Thai For Beginners - Lesson 1

[MooNoi]

Hi Guys,

 

I posted the body of this thread on another forum, and Samak said it might be an idea to start some small lessons for practical situations that might help you guys out when you come to LOS.

 

So the first lesson is:

 

"CATCHING A TAXI FROM THE AIRPORT"

 

Scenario: Catching a taxi from the new airport to Sukhumwith Soi 4. (So feel free to change the location in the example below to wherever you're going!)

 

Learn these three sentences for when you open the cab door...

 

1) "Yak ja bai Sukhumwit Soi See Khrup"

(I would like to go to Sukhumwit Soi 4)

 

2) "Burt meter dai mai khrup"

(Can you open the meter?)

 

3) "Bai thaang doo-un khrup"

(Use the tollway)

 

Even if these are the only 3 Thai things you can say, he'll think "you speak good Thai" and assume you know what your doing (even if you don't!) and switch the meter on.

 

(Sorry if the English spelling of Thai looks weird... best I can translate it as!)

 

There might be slight variations on the way people might say this (my Thai's far from perfect) but you will have no problems being understood if you say the above.

 

If anyone has any ideas for other situations they might like to know how to deal with in Thai, feel free to post!

 

Maybe some of the guys like Samak, Hua Nguu etc can type a few lessons as well to help people out.

 

Hope this helps,

Moo Noi

[belfastish]

this is a great idea!!

 

thao rai ='how much' would you add krap to this?

 

yin dee=your welcome

 

poot dai nit noy=i speak a little

 

im a beginner but im trying so correct if need be

[MooNoi]

this is a great idea!!

 

thao rai ='how much' would you add krap to this?

 

yin dee=your welcome

 

poot dai nit noy=i speak a little

 

im a beginner but im trying so correct if need be

 

 

Would you add "khrup" to this?

 

Yes. You should add it to the end of each sentence. Well... at least the end of each of the first few sentences you say in a converation. You can drop it after this. Depending on the person you are talking to and how well you know them of course.

 

Adding "khrup" does make things more polite.

 

(And don't forget, you can say "khup" instead of "khrup" if you are lazy... most Thai guys do!)

[elef]

Khrup is the normal english spelling to give an idea of the pronounciation, maybe it's because I'm swedish and reflects how we spell the same thai words but IMO kap is closer to what thai men say, ka or kha to what thai women say

[MooNoi]

Khrup is the formal version if you like, and the way it should be said.

 

Khup is an abbreviation.

 

Same as "kraphom" and "kaphom".

 

Same meaning, just one is an abbreviation.

[elef]

kap khun ma kap (ma probably is makk)

[samak]

ma kap khun rue pai kap khun kap; ma kap ma kap; ma khee ma rue khun khee ma kap!

everything clear?

[MooNoi]

 

Get a Thai friend to translate this from English to Thai... if you can say it right, with ALL the correct tones, you're on the right track:

 

"He put white rice on his knee"

[Khun004]

small lessons for practical situations ...[snip]...Scenario: Catching a taxi from the new airport

Excellent idea.

 

1) "Yak ja bai Sukhumwit Soi See Khrup"

(I would like to go to Sukhumwit Soi 4)

 

That's exactly what I used to say, and my Thai girl friend laughed at me every time, and often, so did the taxi drivers.

Finally I asked her why.

She explained, "You don't have to say all that. Thai people just say, 'Sukhumwit Soi See, Krup'".

 

Since I've changed to saying the absolute minimum of words to convey the meaning, Thais seem to understand me far more easily.

 

If anyone has any ideas for other situations they might like to know how to deal with in Thai, feel free to post!

 

I maintain that knowing only five words or phrases of the local language, one can survive in any country in the world:

[color:purple]

• Please
  
• Thank you
  
• Yes
  
• No
  
• Where is the toilet?
  

[/color]

All the rest could be accomplished by pointing and gesturing.

For example, point to some food, and say "please".

Here is that list, with transliteration into Thai, plus comments:

 

• [color:purple]Please:[/color] Thais don't say, "please" very often. Instead I just hear a lot of [color:blue]"krup"[/color] where we would say, "please".
  
• [color:purple]Thank you:[/color] "Kop-khun-krup"[/b][/color], but if you just say [color:blue]"krup"[/color] with a big smile, it will do.
  
• [color:purple]Yes:[/color] [color:blue]"Krup"[/color]
  
• [color:purple]No:[/color] [color:blue]"My"[/color], always follow with [color:blue]"krup"[/color].
  
• [color:purple]Where is the toilet?[/color] Among themselves, Thais use a different word, "hong-naam", but they all know the meaning of [color:blue]"toy-let"[/color].
  

 

So, the absolute minimum for survival in Thailand is, [color:blue]"krup", "mai krup",[/color] and [color:blue]"toy-let krup".[/color]

 

[Khun004]

thao rai ='how much' would you add krap to this?

Certainly, yes.

When I sometimes neglect to add, [color:blue]krup,[/color] often a woman vendor or shop clerk will say it for me, in a slightly stern voice, as if correcting a child!

 

yin dee=your welcome

Correct, but I almost never hear that.

It is considered formal speech, not in everyday use.

The common vernacular is, [color:blue] "my-pen-rye, krup"[/color], meaning, "never mind".

 

poot dai nit noy=i speak a little

That's correct, but I advise against using it.

If you do, the Thais will either test you, or laugh at you, or (probably) both.

They will start speaking fast, in slang, and, probably, in their dialect of Isaarn-Lao, which is very different than the central Thai dialect taught on CDs and in language classes.

Unless you say that to a bar girl, then she will smile, and agree, and tell you how excellently you speak Thai.