In this lesson I am talking about confusing Thai words. Words that have the same translation in English, words that sounds similar in Thai. For example; the word “ask”;
- Can I ask you a question?
- Can I ask for your phone number?
In Thai language we use two different words for the above question – ถาม /tăam/ and ขอ /kăw/. Confusing, huh? Which word is the correct one to use? Watch this lesson, so I can explain how!
- At
At + a place = ที่ /tîi/ + a place
At + time = ตอน /dtawn/ + time
I will meet you at home at 8 p.m.
ผมจะเจอคุณที่บ้านตอนสองทุ่ม
/pŏm jà jer kun tîi bâan dtawn săwng tûm/
She met her friend at the beach at night.
เขาเจอเพื่อนที่ทะเลตอนกลางคืน
/káo jer pûean tîi chaai hàad dtawn glaang-kuen/
- มี /mii/ = have, has , had
มี /mii/ in Thai means “have or own things.”
I have a computer.
ผมมีคอมพิวเตอร์ /pŏm mii computer/
She has a baby
เขามีลูก /káo mii lûuk/
I had Pad Thai.
ฉันกินผัดไทย /chán gin Pad Tai/
He wants to have Som Tam.
เขาอยากกินส้มตำ /káo yàak gin sôm dtam/
I’m having a stomachache.
ผมปวดท้อง /pŏm bpùad táwng/
I am having a cold.
ฉันเป็นหวัด /chán bpen wàt/
She has cancer.
เขาเป็นมะเร็ง /káo bpen má-reng/
Mom has a cat.
แม่เลี้ยงแมว
/mâe liang maew/
Do you have a cat?
คุณเลี้ยงแมวไหม
/kun liang maew mái?/
- Ask
ถาม / tăam/ = to ask a question
I want to ask a question.
ผมอยากถามคำถาม
/pŏm yàak tăam kam-tăam/
He asked me that what time is it?
เขาถามฉันว่ากี่โมงแล้ว
/káo tăam chán wâa gìi moong láew/
Ask to have something or ask for something = ขอ /kăw/
He asked for WiFi password.
เขาขอรหัสวายฟาย
/káo kăw rá-hàt waai-faai/
May asked to stay overnight with us
เมย์ขอค้างคืนกับเรา
/May kăw káang-kuen gàp rao/
He asked me “can I ask for your Line ID ?”
เขาถามฉันว่า ผมขอ ไอดีไลน์ของคุณ ได้ไหม
/káo tăam chán wâa pŏm kăw ID Line kăwng kun dâai-mái?/
- Before
Before as in previously = เมื่อก่อน /mûea gàwn/
Before = ก่อน /gàwn/
Before, I lived in Australia.
เมื่อก่อนผมอยู่ที่ออสเตรเลีย
/mûea-gàwn pŏm yùu tîi Australia/
I went Australia before going to New Zealand.
ผมไปออสเตรเลียก่อนไปนิวซีแลนด์
/pŏm bpai Australia gàwn bpai New Zealand/
Please call me before you arrive.
ช่วยโทรหาฉันก่อนมาถึงนะ
/chûai too hăa gàwn maa tŭeng ná/
She came before me.
เขามาก่อนฉัน
/káo maa gàwn chán/
Before she was always late.
เมื่อก่อนเขามาสายตลอด
/mûea-gàwn káo maa săai dtà-làwd/
- When is the right time to repeat ADVERB
I like to drive fast.
ฉันชอบขับรถเร็ว
/chán châwp kàp rót reo/
Can you please walk fast please?
เดินเร็วๆได้ไหม
/dern reo reo dâai-mái?/
***
Let me know if you enjoy this lesson in the comments and I will definitely make you another one. 🙂
For more videos about common Thai mistakes, try these:
- VIDEO: Confusing Word “How” : https://bit.ly/2MOIQlb
- VIDEO: 12 Most Common Mistakes Foreigners Make When Speaking Thai : https://bit.ly/2XCwZB8
- VIDEO: Language Errors You Keep Making : https://bit.ly/2lZTWMO
- 10 Thai Words You’re Probably Mispronouncing! : https://bit.ly/2NekmTc
- Commonly Confused Thai Words EP. 1: https://bit.ly/2PKvLwa
- Commonly Confused Thai Words EP. 2: https://bit.ly/2NT7MOn
- Commonly Confused Thai Words EP. 3: https://bit.ly/2uvtusT
Hi Mod, sorry for a totally off-topic question but I just wanna ask:
do you know any good beauty saloon in BKK? especially for waxing. Like. where do you do your bikini waxing, for example? Can you recommend me any place? Thanks in advance!
penny
Sawatdee ka Penny, I am sorry I just saw your message here. There are a few good waxing salons in Sukhumvit area such as Wax On Studio in Sukhumvit 26, Take care salon next to Phrom Phong BTS station, Strip & Browhaus in Emquartier, Waxing & Beauty in Lumpini place on Rama 4 road. I hope one of these is near you. 🙂
Thanks so much for your recommendations. Which one of those is your favourite? And may I ask if you tried bikini waxing there and if so, did it hurt? I’m worried about pain. ^_^
Thanks again and keep up the good work!
No answer? 🙁
From what I heard, asian girls mostly don’t shave bikini area, so Mod probably can’t help you there. 😀
Dear Penny, I am sorry for my late reply. I don’t have bikini wax experience personally because I do it at home.
Hi, thank you very much for this wonderful Video.
So ถาม is “ask” as in “ask a question” and ขอ is “request” as in “ask f0r (request) something. See, we have separate words for those two things, too!
Great!
Very usefull,thank you!
I’m happy to hear that. Thank you for your comment. 🙂
I often hear people sayก่อน เป็นเด็ก When I was a child. After watching your video it should be เมื่อก่อน เป็น เด็ก since its a period of time. Or is there an exception? Great VIDEO 🙂
ก่อนเป็นเด็ก means “before I became a kid”
If you want to say “before, when I was a kid, I liked to climb trees” in Thai would be เมื่อก่อนตอนเป็นเด็ก ผมชอบปีนต้นไม้. The conjunction ตอน is also needed. 🙂
Very useful!