Use of classifiers in Thai?

[Guest]

I hope this isn't too dry a topic (especially compared to the animated "discussion" going on in the relationship section) but it seems pretty important if you want to be able to get along in Thai. Or, am I wrong? I know in the primitive Thai that I speak, and I hear from most farangs, "classifiers" are hardly used.

 

My question is, to the advanced speakers, do Thai people really use classifiers a lot? Do you use classifiers? My thinking is that if it's necessary then I should start learning the most commonly used ones the sooner the better. If you think it's important can you mention some of the more common ones (ie., tua(animals), khon(persons), rhong(buildings), koo(? as in pairs of things), met(pills, seeds, etc.??)

 

 

 

Also, can you get by without using classifiers, for example,

 

1.)"poo-ying song khon" (with classifier "khon")

 

2.)"song poo-ying" (without classifier "khon")

 

 

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

 

 

Yes, classifiers are used often, and yes, I use them.

 

I agree they can be a pain in the ass though.

 

 

 

Some more classifiers for you:

 

- kan (cars, bikes, umbrellas)

 

- lem (books)

 

- doog (short for doog mai, i.e. flower) (flowers, keys)

 

- tua (also used for computers, and some computer parts)

 

 

 

Sanuk!

 

 

[samak]

all native thai speakers use classifiers. if you want to be understood, you have to use them as well. i sometimes get corrected, if i use a wrong classifier.

 

 

 

some more:

 

bai fruits, eggs, hats etc.

 

chabab letters, documents

 

muan cigarettes

 

soong cigarette packs

 

phuuen towel, carpet

 

phaaen paper

 

chut suits, furniture, dishes

 

an small things

[Pescator]

Hi,

 

 

 

You can get by without using classifiers in thai. However, that will make you sound like a thai speaking english without using the auxiliary verb of to be.

 

 

 

I wouldn`t say that the use of classifier "classifies" as advanced level. This is a basic feature of the thai language.

 

There is a certain amount of logic to it as the classifier itself says something about the object in question.

 

But you have already picked up some of the basic ones.

 

 

 

Hua Nguu

 

 

 

 

 

 

[markle]

I've always found it useful to remember classifiers by how it describes the nature of the object i.e

 

'bai' for flat thin objects like pieces of paper,

 

'look' for balls, round fruit

 

and so on

 

some things can have more than one classifier e.g.

 

Eggs can be counted as 'fong' or 'bai'

 

 

 

When all else fails I use 'an' to classify

 

 

 

Not using a classifier sounds dumb.

[Guest]

I have quite a long list on my site if you want to see some classifiers:

 

 

 

http://www.learningthai.com/classifiers.html

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies. From Nattawuds site it appears that

 

**"If you don't need to specify the number you can skip the classifier."**

 

So classifiers are used primarily if you're refering to an amount of something even if it's only one of them.

 

If I understand that correctly that's a useful thing to know.

 

 

 

Thanks for the link Nattawud, that's a very good list, now I just have to memorize it (with the correct tone!)

 

Thanks again

 

 

 

 

[Pescator]

That is right.

 

Some people also refer to Classifiers as "Counters".

 

So if you don`t have to count anything you don`t need them.

 

 

 

You should just concentrate on learning the counters of the words you are already familiar with.

 

In an restaurant for example, which ones will come in handy?

 

Juice, water etc. in a glass = Gaew - for some reason many thais will use that about tea and coffee as well although the word is actually Tuaii.

 

Counter appropriate for ordering 2 meals of Khao Phat is Jaan as in teller or just 2 Thee.

 

If you are ordering a meal consisting of specific dishes as in a "Set", the counter is Chut. That will come in handy at MacDonald

 

Everything coming in a bottle is Khuat.

 

Teapot - Classifier being Gaa

 

Noodle soup - the classifier being Charm (bowl) or also Tuaii.

 

Cigarettes - Counter being Muan

 

Carton of cigarette - Counter being Sorng - Level voice.

 

Try ordering 12 packs of cigarettes to see if you got your tones right.

 

A slice of something - Counter being Chin.

 

Anything I left out - go for An

 

 

 

Hua Nguu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

"So if you don`t have to count anything you don`t need them."

 

 

 

I'm far from being an expert on classifiers, but I believe they are also used similarly as pronouns, to refer to an object, as in:

 

 

 

"Poo-ying khon nee suay." [This girl is beautiful]

 

 

 

And also to refer to an object previously mentioned, as in the following sentence refering to the previous sentence:

 

 

 

"Khon nai?" [Which girl?, or which one?]

 

 

 

By the way, we have classifiers in English, too: two loaves of bread, three pairs of socks, and a few others. I find it helpful to remember this construct when using number in Thai, but then I usually don't remember the correct classifier.

[Guest]

Better not use the "an" when it comes to people or animals.

 

With people always use "khon". The word in fact also means poeple or person and is not always a classifier. With animals always use "tua", which can best be translated into "body of an animal". with trees and plants the correct one is "ton" although the leaves are "bai", and with flowers it is "dog". Starting to get confusing perhaps.

 

 

 

It is important to use them correctly if you want to communicate at a higher level, but apart from the tones perhaps the most difficult aspect for foreigners to master properly.

 

 

 

I usually tell Thais that I "mee look saow song khon lae look chai tua nung". At first they think that I messed up untill they find out that I am referring to my male dog.