"Mai khuey aow"

[Guest]

Chaiyo!

 

HT

[Pharcyde]

Actually if you say to your girl"I yak dai you" can also mean that you would like to bed her.

 

Just to complete the confusion.

[Guest]

Hi HT,

 

It's really not possible to just take one English translation of a Thai word. One has to place it in the context and then translate the context.

 

For example "thongkarn" kan mean "want, need, must have

Yaak is more often than not "would like to";

"Yaak Dai" translates mostly in "Would like to have"

"Yaak Pai" translates mostly in "Would like to go"

Often these combinations are used in situation were one would like something but cannot (yet).

"Thong" is mostly used when one must do something.

Example: "Pom thong pai thannakarn"= "I must go to the bank".

If you say "Pom yaak pai thannakarn" you would like to go but is not a necessity that you go.

 

Aow is also referring to an object.

So if you would say "Pom aow pai thannakarn" one would think that you take something to the bank.

 

It's not a less formal version of "Yaak". The word "aow is often used when referring to something to take along (aow pai) or bring with you (aow mah).

Example "Aow kong thai loop pai doay" = Take the camera along.

 

Confusing perhaps, but really don't try to just give an english translation to a single Thai word. It doesn't work that way, and you'll end up using that word in the wrong context.

[Pescator]

Example "Aow kong thai loop pai doay" = Take the camera along.

 

Let´s make that "Klong thai roop" ::

 

Cheers

Hua Nguu

[Guest]

indeed!!!

[Guest]

>>>>It's really not possible to just take one English translation of a Thai word. One has to place it in the context and then translate the context.<<<

 

I know I tend to do this, but is hard to not do in the beginning (which is where I'm at). It also harder in the context that I am not learning in the traditional sense of being tought, but rather teaching myself. But I am slowly getting it, thanks in large part to your guys patience.

 

HT

[Guest]

a good way to straight away avoid that mistake is to only memorize phrases or complete sentences, and only remember single words within the context used.

never speak or think single words, always sentences and phrases. that has the added advantage that tones will not be that difficult anymore as in phrases and sentences you automatically slip into the musicality of the language.

that is a fast track to colloquial thai.

[Guest]

Hi Fly,

 

I gave that suggestion a lot of thought, and can see the wisdom in it (if I remember, you are self-taught as well). I will start to do from now on. Only one I can speak with is my g/f every day, so will tell her to only do the same. We speak maybe 20% Thai, and often will lapse into one word answers/questions. I guess the best solution would be to tell her we can only speak in Thai. At least for the first hour. Wouldn't work for the entire time, as we have our little segments worked out (current Thai/Hawaii news sharing time, etc.). She watches Thai TV human intrest stories every night, and always shares them. Most can get pretty complicated, and I would not have a clue if she related in pasa Thai. ::

 

Come to think of it, maybe better to start off with 15 minutes/day. 1 hour of "Ter hiu mai? Gin khao rue yang?....."Gin laew. Chun im maak loey", might get a little boring after a while.

 

HT

[Guest]

yep, selftaught, and only via conversation. i am still illiterate, and i guess i won't be able to learn reading and writing ever (i have some learning disability).

 

if you get into that way of thinking i can promise you that your thai will take leaps very soon.

also, if you don't understand something - don't ask first for the english translation - ask in thai "kam ni prae wa arai?" and ask her that way to find a different expression. that will also teach you fluency, in a way, by using when you don't know a particular term to find some other way to express it. only if that does not work, ask for the english translation.

 

try to avoid the tinglish trap, most people i know who use that with their partners will develop their own code which only them understand with all the subtletie, but neither will ever be fluent in the other's language. speak either thai or english if you can.

[Guest]

>>>>try to avoid the tinglish trap, most people i know who use that with their partners will develop their own code which only them understand with all the subtletie, but neither will ever be fluent in the other's language. speak either thai or english if you can.<<<<

 

I hear you. To this day, G/f will spell 'with' as "wiht", and "not" as "nto"???? But she can spell "acceleration" or "antidisastablishmentarianism" without any problem???

 

WTF?? khao tam hua phom jep maak. ::

 

I will do with her, and let you know of progress. Thanks for your insight, Fly.

 

HT