Is it worth it to learn some Thai before going?

[skylar79]

Should you take the time and learn some "basic" Thai? if so what would you recommend?

[LRanger]

yes yes yes. Applies to any country. You get much more respect for at least having a lame attempt that they can laugh at. Just some basics are very handy. Yes No Thankyou, the numbers.

 

Not hard to learn if you practise a bit, spell it out phonetically is the best way to put in long-term memory.

[stevxpl]

If it is your first time then get a Loney Planet or similar phrase book and work with that. It shows your at least putting in the effort and locals of any country take a positive view on that. Maybe take one of those crash tourist courses but anything more than that to me is a waste if you have not been to Thailand before, you may end up hatting the place after your first visit.

 

If you are coming back for a 2nd, 3rd, etc... time and intend to come back more and more then definitely learn the language as best you can. Goes for any country you choose to travel to.

[FROST MEDIC999]

I Phone Apps have a few Free that cover Basics and speak the word so you can say it.

 

Worth learning some basic words phrases ? Oh yes Why ? Because my friend it stops you standing out quite so much as a Newbie First time Tourist thus meaning you won't be Mugged off quite so much

[skylar79]

I'll definitely check out Lonely Planet, and some phrases, was going to try the whole rosetta stone stuff

[tony113]

I think it's a good idea to learn a few words of any country which you are visiting, Hello goodbye please thahkyou yes no and most important of all beer. Go online and you can get afew basic lessons for free.

[FROST MEDIC999]

I think it's a good idea to learn a few words of any country which you are visiting, Hello goodbye please thahkyou yes no and most important of all beer. Go online and you can get afew basic lessons for free.

 

No No No most importantly How Much 5555

[muu]

I'll definitely check out Lonely Planet, and some phrases, was going to try the whole rosetta stone stuff

 

I think (from memory when I was looking) that's quite an expensive way to learn a few phrases/words just for a holiday. Worth considering if you are planning many more trips but there are others on the market. I started with Thai for Beginners by Benjawan Poomsan Becker - book and CD's and they also have some help online.

 

It's definitely worth making the effort.

Edited November 18, 2011 by muu

[steve-c]

thai tourist department has a free Iphone app that is pretty good, maybe its on android too, not sure --- app is speak thai EN, lingopal also has a good free app.

it seems the girls like you to know a little thai but not too much, I had a lot of fun being taught by different girls and they also helped me with pronunciation, few thais speak "proper" thai, same as few of us speak proper english.

at the end of the day I feel that learning some basic stuff before going helped me enjoy that great country and its women.

[LRanger]

Pang Maaak - for when she says "u gip me 3 towsand baht ok"

[Willi]

You must not learn thai words.

When you can speak englisch it is no problem to

talk with the people.

 

When you learn a few words in thai the people are

very happy, they see that you are interested in

the country and the culture.

You will have much more fun when you speak a few words

only.

 

In every book store you will find small books where you can

learn a little bit.

Like, "englisch / thai for bar ladies" or something like that.

 

When you go to a bar and have a drink, put your book on

the bar and you will have a lot of fun with the ladies.

 

Willi

[FROST MEDIC999]

You must not learn thai words.

When you can speak englisch it is no problem to

talk with the people.

 

When you learn a few words in thai the people are

very happy, they see that you are interested in

the country and the culture.

You will have much more fun when you speak a few words

only.

 

In every book store you will find small books where you can

learn a little bit.

Like, "englisch / thai for bar ladies" or something like that.

 

When you go to a bar and have a drink, put your book on

the bar and you will have a lot of fun with the ladies.

 

Willi

 

Place your Penis on the Bar and you can have even.more fun with the Girls that putting a book there 555

[skylar79]

Place your Penis on the Bar and you can have even.more fun with the Girls that putting a book there 555

 

lol

[biggles]

I cant emphasise enough that you need to hear the word spoken, not just read it in a book. Pick out some phrases that you think will help you and then look on line to hear them spoken, its really worth while. On my first trip I had the phrasebook but when I got here my pronunciation was nothing like the real words and everyone just looked at me puzzled.!!

[Willi]

@Ghost Medic

 

Great idea, i will try it next week.

 

Willi

[Thor's Hammer]

"Thai for Lovers" by Nit Ajee & Jack Ajee is useful for mongerers. It has a lot of useful words and phrases, including stuff that you can use in bars and agogo's.

 

But the tone thing is very hard to do.

[Piece Corp]

Girls love it when you throw out a few thai phrases

[Stupid]

IMO Speaking Thai to girls you've just met can also, not always, be a bad thing. I'm not very good, but can stumble through a few basic phrases. Sometimes I get lucky and even get the pronunciation right. The girls automatically think I have Thai Girlfriend because I 'poot geng'. So they move on quickly to someone who cant speak any Thai, because they dont want hassle from 'my girlfriend'! and think they will get more money from the other Falang who may be Greener than me.. Also if you speak Thai, It throws them off guard because they dont know if you can understand them when they're talking to their friends. As for learning the language (Litter Bit), thai-language.com is'nt a bad starting point.

[Stupid]

Girls love it when you throw out a few thai phrases

Depends what phrases you throw out!!

[Stupid]

Should you take the time and learn some "basic" Thai? if so what would you recommend?

Hello? / what is your name? / how old are you? (very important), / how long you work bar? / how much bar fine? / how much Long time?

[Sa-teef]

Learning a few basic words and phrases is a good idea. It can help with the taxi driver or doorman who is not familiar with English.

If you wish to devote the time later, you should consider learning to read and write along with any serious study of a language. Take a look at the web site "Manee and Friends" sometime. 22 free lessons online using the same Thai book that primary students have used in the past.

 

http://www.learningt...om/books/manee/

 

And you can hear the letters and words pronounced on the web site.

[robw]

I think it's a good idea to learn a few words of any country which you are visiting, Hello goodbye please thahkyou yes no and most important of all beer. Go online and you can get afew basic lessons for free.

 

I agree with beer.lol.

[TheOldMan]

I downloaded about 20 learn-to-speak-Thai Podcasts to my iPod yesterday, and I plan to give it a go before I arrive in Thailand.

My problem, though, is that I tend to forget everything I learn as quickly as I learn it ... the old "In one ear and out the other" syndrome! (Oh, to be young again!)

[60minuteman]

yes indeed, theres a youtube playlist called "learn thai the bons way" really good and she's smoking hot, i even managed to get off to the videos by the time Id learnt to count to ten

[sccrhound]

Here are a few links

 

http://om-paramapoonya.hubpages.com/hub/speak-thai

http://www.learningthai.com/books/manee/

http://www.thai2english.com/

http://www.learningthai.com/

http://www.thailanguagebook.com/lessons

 

A good one

http://www.thaipod101.com/?src=gc_Learnthai1_Content_free%20learn%20thai_9086972551_issuu.com&gclid=CJHk4Nfjt6wCFQM75QodUnlvGQ