diffrence between Na? and Mai?

[SiamIAm]

Is it impolite to use "na" at the end of a phrase to make it a question instead of mai?

My understanding is that na is slang for mai or chai mai, but is it used in "polite" Thai society as well as bargirls? I ask this question as I have a date with a "nice" Thai girl tonight here in the states and wouldent want her to think I learnd all my thai from bargirls! Thanks.

Siam

[Guest]

"Na" at the end of a sentence does not make it a question. It actually has a number of meanings, for example:

It can mean something like adding "...really!" on the end of the sentence, as if trying to convince someone of something. For example:

 

Khun mai chawp, chai mai? = "You don't like it, do you?"

Chawp na! = "No, I like it...really I do!"

Chan mai suay = "I'm not pretty!"

Khun suay maak na = "Yes you are, you're very pretty!"

 

Or, it can be used as a gentle urging:

Phom mai yaak pai = "I don't want to go"

Khun naa ja pai na = "You really should go, you know?"

 

Or, it can be used as a warning at the end of a sentence:

Thaa khun mai awk jark thii nee rew rew, phom ja jaeng khwarm na! = "If you don't get the hell out of here pronto, I'm going to call the cops!"

[ October 12, 2001: Message edited by: PvtDick ]

[Guest]

because thai is a tonal language, sentence particles take a lot of the place of intonation and stress, na can be long or short (na, naa) or different tones

depending on intonation.

There are lots of these final particles eg. si,rok/lok,wa,la,ja,jaa,ha etc etc

males and females also often use different forms

best not to use them unless you know what your saying.Especially dont imitate what your girlfriend is saying.Its important to listen to men speaking (formally and casually)so as not to sound like a bargirl when you speak.

[Pescator]

quote:

---

Originally posted by PvtDick:

"Na" at the end of a sentence does not make it a question. It actually has a number of meanings, for example:

Thaa khun mai awk jark thii nee rew rew, phom ja jaeng khwarm na! = "If you don't get the hell out of here pronto, I'm going to call the cops!"

---

In this situation I doubt that you will hear "Khun" and "Phom" rather "Mung" and "Guu"

However, I didn`t understand the word "Kwarm" used in this context. How can that mean cop? Or is it some kind of obscure slang?

[Guest]

"kup" or "ka" is being polite.

"na kup" or "na ka" is very polite.

"mai" that has a low rising pitch is short for "rueh mai (falling pitch) "which means "or not".

is this your dog (or not)?

maa dua nee kong khun mai?

"dog body this belongs you (or not)?"

why do you ask about my puppy dog?

tummai tarm gio-gup loog maa chun na kup?

"why ask concerning puppy dog mine na kup?"

lovely dog.

loog maa nah-ruk na kup

"puppy dog cute na kup"

[luckyfarang]

Hua Nguu-

I think what PvtDick meant was JAENG KWAAM, "to make a police report" or maybe "to make a formal report" of any kind.

 

"Thaa khun mai awk jark thii nee rew rew, phom ja jaeng khwarm na!"

 

I must agree that MOONG and GOO would sound more natural in the above sentence. Even with those words it sounds silly. Noone I've ever heard speaks like that, except maybe on Thai TV.

 

noo6 wrote:

"There are lots of these final particles eg. si,rok/lok,wa,la,ja,jaa,ha etc etc

males and females also often use different forms"

I, for one, would love to see an in depth posting showing usages of the various particles. I would post it myself, but this is one area of weakness in my grasp of Thai. I do well for an occasional tourist, but there is no substitue for years of residence and daily use and exposure to truly grasp these fine points.

[Guest]

Anyone who has been here that long wouldn't bother.

Try explaining grunts and groans to a thai learning english.

It would be trivial information that would only be understood if the thai went OS.

When the thai ends up grunting and groaning like a farang then he/she isn't going to bother explaining it to others.

See what I mean eh?

[luckyfarang]

mushroom wrote:

"Anyone who has been here that long wouldn't bother. Try explaining grunts and groans to a thai learning english"

I must disagree if you think that particles are as simplistic as "grunts and groans". What would you say is the difference between:

"lovely dog.

loog maa nah-ruk na kup

"puppy dog cute na kup"

and

"loog maa nah-ruk la kup"?

Some particles have a very specific meaning such as "si" which adds urgency to the statement, or "lawk(l)" which means "not as you might think" or " not as you might expect" when added to a negative statment, and something similar when added to a positive one, although used infrequently this way.

I was hoping to learn something about the less frequently used particles and any differences between the way males and females would use them.

[Guest]

The other day, my friend asked something of me and responded with "tammai ya".

She burst out laughing.

I asked her what was so funny, and she said that I sounded like kon thai.

(Isn't that how we are supposed to sound when we speak thai?)

I didn't bother asking what does "ya" means as experience has told me in the past that that i'll only know through usage.

Therefore, I already know what it means.

"tummai" means why?

"tummai ya" means whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhy?

Yesterday I spoke to a farang I know, that speaks many languages. He told me that if you think about the language that you are speaking, too much, it will never make sense.

If you accept it for what it is, then you'll pick up any language in about 3 months.

I am by no means that quick when it comes to learning a language but last night, I went to a seminar and I guess I understood about 40%. If my memory was better, I wouldn't have so many dramas, as nearly every time I heard a word, that I have heard used somewhere recently, my brain switched over and "started flicking through the dictionary". It's a bad habit I am told.

Attending the seminar has introduced me to new sentence construction and and several words, though right now I can only remember one lol(of which i have already put into a sentence this morning).

(Also, kon thai like to mock farangs that speak, or rather think they can but, "don't know what they are talking about"... mai reuh reu-ng. Last time I heard this, I told the girl that her english grammar sucked and she should fix it. Did she lose face? I hope so. Do unto others as you would, that you should do unto you. She then spoke to me, feeling the same empathy as I feel for those learning english).

I'm under the understanding that you should think in pictures if you want to be fluent, quick. I have been in LOS for about 6 months. I have had about 50 lessons in oz concerning "hotels and restaurants", then reading and writing.

I buy comics and books, read the advertising on the sky train and ask the people next to me if that can explain it.

I watch thai tv.

I listen to thai music.

I also sit in on group discussions.

I have also found out that if you what to break up thai sentences into grammar, find an experienced teacher.

The average person won't be able to help you.

Some days I can hold a conversation, some days I can't string two words together.

 

Sorry, I forgot to answer your question on "la kup"....

By itself "la" can mean each but, in this sentence i would say that it's a copy cat sound that is used by malaysians and indians here.

You will also hear "farang you narn marg dae pood thai mai kaeng raeng".

This is a crappy sentence and is a rip off of how a popular farang on tv used to speak.

mai kaeng raeng as u know means not tough.

The thai use it in this sentence like "not good".

"La" has been used to pieces so, I guess it's quite normal to use it now.

If you think differently, please share.

Last night I said to my friend, "I just got home myself". She didn't understand me.

Then I thought about it. The only difference between just got home and just got a home is the particle "a", effectively changing the whole meaning of the sentence. Interesting isn't it.

But, that's english and this is thai.

The particle "a" doesn't exist.

[ October 16, 2001: Message edited by: mushroom ]

[luckyfarang]

mushroom-

"I just got home myself" would translate as PEUNG(f) KLAP(l) BAAN(f) MEUAN® KAN but she might have translated "myself" as TUA ENG(l) meaning "by myself", hence the confusion. I was hoping to get an explanation of the particle "LA" from someone more knowledgable, but I think it indicates a challenge to the validity of someone's statement.

[ October 16, 2001: Message edited by: luckyfarang ]