Does anyone know any Thai??

Question

I would like to speak to my friend, who's Thai. I know a couple things like hi and bye, and, "some" other things that he had told me. However, I would like to be able to actually say something. Does anyone know any Thai, or maybe a source (website,book,etc.) that I can use? Also, if you know any, how are they pronounced?

Answer 1

Thai is very simple to learn. I am not fluent by any means, but it is easy. Basically, any sentence is structured as:
Subject + Verb + Object.
For example, if you are saying I don't like pork, the literal translation is "No like pork." In Thai, Mai chawb mu.

As in English, there's lot's of slang in Thai. One common hangup for English speakers is that in most cases, you will not use I, me, or you in Thai. Rather, names are used in place of pronouns. So, "I don't like pork" would actually be said as "B mai chawb mu." B doesn't like pork.

As another person already said, there are tones involved. The Thai language has, I believe, 5 tones. So it is possible that a single word could have 5 meanings, however, most of the time a single word will only have a few different intonations.

Another thing you will constantly hear is ka and kab. These words are added to the end of what you say as a form of politeness. It can also be used to politely acknowledge what someone is saying. Politeness and respect is tremendously important in Thai culture, and this reflects these beliefs. Ka is used only by women, and Kab is used strictly by men. The rule is, use ka or kab for anyone who is older than you, or if you are unsure if they are older than you, and anytime politeness and respect dictate that you be humble - which in Thai culture is pretty much always. There are other language distinctions between men and women.

There are lots of websites to help learn Thai, but I would recommend another source, your local library! At my library, they have copies of the program, Rosetta Stone. These programs are made available online, for free! I'm sure not every library will have this resource, but you may be able to find an e-library where membership is free.

In the meantime, here are some some useful words.

pu chai - man
pu ying - woman
kap kun kab - Thank you.
Sawat di kab - Hello and Goodbye (like aloha)
Sai bai di mai kab - How are you?
mak ma - a lot
chai - yes
mai - no
yi ba - crazy woman
ai ba - crazy man
ow - want
chob (chawb) - like
aloi - delicious

And the list obviously goes on and on. Good luck.

Answer 2

Watch Thai drama and you'd learn

Answer 3

khun sabai dee mai khrab = how are you
mai pen rai khrab = no problem/don't worry about it, but there are tones involved....

Answer 4

http://learningthai.com/