Want to speak a bit of Thai, any advice?

[rhumandcoke]

My next trip to Pattaya is due for September, I would like to learn to speak some basic Thai. Just like ordering in restaurant type of thing.

 

On my first trip last December, I learn a few words and sentences with my bar girls, but I want a bit more than that.

 

Can anyone suggest some books or dvd/cd, is there a Thai language for dummie? I saw some at the bookshop, but was wondering if any PA members had some suggestion?

 

Cheers.

[dave-]

i bought a couple of books from here - http://www.bangkokbooks.com/php/product/product-list.php?sub_cate_id=00010

some usefull stuff in them

[Fuckman]

Check out this website:

http://learn-thai-podcast.com/thai-language/

[Bakwan]

I recommend "Thai for Beginners" from Paiboon Publsihing (available almost everywhere). Actually, this is a basic book for people who are seriously interested in learning to speak, read and write Thai. If you're only interested in learning some basic phrases, this book may be a bit too detailed for you. But it's still an excellent reference.

 

See: http://www.paiboonpublishing.com/

 

I also highly recommend their Thai/English Dictionary software which you can also find (and purchase) at: http://word-in-the-hand.com/thaidictwin_ov.html

 

Bakwan

[Xylanic]

Check out this website:

http://learn-thai-po.../thai-language/

 

I second this but this is an expensive and intense course. I would suggest following Bakwan's advice with the basic Thai book. I'd also suggest Complete Thai, a common book you can also find which I think does a better job at teaching the reading portion.

 

Learn Thai Podcast will get you fluent if you spend enough time with it, but it's massive and a bit daunting.

 

Its4thai.com is also a decent little website and it's how I started.

[bigbill340]

Have you tried looking on some of the torrent sites?? I got some basic Thai stuff off of there that was really quite good!!!

 

learn thai › isoHunt › the BitTorrent & P2P search engine

 

The visual dictionary ones are the ones I liked!!

 

 

 

Bill

 

 

Also this might be helpfull

 

 

thai-language.com - Dictionary

Edited February 15, 2012 by bigbill340

[romeo1981]

Pimsleur makes decent audio books on different languages.

Never tried thai but had moderate succes with the spanish audiobook(gave up halve way).

 

Here is a link.

http://www.pimsleur.com/Learn-Thai

 

i belive U can downlad them in mp3 format.

[manni2011]

I do not think a book will be the best route. It's pretty unlikely you'll pronounce the tones correctly. Try to find something with an audio component. There's a few iPhone apps that are good and they are happy because if you cant pronoune things correctly you can just play the audio to the Thai you are speaking to.

[poskat]

this is the site you want:

 

http://www.learningthai.com/speak-thai/index.php

 

it has lessons on basic thai. click on the thai script to hear the pronounciation.

[dount]

Try this website helps me alot, also click on the speaker image

so you can hear the word or the sentence.

 

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

 

hopefully this will help.

[slipperysam]

I recommend "Thai for Beginners" from Paiboon Publsihing (available almost everywhere). Actually, this is a basic book for people who are seriously interested in learning to speak, read and write Thai. If you're only interested in learning some basic phrases, this book may be a bit too detailed for you. But it's still an excellent reference.

 

See: http://www.paiboonpublishing.com/

 

I also highly recommend their Thai/English Dictionary software which you can also find (and purchase) at: http://word-in-the-h...dictwin_ov.html

 

Bakwan

I used this series and managed to get through a year of living in BKK where hardly anyone spoke a word of english. Learning some phrases from your BG is a bit dicey as they have been known to tell you the wrong thing to get a laugh.

Edited February 16, 2012 by slipperysam

[Ali]

There are sum good books you can get in the Asia book shops anywhere in Thailand.

I got a great one a few years ago, its more for intimate evenings in with a lady or fun afternoons out drinking in a few bars, its called the "Pink Book" Thai For Lovers. I have had some great fun days and nights with this book lol!

[jayarr]

err nevermind

Edited February 17, 2012 by jayarr

[rhumandcoke]

Cheers for all those infos, especially for the links. I'll have a look over the weekend and let you know about it. I agree that the best are the ones with audio content. Since I'm just looking at a basic level to get by on every day conversation, not sure of how much I want to spend on that...

[Daveo RIP]

We have a few various language books in the bookshop from the basic bar language chat translators to the advanced.

