dai, pen, or owk ?

[Crash999]

poot pasa thai mai pen = "I can't speak Thai" (because I don't know how) 'Pen' in this case meaning that you're unable to do something

 

 

 

for example:

 

 

 

wai nam mai pen = "I can't swim" (I don't know how)... Of course that leads into the famous joke, always invoking guffaws, that one can actually wai nam (and then the person makes the 'wai' gesture). Wokka wokka...

 

 

 

poot pasa thai mai dai = "I can't speak Thai" (because I'm not able to do so for whatever reason)

 

 

 

for example:

 

 

 

pom pbai mai dai = "I can't go" (because I'm busy or whatever)

 

 

 

poot mai owk = 'Mai owk' meaning 'not coming out', used as one is thinking of something but can't (or won't) vocalize it. It's not bargirl language, despite what another poster stated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[daeng bireley]

My 2 cents worth

 

Dai and pen are not always interchangeable, as Crash999's (and others) descriptions show, but they are very similar. Wai (äËÇ) also has a similar but different meaning.

 

eg. phom dern mai wai. I'm not able to walk. ( not because I dont know how to walk but I have a sore foot, or Im too tired or something like that.)

 

I suppose the meaning of mai ook is something like "not able"

 

but only when used after certain verbs like "kit" or "poot"

 

or "fung".

 

kit mai ook . think but not able to work it out

 

poot mai ook. speak but not able to say it.

 

etc.

 

As crash says there is nothing bargirl about this language. I dont think you'd even call it colloquial. This is all proper Thai as you also see it written.