Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
- Vital Spark
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Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Mr.VS and I were having a chat tonight about the gaps in our Thai vocabulary, and how it reflects upon the culture of the country and on the ‘need to know’ basis. Most of the Thai words we know have been picked up from listening to locals. For example, we know most of the Thai words for vegetables as we shop in local markets. A friend of ours, who’s much better at Thai than us, didn’t know the Thai word for tomato or bean sprouts, as he'd never been to a talaat nat. Other words that we picked up very early were: forget, never mind, and up to you (I’d also include ‘no have’ in that list...). We’ve yet to learn the Thai word for ‘decision’, which, when working with Thais, just says it all...
We don’t know any Thai swear words, or words for intimate parts of the body, as the lifestyle we lead here doesn’t require us ever having to use them. I’ve consciously learnt how to say don’t poison the grass with chemicals, cut a tiny bit off my hair (because it grows so slowly!), don’t put any meat in my food, and feed the dogs’.
I’d be intrigued to know the Thai phrases that just roll off your tongue because of a need to know/say basis.
VS
P.S. Forgot to add the most important phrase: 'I don't want any ice in my beer!'.
We don’t know any Thai swear words, or words for intimate parts of the body, as the lifestyle we lead here doesn’t require us ever having to use them. I’ve consciously learnt how to say don’t poison the grass with chemicals, cut a tiny bit off my hair (because it grows so slowly!), don’t put any meat in my food, and feed the dogs’.
I’d be intrigued to know the Thai phrases that just roll off your tongue because of a need to know/say basis.
VS
P.S. Forgot to add the most important phrase: 'I don't want any ice in my beer!'.
"Properly trained, man can be a dog's best friend"
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
I know that "Ja na a'tre-at" or something like it means "Eat like a water-buffalo" in Suei, the language of the part of Buriram that my partner is from.
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
MBL of course and Mai luu ("don't know") comes in handy!
I use "Chang yai, kap" quite frequently.
I use "Chang yai, kap" quite frequently.
Happiness can't buy money
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Well, I've been here for 13 months now (and visited many times in the last 4 years) and I've learned quite a lot of Thai (and to read Thai). Unfortunately I know A LOT of rude words, and after I've had a beer or three I do quite like to use them in the bars. Of course, I never use such words in polite society or at the supermarket, and it never fails to amuse me when the bar girls scowl and say 'you can't say that', considering what they do for a living! Anyway, back to the topic in question.
mai bpen rai
bpai nai, teerak?
ow 1-2-call neung loi baht, cap
pairng mahk!
Etc etc
I didn't include all the naughty ones!
mai bpen rai
bpai nai, teerak?
ow 1-2-call neung loi baht, cap
pairng mahk!
Etc etc
I didn't include all the naughty ones!
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Two things I'd like to comment on. First, you have to use it to retain it. I don't know how many times I've looked up or asked for a Thai word, but then fail to use it regularly within any reasonable time frame and subsequently forget it.
Second, when listening to a Thai conversation and sorting out the words, phrases and grammar that you know, 9 out of 10 times you'll be incorrect with your conclusion of what you think the conversation was all about. Pete
Second, when listening to a Thai conversation and sorting out the words, phrases and grammar that you know, 9 out of 10 times you'll be incorrect with your conclusion of what you think the conversation was all about. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
for those not familar with the phrases (like me) it would nice if the poster put the English version was alongside
Kob Khun Krap
Kob Khun Krap
- bozzman101
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Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-virtua ... nse-2.html
yes there is a site out there to learn to curse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes there is a site out there to learn to curse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once you go Asian you will never go Caucasian !!
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Khun yaak kit maak - "don't think too much" = "don't fret it" - I use it all the time on Mrs K.
Khun yaak mai yung da chan - "don't busy with me" = "leave me alone!" - Mrs K uses it all the time with me.
Tam ma da - ordinary
(actually, I'm not sure about the second one, and Mrs K is asleep right now and I don't want her to 'boxing me' if I wake her up to ask)
Khun yaak mai yung da chan - "don't busy with me" = "leave me alone!" - Mrs K uses it all the time with me.