[illuxion]

This is my favorite dictionary. http://www.amazon.com/Thai-English-English-Thai-Dictionary-Non-Thai-Speakers/dp/1887521143/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1329546269&sr=8-3 I'm on my third one. While I speak, read and write reasonably well for a 5 year old, I'm still a newb and that little book has helped me since the days when I was giving wais to hotel staff 5555

[pubstud]

I used this series and managed to get through a year of living in BKK where hardly anyone spoke a word of english. Learning some phrases from your BG is a bit dicey as they have been known to tell you the wrong thing to get a laugh.

 

I'll second that. I can recall years ago when I started out learning Thai having Thais teach me crazy things and mischievious stuff. That's why it's much better to get lessons from a qualified Thai teacher or a middle-class Thai, not from bargals and semi-illiterate neighbors. I remember once my neighbors talking to me and saying things I couldn't understand - they were actually saying bad things about my missis, and putting words in my mouth - then they went and told my missis I'd been talking to them and telling them my missis was a whore and a slagbag. Of course my missis goes berserk and starts abusing me and all the neighbors are pissing themselves laughing. So you got to be careful, Thais can be mischievious bastards when they care to be.

[LISBON]

this is the site you want:

 

http://www.learningt...-thai/index.php

 

it has lessons on basic thai. click on the thai script to hear the pronounciation.

Excellent link

[LISBON]

My next trip to Pattaya is due for September, I would like to learn to speak some basic Thai. Just like ordering in restaurant type of thing.

 

On my first trip last December, I learn a few words and sentences with my bar girls, but I want a bit more than that.

 

Can anyone suggest some books or dvd/cd, is there a Thai language for dummie? I saw some at the bookshop, but was wondering if any PA members had some suggestion?

 

Cheers.

 

I purchased a PDQ Thai Linguaphone language (book +3cds) course from Amazon, think it was £13 best thing i every did. Use to play the CD's in the car on the way to work, so easy to understand and learn. Well recommended for the money, might even get it second-hand from ebay.

[El Cata]

I got the 'Thai Learning Pack' from uTorrent.

 

Colloquial Thai + audio

Teach Yourself Thai + audio

Teach Yourself Thai conversation + audio

Thai for beginners + audio

Living Language Spoken World Thai + audio

Linguaphone Thai course

Thai an essential grammar

Speak like a Thai 1+2 + audio

 

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/6210676

 

Everything you need apart from these sites, which are very good for reading & writing.

 

http://www.learningthai.com/index.php

 

http://phil.uk.net/t...rial_index.html

Edited February 18, 2012 by El Cata

[LISBON]

I got the 'Thai Learning Pack' from uTorrent.

 

 

 

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/6210676

 

Everything you need apart from these sites, which are very good for reading & writing.

 

http://www.learningthai.com/index.php

 

http://phil.uk.net/t...rial_index.html

 

Are downloads from uTorrent. safe?

[Lucky Misfit]

I would recommend Pimsluer Thai for you. I think this is perfect for the casual learner because of its step by step approach. Each unit builds on the last lesson and you can become "functional" quickly.

 

For a more comprehensive beginners course I recommend High Speed Thai. This course is a much broader course than any other I've seen and much easier to follow. I researched quite a few courses including PDQ/Rosetta/Before you land etc before taking the plunge on this. Again I like the step by step unit approach the HighSpeedThai course takes. The required learning to read / write segment (which is fantastic) can be laborious if you don't have the right motivation. This must be complete before any actual language learning occurs. This is a serious beginners course, and not so much the rote learning of a phrase book. When fully completed I expect to in a low-intermediate position.

[FROST MEDIC999]

Let's be frank Thai for most of us is Bloody Hard I cannot read it never will and rather than being Crap my Thai is poor 55555

 

For ease and what the Poster may need the I-Phone does a couple of free Apps

 

You can also record some stuff on your I-Phone then use it with an earpiece in and play it back as a reminder and only you hears it 5555 some of the Girls may then think you know more than you do 5555

[slick67]

I got the 'Thai Learning Pack' from uTorrent.

 

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/6210676

 

Everything you need apart from these sites, which are very good for reading & writing.

 

 

Thanks! Downloading it now!

[pubstud]

Let's be frank Thai for most of us is Bloody Hard I cannot read it never will and rather than being Crap my Thai is poor 55555

 

For ease and what the Poster may need the I-Phone does a couple of free Apps

 

You can also record some stuff on your I-Phone then use it with an earpiece in and play it back as a reminder and only you hears it 5555 some of the Girls may then think you know more than you do 5555

 

Actually reading is a piece of piss. I sussed out the Thai alphabet in a couple of weeks, and i sure don't have any special gifts for language. I read Thai menus, signs and stuff. I can't really read books or newspapers because I don't have that much vocab - I can read the words but don't know what they all mean.