Usuful Thai words and idioms

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Bamboo Grove
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Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by Bamboo Grove »

On prcscct's suggestion I start a thread where we can put usuful words and idioms for those who want to learn Thai. To make matters more simple, I'll use the English way for transliteration, although I have to admit, I don't really like it.

I'll start with the word "jai" ใจ which means "heart". It is used with many words to describe feelings i.e.

deejai = happy
siajai = sorrow, sad

Feel free to add more.
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by richard »

Great idea. :thumb: Hope it takes off. My knowledge of Thai is minimal despite being here 10 years. Have a host of excuses though :laugh:
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by johnnyk »

pak wan = "sweet mouth" = sweet talker/flatterer/bullshitter

jai dee = "good heart", kind
jai dam/dum= black heart = evil etc.

dong gahn = want (something, to do something)
yak = want (food, eg. yak som tam)
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by migrant »

Hongnam = bathroom (always useful!!)

Hongnam Yutenai (you tee nai) Kap (Ka) = Where is the bathroom?

:cheers:
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by johnnyk »

Bia Chang yai, kap! :cheers:
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by HAPPYGOLFER »

Baan--home,
Bei baan= go home
sovaii= sweet
pompoii= fat
oan= very fat
kap kon kap= thanks
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by BaaBaa. »

HAPPYGOLFER wrote:kap kon kap= thanks
Khop Khun khrap.

The first and last word aren't the same and it's Khun, which means "you"

:cheers:
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Something I saw years ago at the back of a tuk-tuk:

Mia dar tae nahruk (mia daa tää naarak) = my wife scolds me but she's lovely.
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by PeteC »

If someone has something come to mind, suggest you grab your Thai dictionary and use the English transliteration listed in there. I'm sure there are folks looking at this who know zero Thai and we wouldn't want to give them a transliterated spelling which will make them pronounce the word incorrectly. Pete :cheers:
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by PeteC »

Bamboo Grove wrote:Something I saw years ago at the back of a tuk-tuk:

Mia dar tae nahruk (mia daa tää naarak) = my wife scolds me but she's lovely.
OK, literally Mia = wife and naarak = lovely, cute. How do we get 'scolds me' out of daa taa? Pete :cheers:
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by BaaBaa. »

prcscct wrote:
Bamboo Grove wrote:Something I saw years ago at the back of a tuk-tuk:

Mia dar tae nahruk (mia daa tää naarak) = my wife scolds me but she's lovely.
OK, literally Mia = wife and naarak = lovely, cute. How do we get 'scolds me' out of daa taa? Pete :cheers:
Daa = Scold, Curse, Damn.
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by PeteC »

BaaBaa. wrote:
prcscct wrote:
Bamboo Grove wrote:Something I saw years ago at the back of a tuk-tuk:

Mia dar tae nahruk (mia daa tää naarak) = my wife scolds me but she's lovely.
OK, literally Mia = wife and naarak = lovely, cute. How do we get 'scolds me' out of daa taa? Pete :cheers:
Daa = Scold, Curse, Damn.
....and taa = me?...and if so, are there other possible ways to say the word 'me'?
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Here we again will encounter the problem of transliteration. Even if everybody knew the official phonetical spelling, how would you distinguish between the different tones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ipa-c ... 1000px.png

The Chinese and (I think) Vietnamese have come around this problem, though.

As for "da = scold", here's the Thai word for it ด่า and for the word " tae =but" แต่
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by BaaBaa. »

prcscct wrote:
....and taa = me?...and if so, are there other possible ways to say the word 'me'?
However/But

Wife Scolds me, However/But, She's lovely

I think. :|
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Re: Usuful Thai words and idioms

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Then you will have the grammatical differences of the various languages we use. For example, in Thai it's not always necessary to have a verb (predicate) in a sentence or clause as in: "khao suay" = she pretty = she is pretty. It is not necessary to have the verb "to be" at all.

Confused? We will all be, even after the next episode of "Soap."
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