ for a 40 baht tip? Chuay plae nii nawy khap

shower together

can fuck ass?

hurt?

you are very very beautiful (?) your 20 yr old tits taste good. (What is kit wa? Sounds like words I've learned but forgotten.)

[your] pussy smell and taste good [jang]!

Whoops! I meant "smoke and HJ for a 40  400 baht tip?"

As mentioned. kit wa means "I think that"

[TK_Knightster]

Funny considering how I've heard them really praise the 'fact' that "We teach you real Thai, not outdated dictionary Thai". The only Skype teacher I've seen in $30 an hour, may as well just sponsor a BG and learn via Skype the EFL way   (J/K)

I admire your learning written Thai and want to myself one day, but the thought of 70+ letters is a daunting task!

Yeah I thought they taught that and spent hours learning to ask for things to then hit the road and find pretty much all I had learnt was discarded and other words were used? I am sure it's very good but for day to day communication with locals I found a better way of learning.

 

44 letters 2 of which are obsolete now, the vowels are the tricky bit and learning a letter can start a word as well as end the word and have to separate sounds ก starts as a "g" and ends as a "k" but once you get your head around these couple of odd bits the rest is straight forward.

[Sofa King High]

Whoops! I meant "smoke and HJ for a 40  400 baht tip?"

As mentioned. kit wa means "I think that"

 

I almost made a CC joke assuming that was the case, but didn't want to offend you if I was wrong 555

 

 

Yeah I thought they taught that and spent hours learning to ask for things to then hit the road and find pretty much all I had learnt was discarded and other words were used? I am sure it's very good but for day to day communication with locals I found a better way of learning.

 

44 letters 2 of which are obsolete now, the vowels are the tricky bit and learning a letter can start a word as well as end the word and have to separate sounds ก starts as a "g" and ends as a "k" but once you get your head around these couple of odd bits the rest is straight forward.

 

44... That damn Wikipedia lied to me again

 

[Scumbag]

I tried this course, again, they are teaching you spoken thai and a lot of this you will not use, it's the same as in English, we are taught Queens English but speak mostly in slang. Get a teacher and use your $200 wisely!

If you are not in Thailand I think a good idea is to first learn how to read Thai. Once you have that under your belt you could learn more once in Thailand. As someone else posting learning the 44 consonants and 15 vowel symbols is daunting. Recently I have decided to again to try to learn Thai. This time I am going to learn by learning to read Thai. I have only just started but I can already recognise some words and understand why they sound like they do. If anyone is interested have a look at Rapid Language Learning. Unfortunately the site is not operating fully at the moment due to a malicious script but it is being rebuilt. There is a free intro course but not sure if it is working at the moment.

 

If anyone starts the course you can find material on the net that is designed to teach children how to read Thai. This makes it simple. Here is an example: Learn Thai with Maanii Books

[Zzune]

 

 

Don't learn to much though as the girls don't like us falangs knowing what they say, and if you can and don't let on, you can have some fun listening in!! LOL

 

This is both true and false.

Girls that only speak basic english feel comfortable if a guy speak thai.

Opens up many opportuneties to hook up with "normal" girls that usually dont speak alot of english.

 

With many of the pro's it's a bad thing, but i can be without thoose that diss me becouse i speak thai....thoose are usually the ones that tries to milk u try ;)

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[TK_Knightster]

This is both true and false.

Girls that only speak basic english feel comfortable if a guy speak thai.

Opens up many opportuneties to hook up with "normal" girls that usually dont speak alot of english.

 

With many of the pro's it's a bad thing, but i can be without thoose that diss me becouse i speak thai....thoose are usually the ones that tries to milk u try ;)

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Non bar girls love the fact you can speak Thai, Bar girls on the other hand are less enthusiastic, but mainly, in my experience, because they think you have a Thai wife/GF and its the whole losing face/Butterfly scenario .....