Tam ma da - ordinary
(actually, I'm not sure about the second one, and Mrs K is asleep right now and I don't want her to 'boxing me' if I wake her up to ask)
- margaretcarnes
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Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Etc etc
I didn't include all the naughty ones! [/quote]
And judging by your forum user name you didn't need to!
I didn't include all the naughty ones! [/quote]
And judging by your forum user name you didn't need to!
A sprout is for life - not just for Christmas.
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Yes agree, 9 times out of 10 turn out to be incorrect...my son ordered a buffalo smoothie instead of bannana, just by say the word incorrectly!prcscct wrote:Two things I'd like to comment on. First, you have to use it to retain it. I don't know how many times I've looked up or asked for a Thai word, but then fail to use it regularly within any reasonable time frame and subsequently forget it.
Second, when listening to a Thai conversation and sorting out the words, phrases and grammar that you know, 9 out of 10 times you'll be incorrect with your conclusion of what you think the conversation was all about. Pete
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
tam dee dai dee, tam chua dai chua - essentially says "do good, get good, do bad, get bad"
I'm very remiss in my Thai - i used to learn quite a few phrases when i'd visit, but since i got married and stay here (ok i do work abroad - 6 weeks away / 2 weeks home) haven't learned many new phrases mainly because the missus doesn't want me to know too much...and i'm trying to improve her English.
I'm very remiss in my Thai - i used to learn quite a few phrases when i'd visit, but since i got married and stay here (ok i do work abroad - 6 weeks away / 2 weeks home) haven't learned many new phrases mainly because the missus doesn't want me to know too much...and i'm trying to improve her English.
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
And judging by your forum user name you didn't need to! [/quote]margaretcarnes wrote:Etc etc
I didn't include all the naughty ones!
That was my first thought as well!
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
After 15 years my thai is still very limited I blame it on spending the first 10 down south where the dialect is different but the basics are similar so no excuse. The essentials are no problem for food, drink, getting around, being polite, asking for things. I found myself improving since being in Hua Hin as less of the population speak English. I sit with the Mayors grandchildren most evenings whilst they are doing homework which is proving to help me pick up a lot of irrelevant words and phrases but by the time they are teenagers I should be pretty fluent at this rate. Just hope I do not develop that international schoolkid accent which is like a cross between "valley girl" and Hugh Grant Asking what things are on a regular basis helps. "arai na cup?" The rude stuff I learned over years of working with the boat crews so I know some stuff that you would not dare say to the missus unless you were close to an open door and the car engine was running.
Crazy 88
Crazy 88
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
" mai them baht "- meaning he/ she is not the full quid, thick as a plank, etc
" you tee nai gaaw soo you thee baan mai dai "- there's no place like home.
"bar-bar bar bor" - totally crazy, nuts
"maa mai daag " - now this is not such a polite one , literally means a dog would not gobble ( that food). Beware when using this one especially when you consider how lowly dogs rank in Thai culture. If you are out you are allowed to use it if the food is total crap but check that you are near a quick exit first.
A dear Vietnamese friend was just starting to learn Thai from some fellow Thai AIT students and they set him up with this phrase thinking somehow it was a complimentary one.One day he used it on his mother in law to be and the whole family nearly set upon him but for one of these mates doing some quick explaining.
" you tee nai gaaw soo you thee baan mai dai "- there's no place like home.
"bar-bar bar bor" - totally crazy, nuts
"maa mai daag " - now this is not such a polite one , literally means a dog would not gobble ( that food). Beware when using this one especially when you consider how lowly dogs rank in Thai culture. If you are out you are allowed to use it if the food is total crap but check that you are near a quick exit first.
A dear Vietnamese friend was just starting to learn Thai from some fellow Thai AIT students and they set him up with this phrase thinking somehow it was a complimentary one.One day he used it on his mother in law to be and the whole family nearly set upon him but for one of these mates doing some quick explaining.
Complexity is so simply overrated
Re: Which Thai phrases just roll off your tongue?
Good one! My wife just happens to be making lasagna at the moment and I thought I would try it on...got a laugh and kneed in the crotch...but in a loving way. Actually her lasagna is quite good, but we now know the phrases is genuine. Petedeepee wrote:....."maa mai daag " - now this is not such a polite one , literally means a dog would not gobble ( that food).....
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source