Nervous_Dog Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 Can I ask a silly question, do they say mai pen or mai hen, mai hen I understand to be "I don;t know" DOG - still searching for a mother tounge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaad Posted November 19, 2005 Report Share Posted November 19, 2005 'Mai hen' would be 'haven't seen / didn't see'. I don't know is 'mai roo' / 'mai saab' (politer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golyadka Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 'hen' can also mean 'to think', 'to feel', 'to comprehend', or 'to have the oppinion that...' (i.e. the more abstract meaning of "seeing with the mind"). For example 'hen duai' means 'to agree with someone'. So "mai hen" can also mean 'I don't think so'... G. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 That was my understanding as well, it also meant "I dont know" DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaad Posted November 20, 2005 Report Share Posted November 20, 2005 Never too old to learn something new. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 mai bpen <<burp>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 That was no kilt. Gummi had dressed in a hurry and went out in his pah-kao-mah. p.s. What you thought was his sporran was actually his purse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 5 5 5 5evil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chlp Posted November 22, 2005 Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 golyadka said:Just to elaborate, Thais have a distinction between the various meanings of the verb "to be able to" which we don't have in English. daai: circumstance e.g. waai naam mai daai - I do have the ability to swim, but the circumstances are such that I cannot come out to swim bpen: implies ability Except, it is my understanding that dai / mai dai is commonly used for ability, not just circumstance. E.g. "Poot pasaa Angrit mai dai" means, "I cannot [do not know how to] speak English", rather than "I know how to speak English but the circumstance is such that I won't speak it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted November 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2005 Good point Chlp, Guess thats exaclty what had me confused initially and made me open this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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