 

But I have to say that speaking Thai to non bar girls is a blast

[ptr91]

Dont know if anyone posted this yet but here is the "Ghost medic999" list to get you started, had alot of fun thanks to this list so thanks again ghosty! 
Hello = Sawa dee
Thank you (man says) = Kob Khun Krap
Thank you (woman says) = Kob Khun Ka
How are you? = Khun sabai di mai?
I am fine thanks = (man says) Pom sabai di krap.
I am fine thanks= (woman says) Chan sabai di ka.
Basically women say "ka" at the end of a sentence
while men say "krap".
You're welcome = Yin dee krap / ka
Wait = Roh sakru
I= pom (man)
I= chan (woman)
Come = ma
Come from = ma jak
I come from Australia = Pom ma jak pratet Australia (man)/
Chan ma jak pratet Australia (woman)
I love Thailand = Pom/chan rak Meuang Thai.
I love you= pom/chan rak khun

The word leu = past tense meaning it has happened already. The word is used at the end of the sentence to say something already happened.
I have come= ma leu
Go = pai
Gone already = pai leu
Go where = pai nai
Go soon = pai diauni
room= hong
water= nam
Toilet = hong nam
Where is the toilet? = hong nam yu nai?
to enter= kao
heart= jai
to understand = kao jai (literally: to enter the heart)
don't understand = mai kao jai

Eat = gin
Drink = deun
Food = ahan
Candies= kanom
Have eaten already? = gin leu mai krap/ka?
Rice = kao
to eat= kin kao (literally: eat rice)
I am hungry = pom/chan heeu kao
Are you hungry? = Khun heeu kao mai?
Tasty = aroy
I have eaten already thanks = Pom/chan kin leu krap/ka
I am full thank you = Pom/chan im leu krap/ka

I dont know = Mai ru
want = ao
don't want = mai ao
now = ton ni
today = wan ni
tonight = keun ni
this morning = chao ni
tomorrow = prung ni
yesterday = Meua wan
hour= mong
what time is it? = Ton ni gi mong?

water = nam
hard= keng
ice = nam keng (hard water)
hot water = nam ron
cold water = nam yen
waterfall = nam toc
rain = fon
raining = fon toc
shower = ab nam
maybe / perhaps = Bang ti
play = len
speak = pud
funny = sanuk
I know = pom/chan ru
I don't know = pom/ chan mai ru
everything = took sing
large = yai
small = lek
fast = reu, slow = cha

crazy =ba
you are crazy = khun ba
very/ a lot= mak
you are very crazy = khun ba mak
stupid = ting tong
you are stupid = khun ting tong
have = mi
I have = pom/chan mi
I don't have = pom/chan mai mi
you have = khun mi
you don't have = khun mai mi
can not hear you = mai dai yin khun
I can hear you = pom/chan dai yin khun

work = tam ngan
I want = this can be said many ways: pom/ chan ao; pom/ chan tong karn; pom/ chan yak
I think = pom kid wa
why = tam mai
I am sick = pom/ chan mai sabai
good= di
heart= jai
happy = di jai (literally good heart)
I am happy = pom/ chan mi cuam suk; or pom. chan sabai di
I am not happy = pom/ chan mai sabai di

broken= sia
I am sad = pom/ chan sia jai (literally I have a broken heart)
I am sorry = pom/ chan koh tot
I am confused = pom/chan sap son
never mind = mai pen rai
a lot / very = mak
hurt / pain = jeb
I am full = im leu
I forget = Pom/ chan leum leu
where is = yu nai
over there = ti nun
here = ti ni
what= arai
when = meua arai
friend = peuang
good friend = peuang di
problem = pang ha
I have a problem = pom/chan mi pang ha

afraid = klua
frightened / scared = pom/chan klua
smells bad = min
good = di
very good = di mak
bad = mai di
weather= akas
hot weather = akas ron
cold wind = lom yen
strong wind = lom reng
bathroom / toilet = hong nam
shower = ab nam

to look = du
to see = hen
again = ik krang
to tell a lie = pud go hok
shit= ki
lies a lot = pud ki mak (literally speaks shit a lot)
to promise = hai sanya
sorry = ko tot
to sleep = non/ lap
to wake up = teun
eyes= ta
to close your eyes (go to sleep)= lap ta
dreams= fan; good night= lap fan di

A Few Simple Tips:

To make a question just add mai at the end.
To make the negative add mai at the beginning.

