Remembering Tones

[herds]

The last week i've been formally learning tones, the rules as such, i didn't really bother before and just kinda ahd the tone right by parrot fashion with friends.

 

Now, it all makes sense, i have a chart where you can determine tones based on the consonant and sounds etc etc, this is not a problem and i'm also getting a lot better at determining which tones are which thanks to this..

 

http://www.thai-language.com/id/798459

 

So currently I can read syllables and then compare them to the chart to check the tone or i can (if it's a word I know) visualize the word and then make an educated guess as to what tone it is and this is getting easy the more i practice.

 

but...

 

how do you remember them each and every time you speak, without having to do this sort each and every time. I'm sure the answer is practice, but it just seems like such a difficult thing to accomplish. Is this something that very advanced foreigner speakers spend doing when learning thai or the most difficult thing to get perfect when you are in advanced stages? perhaps i'm running before i can walk worrying about it :/

Edited January 21, 2009 by herds