This lesson you will be learning basic words for directions as well as how to ask for directions. It is useful to know words and phrases that will let you talk about going places, as well as understand what someone else says when giving simple directions. 🙂
BASIC DIRECTIONS:
ตรง /dtrong/ means straight
ไป /bpai/ means go
ตรงไป /dtrong bpai/ = go straight
เลี้ยว /líao/ means to turn
ซ้าย /sáai/ means left
ขวา /kwăa means right
เลี้ยวซ้าย /líao sáai/ = turn left
เลี้ยวขวา /líao kwăa/ = turn right
ASKING DIRECTIONS:
There are a few ways to ask where a place is
Example;
1. Where is Siam Square?
สยามแสควร์อยู่ที่ไหน Siam Square yùu tîi-năi?
Click here to learn about ‘where’ questions
2. Which way is Siam Square?
สยามแสควร์ไปทางไหน Siam Square bpai taang năi?
The main patterns used in the lesson are:
[1] รู้จัก rúu-jàk + something/someone + มั้ย mái?
– รู้จัก [rúu-jàk] means to know about something or someone
– มั้ย [mái] is a question word used to form yes/no questions
For example:
คุณรู้จักมด kun rúu-jàk Mod mái?
Do you know Mod?
แม่รู้จักกรุงเทพมั้ย mâe rúu-jàk Grung Tape mái?
Does mom know Bangkok?
[2] Subject + VERB + ยังไง yang-ngai ?
– ยังไง yang-ngai ? is a question ‘how?’ used to ask ‘how to do something.’ (Note: question word in Thai is put at the end of the question most of the time)
How to go there? In Thai pattern is “go there how?”
bpai(go) tîi-nán(there) yang-ngai?(how?) ไปที่นั่นยังไง
คุณไปทำงานยังไง kun bpai(go) tam-ngaan(work) yang-ngai?
How do you go to work?
เขียนยังไง kĭan yang-ngai?
How to write it?
สะกดยังไง sà-gòd yang-ngai?
How do you spell it?
[3] telling something is on your left/right hand-side
verb to be อยู่ yùu is needed to use to tell something is located somewhere.
ขวามือ kwăa mue means right hand side
ซ้ายมือ sáai mue means left hand side
We use the preposition ‘ทาง taang’ in this expression.
ธนาคารอยู่ทางซ้ายมือ tá-naa-kaan yùu taang sáai mue
The bank is on your left hand side
ร้านอาหารอยู่ทางขวามือ ráan aa-hăan yùu taang kwăa mue
The restaurant is on the right hand side
I hope you found this lesson useful. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below this post.
Keep practicing!
Mod:)
สวัสดีครับ
Very good Thai lesson. I have one question – how to say in Thai “to follow the signs” or “to follow the street signs” please? For example – someone asks me “Where is the railway station?” and I answer: “Follow the signs to the railway station”
ขอบคุณครับ
follow the signs = ขับตามป้ายไปครับ 🙂
ตาม = follow
ป้าย = sign
Need help with this, I constantly find myself lost for words to say to taxi drivers to stay on the left hand lane and take the first soi after the intersection to take a short cut to go to the main road to. One time the I told the driver tadsan on this soi just pointing not realizing it tadsan was for hair cut.
A short cut in Thai is ทางลัด /taang – lát/. It is good that you tried to communicate in Thai although sometimes there are mistakes but we all learn from the mistakes. Keep going! 🙂
Very good, simple lesson! I really appreciate the effort you put into making these videos – they help very much!
Thank you so much for your time to make this lesson.
As allways you are fantastic!
thanks for the lesson !
Thank you very much, teacher Mod! This is really helpful.
Thai grammar is quite similar to Taiwanese grammar. (not Chinese)
I’m still new in learning Thai, so not really sure what the preposition ‘taang’ means.
What does it mean and when can I use it again? Thanks again!!
I am sorry for my late reply. “taang” means ‘way’. You can use it as a noun; for example ‘there is no way to go’ = mâi mii taang bpai
And it use for telling ‘left hand-side’ = taang sáai , and ‘right hand-side’ = taang kwăa. 🙂
Thank for sharing your lesson. Hope to get more.
Thank for sharing your lesson.