Are you hungry? = khun heeu kao mai?
Are you happy ? = khun di jai mai?
Do you have a boy friend ? = khun mi fen leu mai?
I don't understand = mai kao jai
(literally means "doesn't enter the heart")
no thanks = mai ao krap/ka
I don't know = mai ru krap/ka
I don't like it = mai chob krap/ka
eyes = ta
lips = pak
to love= rak
face= na
pretty = na rak (literally lovely face)
beautiful = sway
hansome = loh
breasts = nom
kiss = jup
like = chob
You are very beautiful = khun sway mak
You are very pretty = khun na rak mak

What is your name? = khun cheu arai?
You have a beautiful smile = khun mi yim sway
Happy to meet you = pom mi cuam suk ti dai pop khun
See you again = leu pop khun
Do you have a boy friend? = khun mi fen leu mai?
I like you = pom/chan chob khun
What are you thinking? = khun kid arai?
I am shy = pom ki ai
You look good = khun sway di
You look beautiful = khun sway mak
I will love you a long time = pom/chan rak khun nan leu
Come watch a movie with me = pai du nang kap pom/chan mai?
Come eat with me = pai kin kao kap pom/chan mai?

Bad Words / Swear words in Thai Language

stupid = ting tong
pickle brain = samong dong
dumb/ brainless = mai mi samong
bad person = jai dam (literally black heart)
hot headed = jai ron (literally hot heart)
thief = kamoy    


Numbers:
(1) = neung
(2) = song
(3) = sam
(4) = si
(5) = ha
(6) = hok
(7) = chet
(8) = pet
(9) = kao
(10) = sip
(11) = sip et
(12) = sip song
(13) = sip sam
(14) = sip si
(15) = sip ha
(20) = yee sip    
(21) = yee sip et
(22) = yee sip song
(23) = yee sip sam
(24) = yee sip si
(25) = yee sip ha
(30) = sam sip
(40) = si sip
(50) = ha sip
(60) = hok sip
(70) = chet sip
(80) = pet sip
(90) = kao sip
(100) = neung roi
(150) = neung roi ha sip
(500) = ha roi
1000) = neung pan
1500) = neung pan ha roi
(2000) = si pan
(5000) = ha pan    


2 am = ti song
3 am = ti sam
4 am = ti si
5 am = ti ha
6 am = hok mong chao
7 am = chet mong chao
8 am = pet mong chao
9 am = kao mong chao
10 am = sip mong chao
11 am = sip et mong
mid day = tiang

1 pm = bai neung
2 pm = bai song
3 pm = bai sam
4 pm = si mong yen
5 pm = ha mong yen
6 pm = hok mong yen
7 pm = neung tum
8 pm = song tum
9 pm = sam tum
10 pm = si tum
11 pm = ha tum
midnight = tiang kheun

[slick67]

If you're serious about learning Thai then it's definitely a good idea to invest some time in learning how to read and write.

It's not as difficult as some would like you to believe. I mean, 60+ million people know it and they're not all brain surgeons

Sure, it has 44 consonants and about 30 vowels, but about half the consonants are hardly or never used, and all the vowels are made up of about 12 symbols or so (if you count all the combinations you can make with a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y, you will come pretty close to 30 too I'd think).

So for starters you're looking at about 35 letters to cram into your head. That's just a bit more than our own alphabet, so it shouldn't be impossible...

 

I wouldn't be too quick to do away with a (good) transliterating system though.

 

It is often said that if you can read Thai you will at least know how a word is supposed to be pronounced. This might be true for about 90% of the words, but Thai has a lot of irregular spellings and pronunciations too (it's not nearly as bad as English though )

Even Thai script can't help you then with the right vowel, vowel-length, tone, etc.

A good transliteration, like Benjawan Beckers' for instance, can.

 

For me, even though by now I can read and understand written Thai almost as fast as English, I still get caught off guard sometimes with a pronunciation that is impossible to predict from the Thai spelling. So I still use transliteration to double-check words I'm not sure about.

[TK_Knightster]

If you're serious about learning Thai then it's definitely a good idea to invest some time in learning how to read and write.

It's not as difficult as some would like you to believe. I mean, 60+ million people know it and they're not all brain surgeons

Sure, it has 44 consonants and about 30 vowels, but about half the consonants are hardly or never used, and all the vowels are made up of about 12 symbols or so (if you count all the combinations you can make with a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y, you will come pretty close to 30 too I'd think).

So for starters you're looking at about 35 letters to cram into your head. That's just a bit more than our own alphabet, so it shouldn't be impossible...

I wouldn't be too quick to do away with a (good) transliterating system though.

