Learning a few Thai Phrases
Replies: 49 - Last Post: May 3, 2012 4:54 AM Last Post By: LearnThaiCM
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Learning a few Thai Phrases
Hello,I'm trying to learn a few new Thai phrases. Strangely enough the only words I know in Thai are:
Hello, thankyou, fireman, lawyer, not spicy, not thanks.
I've taken a few phrases online which I think will be useful for my next trip, these are:
khor thot" means "sorry".
I don't want any (mai ow khrab*)
I don't want to go (mai yak bai)
How much is this? (ra ka thao rai)
That is a little expensive. (paeng bai)
Can you make it cheaper? (lot noi dai mai)
I am just looking. (khor doo thao nun)
What I am wondering is, when do I add "Kaa"/"Khrab" to the above phrases? I'm not sure if it's always supposed to be added or not. Also, any other suggestions for phrases that will come in handy? I'm thinking perhaps "toilet" and "pharmacy" or "hospital"/"doctor"
1
Since you are a lady, you put ka at the end of the sentence. You can also add na ka. I don't know exactly how to explain the difference in English, but it makes it sound nice. You can never go wrong adding it.I think a better way to say 'how much' would be 'ah nee tao rai ka?'. 'ra kha' works, but the first way to say it is a bit more widely used .
'Khor doo thao nan' actually means 'I request to just look'. 'Khor' is used when you are asking for something. An example is 'khor naam plow'- or I'd like some water. 'Khae doo chuy chuy' would be better for I'm just looking.
Toilet- 'hong naam' 'hong naam yu tee nai' means where is the bathroom.
Pharmacy- 'raan khai ya'.. literally 'store that sells drugs'
Hospital- 'ruang pai ya baan'.
Doctor- 'maw'.
2
The whole business with romanizing Thai is just horrid. That thing with adding an "r" at the end to represent "อ" is awful. And failing to distinguish between aspirated and unaspirated consonants is fundamental fail, like "ka" for "ค่ะ". Good luck with that. I see tourists trying out their romanized Thai on the locals sometimes and the locals are perplexed, polite and smiling but no clue unless they are used to hearing foreigners attempt broken Thai.3
^^ it is true. The best thing to do would be to look it up online. There are some online dictionaries that also have a sound byte for different words or phrases. If you have an iPhone, there are some free apps which have basic phrases for everything you need. Speak Thai EN works pretty well and I suggest that for my friends who are going to Thailand for the first time.4
when do I add "Kaa"
At the end of each sentence; and you can either add or omit the word 'ka'. Adding 'ka' for politeness never goes astray.I don't want any (mai ow khrab*)
As pointed out by #1, you are female so never use 'khrab' (your spelling) at the end of the sentence. Always use 'ka'From #1
Toilet- 'hong naam' 'hong naam yu tee nai' means where is the bathroom.
OP - This is a good phrase to learn as the phrase 'yu tee nai' means 'where is/are'. So add the nouns that you know e.g. toilet, hospital, pharmacy, etcAlso from #1 -re: the use of 'na' before 'ka'. Na is used to soften the sentence. An English example might be a curt 'Sorry' as opposed to a heartfelt 'Oh, I'm sorry'. I would avoid using 'na' as it does not apply in every case. Based on the phrases you already know:
khor thot means "sorry". - can use 'na ka'
I don't want any (mai ow ka*) - can use 'na ka' (mai ow na ka)
I don't want to go (mai yak bai) - can use 'na ka'
How much is this? (ra ka thao rai) - can only use 'na ka' if you are asking the about the price for the second time, i.e. you did not hear the price the first time
That is a little expensive. (paeng bai) - can use 'na ka'
Can you make it cheaper? (lot noi dai mai) - can NOT use 'na ka'
I am just looking. (khor doo thao nun) - can use 'na ka'
Good luck!
7
Learning a few phrases isn't very practical. Setting aside pronunciation problems. The main issue concerns how well you can enter into a dialog. Will you understand the Thai person who says something and which prompts your 'replies' such as 'I'm just looking.'? Will you understand answers to any questions you ask? An invitation to barter (How much is this? Can you make it cheaper?) is going to invite an exchange more complicated than you can handle.Can you count?
10
re #8the only way to learn more is to begin conversing
The issue for me is practicality. There are more and less effective ways to learn a language .. assuming the OP even wants to develop conversation skills at all. The phrases chosen don't strike me as particularly useful since their use implies an extended interaction where the OP also has to understand spoken Thai. This is not a minor detail. The ear has to be trained.As an alternative, practice negotiating a restaurant interaction, where the person not only knows the answer to a question, but also where there is nothing at stake (as in a barter situation) -- so the form of interaction is simpler. One can ask: how much does this cost? knowing the answer, but then also training one's ear to recognize what '150 baht' sounds like. Asking directions in a bus station is another practice ploy.
Communication involves a lot more than having a few stock phrases memorized.
people appreciate it when you make an effort to speak their language
This is a matter for discussion. At worst this is a traveller conceit right up there with the glories of street food. There are circumstances where people want to do business, not give lessons in Thai. There is the ritual where the stock phrases run out after just one exchange -- how impressed is a local going to be with that?Showing some respect for/knowledge of local tradition, habits, ways of doing things and so on makes just as much, if not more, of a good impression on people.
11
khor thot" means "sorry".I don't want any
How much is this?
I'd stick with just those from your list.
There are others that are of use, but you'll pick them up as you go along.
I always just say "sorry" as it's pretty obvious what you mean. Anyway, I thought it is pronounced khor tode. Must ask my wife.
12
@BthDththe only way to learn more is to begin conversing
In my travel experience, I have to agree with Dreamsignal. Even if you know just a few words of greeting it shows that you are willing to make an effort to learn the local language. The phrases that the OP has chosen can be used without too much interaction at all.
E.g. a simple "khor thot" when she bumps into someone; when shopkeepers/even touts try to sell something, a simple "mai ow" or "khor doo thao nun" can be effective.
