BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey guys, me again! I am trying (note the word 'trying') to learn some basic thai before my trip later this year, am using the brilliant learningthai.com website as a starter tool. I was thinking that when i'm in Thailand i might take a thai language class of some sort? It's just what kind of class and when??
At the moment my plan is to spend a couple of days in Bangkok when i arrive but then i'm heading down to Koh Phangan for a couple of weeks, maybe longer, of pre-arranged thaiboxing training. After the training i'm thinking about heading back up north probably via Bangkok. I'm looking forward to interacting with locals in Bangkok and i'm sure i'll be spending lots of time with Thai's while training, so i hope i'll pick up a fair amount of the language just doing what i'll be doing at the start of my trip. But i would like to learn as early as poss when i arrive.
With this in mind do you think it would be worth having any 'proper lessons' in thai in Bangkok, or anywhere else?? Any recommendations for schools or tutors?? I'm not looking to become totally fleunt but i'd like to be able to have an o.k. conversation as i think it will enhance my trip experiences loads!!
Anyone any comments or suggestions? Thanks in advance, peace and love, Danny J

I met a lot of people in Chiang Mai learning Thai, but they were enrolled for courses lasting a month or more... there are lots of course descriptions on the internet...

I learned basic Thai by spending time with people at our guesthouse (not enough to have a converstation on the street, but enough to order a glass of red wine). Most Thais are happy to teach you words, phrases, and correct your mis-pronunciations.

There are often times when people will laugh at your attempts, but its not really meant as an insult; Thai people have a good sense of humor and like to laugh.

I'm sure you're aware of the language's tonalities -- this is where I had the hardest time. A word sounded right to me, but the Thai people had no idea what I was saying. A simple wrong inflection can change the word's meaning, or turn it into rubbish.

Note: it's always polite to end every question/statement with Kop(for guys) or Kaw (for girls). This politeness will take you far... Also, the Thai language doesn't have all the 'extras' we do, like "I want..." is simply "want..." And the order of the words is all mixed up. Instead of, "I want a glass of red wine," it's, "want wine red one glass".

Another tip someone gave me. Learn a set of basic words and then put them together to make a phrase instead of learning phrases. Hang Nam (pronounced hong nom) means room water (or water room) or toilet. Hang = room, Nam = water. If you learn numbers (which you should make a priority), you'll know that 'hang' means room and you can say, "Hang Sip," meaning room #10. I mention this because I originally just learned the phrase and didn't realize that the word 'hang' meant room. When I realized this, I could add it to other words to say other things.

Another example, "pet" means hot and "nit noy" means a little. When you order food, if you don't like it spicy, say, "pet nit noy".

Good basics to know when you arrive:

Hello (and goodbye): Sawadee Kop/Kaw

How are you?: Sabai Dee Kop/Kaw

Don't want...: Mai Ow Kop/Kaw (Mai is pronounced 'my')
(You'll use this a lot with touts and street vendors)

Want: Ow Kop/Kaw
(example Ow pad thai)

I understand: Kow Jai Kop/Kaw (pron like cow jy)

I don't understand: Mai Kow Jai Kop/Kaw

How much is it? Tow rai (tow ry)

Too expensive: Paing Pai (pang py)

Even if this is all the Thai you ever know, people will always say, "Wow! you speak Thai very well!" Have fun, it is fun to learn Thai from everyday Thai people...

This worked great for me:

Get a small phrasebook, keep it in your daybag. When
you find yourself waiting on food in a restaurant, pull it out and learn just one practical phrase or word. When the server comes, point to it and have him/her pronounce it for you to make sure you have it correct. You'll be surprised at how quickly you retain things that way and the Thais love to help.

Also, when you are buying anything, you will almost always get the price given to you in English. Say the cost back in Thai to keep sharp on your numbers, same with the change that you receive back.

BTW, men end their sentences in "Khrap". It sounds like the Thais are saying "kap" because they dont pronounce the "r" but I asked a Thai gentleman about this and he said that he did not like to hear westerners leaving the R off, that we need to say it correctly!

Good luck!

phrasebooks are useless

what s the point of askin someone a question from the book then not understandin the answer???

i learnt to speak and read thai by readin and talkin with thais, maybe not in bkk, outside.

i would still like to go somewhere like nan or mukdahan and spend a month polishin my skills...

Phrasebooks clearly aren't useless! I think you misunderstand how bucho_ky was using them, gooner. On my travels, particularly in China, I would try to pronounce a word, and if they looked at me strangely (more strangely than usual), I would have the phrasebook on hand to point to the phrase / word to clarify. They would understand instantly and generally repeat the phrase / word so I could learn a better pronunciation. It facilitates fun, non-stressy exchanges with locals... the only problem is wrestling the book back off them as they call their friends over and read through, laughing, reading out things like "your sister smells of durians..."

phrasebooks are great. If you start learning key phrases before a trip, it'll help you out. Sometimes you won't understand the answer..so reply in the language, "I do not understand..." or something like that. People always seem impressed that you're trying, and most of the time are willing to help you out, even if it boils down to sign language, pointing, and waving your arms around like a monkey.

Good luck with your Thai lessons! Let us all know how they go. I'm also trying to learn Thail (eventually), and have checked out the Learning Thai website (although not consistently)...I find the guy's voice is a bit monotonous, though.

And just to mix it up a bit (not so formal or proper)...

If you think something is ridiculously expensive, you can say (along with a shocked facial expression):
- Pang sheep hong (ie. It's really freakin' expensive)
or
- Pang cha dthai lao (ie. It's so freakin' expensive I'm going to die)

"... cha dthai lao" can be used in other circumstances as well. it's kind of like when something is extreme. Like something smells really, really awful..."men cha dthai lao" (ie. it stinks so bad I'm going to die)

quote:

Originally posted by bucho_ky:

BTW, men end their sentences in "Khrap". It sounds like the Thais are saying "kap" because they dont pronounce the "r" but I asked a Thai gentleman about this and he said that he did not like to hear westerners leaving the R off, that we need to say it correctly!

Good luck!

good boy i don't like to hear that either! any question you don't understand in your book i'll be pleased to explain ka

Phrase books are still good since hand gestures often work better for answering a question than asking it.

However, the best thing I've found for languages is several FREE podcasts. They are available for all sorts of languages although in varying quality. The Thai one I found some time ago is quite good.

Check this out:
http://www.learn-thai-podcast.com/

FYI, you don't need an ipod to listen to podcasts, you can listen to them on your computer just using itunes or other software. In the case of this particular site you can actually listen directly of thier site.