It is often said that if you can read Thai you will at least know how a word is supposed to be pronounced. This might be true for about 90% of the words, but Thai has a lot of irregular spellings and pronunciations too (it's not nearly as bad as English though )

Even Thai script can't help you then with the right vowel, vowel-length, tone, etc.

A good transliteration, like Benjawan Beckers' for instance, can.

For me, even though by now I can read and understand written Thai almost as fast as English, I still get caught off guard sometimes with a pronunciation that is impossible to predict from the Thai spelling. So I still use transliteration to double-check words I'm not sure about.

Agreed its easy once you get into it, although sticking ห in front of a low class to make a high sound is a bit weird lol

[Oukiva]

I admire your learning written Thai and want to myself one day,

but the thought of 70+ letters is a daunting task!

Hi. I am one of these no-more-memory middle-aged man

and I managed too learn the Thai alphabet

 

I found that for myselft the best method was using flash-cards.

Here are the one I bought: http://www.buythaibooks.com/...

I bought them online (120 baht) and a friend last year found them in a library of ex-Carrefour

 

[Sofa King High]

Hi. I am one of these no-more-memory middle-aged man

and I managed too learn the Thai alphabet

 

I found that for myselft the best method was using flash-cards.

Here are the one I bought: http://www.buythaibooks.com/...

I bought them online (120 baht) and a friend last year found them in a library of ex-Carrefour

 

 

 

Hi. I am one of these no-more-memory middle-aged man

and I managed too learn the Thai alphabet

 

I found that for myselft the best method was using flash-cards.

Here are the one I bought: http://www.buythaibooks.com/...

I bought them online (120 baht) and a friend last year found them in a library of ex-Carrefour

 

Thanks buddy, I swear by flashcards in school so this is right up my alley.

[Scumbag]

Hi. I am one of these no-more-memory middle-aged man

and I managed too learn the Thai alphabet

 

I found that for myselft the best method was using flash-cards.

Here are the one I bought: http://www.buythaibooks.com/...

I bought them online (120 baht) and a friend last year found them in a library of ex-Carrefour

 

There are better ways of learning the alphabet than through rote learning. Using images is a quicker way to learn it. For instance the character you show looks a bit like a chicken and that is why it is call gor gai (ie chicken). The sound of the letter is easy to remember as it is CK as in chiCKen. Below is another example of this technique from the website I provided a link to earlier.

 

[Oukiva]

Using images is a quicker way to learn it. (...)

Below is another example of this technique from the website I provided a link to earlier.

For me flash-cards and images are complementary. You can find cards with images too (the one above is just the one I have).

See by example : Lanna Innovation cards that look like that:

 

I find very strange your solution to introduce objects who are not the traditionnal ones used everywhere for the Thai letters, including to named them!

 

You can buy for 20 baht this kind of poster at Pattaya's markets who will associate images & order to the alphabet:

[Scumbag]

 

 

I find very strange your solution to introduce objects who are not the traditionnal ones used everywhere for the Thai letters, including to named them!

 

It's because it is a learning aid, just like the traditional pictures. I hate learning by rote as it is inefficient and not effective for long term memorising. I learn better and quicker if there is an image I can remember that indicates both the shape of the character and how it sounds. I am sure I am not the only one. Here is another example. Traditionally the letter ง is associated with a picture of a snake. For non-Thai speakers the association between the picture and the symbol is weak (or non-existent) and gives no indication of how the character looks. Remember I was suggesting earlier that people should learn to read Thai before speaking it. If you visualise the character as a person diving (which it looks a little like) you remember the shape and how it sounds (ie diviNG).

 

BTW  I just want to point something out about the flash cards you have shown for ก. On both sets it says that it makes a 'G' sound but I don't think this is quite correct (at least in some instances). You very last flash card seem to be stating the same. It seems to be indicating (by the cross in front of the mouth) that breath is not emitted when the sound is made. Try making a G sound without emitting breath. I have been told that it is a CK sound rather than G. I haven't got that far into it yet so perhaps there are instances where it is more like a G or perhaps my source is wrong....

[bobSL1]

Correct TK - and forget translations its the meaning that counts.....the Thia you learn in school is not spoken in the villages...but you will amuse them....when you ask where the bathroom is......and they just say....... suam 

 

Want some fun...try......Ow Gan...........want some............Ow Gan Mai..........you want some ?    obvious meaning...you will need nothing more.....have fun.

