Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
I'm learning thai. I just started today, ive been doing it for about 1 hour in work and im picking it up easy enough, i quite like the language. What i have done is the following.
Printed out lists of commonly used words and their thai words.
Rules in thai language.
I just keep re reading over them, and then i write some english sentences down on paper and try to write the thai for them. There is also a thai woman who works in our canteen, so today im planning out a conversation with her and i'll go down and talk to her.
I came up with the following, this is without reference so it may be wrong
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Quite impressive for a first day! But let me give you a few pointers!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
Hello, how are you
Sawadee khrap, sabbi dee mai?
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Always say khrap again at the end.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
(a rule i picked up, mai used at the end of a sentence = question, but used before a word like mean no, i.e chai = yes, mai chai = no.)
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As a rule, that is not correct. More later....
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
Then i'll say
I'm hungry, are you hungry?
pom hue, koon hue mai? (pom = i hue = hungry - koon = you, mai at end for question)
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Normally, when you ask if someone is hungry, the words for hungry are "hiw khao", which literally means hungry for rice, as opposed to thirsty which is "hiw nam." In other words, you say what you are hungry for, rice being the word to indicate food, and nam for water. So by itself, hiw doesn't necessarily mean hungry in the same way as it does in English. BTW, hue is usually spelled hiw in English, and pronounced "hee-yoo," but quickly, and with the ending elongated a bit, as was pointed out to you by the lady. If you just say hue, some will understand, but some will not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
If she answers no for example (mai chai)
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She would never say mai chai in answer to that question, because it was not a "chai mai" sort of question. To say no to your query, she would respond, "Mai hiw," i.e. "not hungry."
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
Why are you not hungry?
koon mai hue tom mai?
(koon = you, mai before the word hue for hungry = not hungry (tom mai = why)
Then if she is impressed i will tell her i started learning today
whan nii pom rein (whan nii = today - pom = i rein = learn)
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start = rerm, which is a bit of a tongue twister
by rein, I assume you mean rian(ree-un). Literally, rian means study, but it is the word they usually use in this context. I think you would also want to throw in "pasa Thai" at the end there, as well, for the sake of clarity. Also, why is more like "tum mai," than "tom mai".
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuketonBudget
I think doing it this way as opposed to learning single phrases at a time is the best way to build your understanding. It gives you a better insight into the language.
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I tend to agree with you on that point, but it is tricky as they often do not use or combine words in the same way as we do in English. For example, if the lady had wished to indicate to you that yes, she was hungry, she would never have responded "chai" to say yes. She would have said, "Hiw," and that would have meant yes. So, the learning phrases approach does have some value, as well, and is probably best to combine the two approaches.