[Zauberfee]

Learn Thai with Mod

[Scumbag]

Learn Thai with Mod

I posted a video of hers yesterday. She's hot!!!!

[Zauberfee]

She's hot!!!!

 

Frankly I don't care if she's hot, but her videos are easy to understand and she makes it easy to learn simple - but very helpful - words and phrases

[El Cata]

Mai Oaw Khap. (Not want -nice-)

 

This one has confused me ever since I came to live here. Sure 'khrap' is polite but is never uttered to a person providing a service, or of a lower status. A stern 'mai ow' will suffice & ward off imminent repeat requests.

 

I made the same mistake at first, saying 'khrap' to the 711 staff etc & was laughed at. They may be used to this silliness in Pattaya but outside of the bubble you'll be seen as an idiot.

[TK_Knightster]

It's because it is a learning aid, just like the traditional pictures. I hate learning by rote as it is inefficient and not effective for long term memorising. I learn better and quicker if there is an image I can remember that indicates both the shape of the character and how it sounds. I am sure I am not the only one. Here is another example. Traditionally the letter ง is associated with a picture of a snake. For non-Thai speakers the association between the picture and the symbol is weak (or non-existent) and gives no indication of how the character looks. Remember I was suggesting earlier that people should learn to read Thai before speaking it. If you visualise the character as a person diving (which it looks a little like) you remember the shape and how it sounds (ie diviNG).

 

BTW  I just want to point something out about the flash cards you have shown for ก. On both sets it says that it makes a 'G' sound but I don't think this is quite correct (at least in some instances). You very last flash card seem to be stating the same. It seems to be indicating (by the cross in front of the mouth) that breath is not emitted when the sound is made. Try making a G sound without emitting breath. I have been told that it is a CK sound rather than G. I haven't got that far into it yet so perhaps there are instances where it is more like a G or perhaps my source is wrong....

Hi,

 

Ok, trust me when I tell you this, learning to read and using your memory technique or association will cause you no end of problems as you are steering away from the meaning of the letter. To associate ง with diving will only slow down your learning as it is a snake and reflecting the letters ng. If you learn diving and then your in conversation you will struggle when a Thai mentions a snake as you will have to convert nguu from diving back to its original meaning. You do the same with Leaf which you have changed to submarine? Learn the words for how they are meant and also for what they mean and already your learning words you can use in sentences.

 

You also say the flash card for Chicken is wrong by pronouncing the G and not a K, once you get more into learning the language you will move to a section called Final Consonants which changes the sound of the Consonant. Basically you will start a word using "G" (goh gai) but if you place this at the end it will change to (K)

 

A good example is this word used to talk about a glass pane. It starts using "G" (ก) and ends using the same letter (ก) but it now changes to a K sound.....กระจก

 

I can read and write fluently in Thai and in my own opinion for what it is worth, changing an already associated name to an image that's easier to remember will only confuse you later on once you start to speak, read and write quickly and in most cases at normal pace.

 

Hope this helps..........

[TK_Knightster]

 

It seems to be indicating (by the cross in front of the mouth) that breath is not emitted when the sound is made. Try making a G sound without emitting breath. I have been told that it is a CK sound rather than G. I haven't got that far into it yet so perhaps there are instances where it is more like a G or perhaps my source is wrong....

What the card is saying is it's not pronounced as a long consonant, it's a short and very abrupt letter with no long breath, as in if you said aaaahhhhhhhh or ah, so it's telling you to say g not gaaaaaa

[TK_Knightster]

This one has confused me ever since I came to live here. Sure 'khrap' is polite but is never uttered to a person providing a service, or of a lower status. A stern 'mai ow' will suffice & ward off imminent repeat requests.

 

I made the same mistake at first, saying 'khrap' to the 711 staff etc & was laughed at. They may be used to this silliness in Pattaya but outside of the bubble you'll be seen as an idiot.

Spot on, get out of tourist land and what gets said across the bar would in some circumstances get you banished from the village. I have to be very careful and switch into the "real world" when we go visit, if I spoke to my other halfs parents using some terminology I used back here and at work I would be very frowned upon........

[slick67]

 

Agreed its easy once you get into it, although sticking ห in front of a low class to make a high sound is a bit weird lol

That's because the low-class consonants that you can stick ห in front of (ง ญ น ม ว ย ร ล) don't have a high-class counterpart. So the ห is needed to be able to give words starting with these consonants high-class tones.