Useful Vocabulary and Phrases: Money = เงิน /ngern/ (formal term) ตังค์ /dtang/ (informal term) Banknote = แบงค์ /báeng/ Small banknote = แบงค์ย่อย /báeng yâwi/ To exchange = แลก /lâek/ Do you have smaller notes? = คุณมีแบงค์ย่อยมั้ย /kun mii báeng yâwi mái?/ I only have 1000 Baht note = ผมมีแค่แบงค์พัน /pŏm mii kâe báeng pan/ Can I exchange a big note … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Money Matters
Speak Thai
VIDEO: Isan 101 (Basic Northeastern Thai Dialect)
Northeastern region of Thailand or what Thai people refer to as ‘อีสาน Isan also Isaan, Isarn, Esan, or Esarn’ is the largest part of the country. You might hear the official term is “ภาคตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ pàak dtà-wan-àwk-chǐang-nŭea”. The main language is Isan, which is a dialect of the Lao language. Isan belongs to the Chiang Saeng and Lao–Phutai language groups, which … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Isan 101 (Basic Northeastern Thai Dialect)
VIDEO: Thai Short Vowels
To speak Thai clearly and make local people understood, it is not only getting the tones right it is also pronouncing the vowels correctly. There are in total 32 vowel sounds in Thai language, 14 of them are long vowel sounds and 18 are short vowel sounds. Similar to pronouncing Thai tones, when the vowel changes the meaning changes too. So you should make sure you … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Thai Short Vowels
VIDEO: Hotel Conversation
Hotel conversation I was in Koh Samet , my favourite closest island to Bangkok for a weekend getaway. I took the opportunity to film a short video lesson about inquiring for a room and making a reservation as well as requesting for extra things in the resort. Fortunately a receptionist was so kind to help me making this lesson. Below is the script of our conversation and … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Hotel Conversation
VIDEO: 10 Common Thai Interjections
Have you ever heard a strange funny sound from a Thai person and you didn't understand what it meant? In this lesson we show you the common sounds that Thai people make to show emotion or feelings. We hope it helps you to understand Thai people better and you can also apply to your own everyday life and make yourself sound like a Thai. :) In Thai 'interjection' is called … [Read more...] about VIDEO: 10 Common Thai Interjections
VIDEO: Flavours รสชาติ
Food and eating is an important part in Thai culture. Food often becomes the social occasion in itself. This is partly due to the friendly, social nature of Thai people, but also because of the way in which food is shared in Thailand. You have learned how to order food or how to eat like a Thai. This lesson you will learn useful words used to describe flavours in … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Flavours รสชาติ
VIDEO: A Collection of Fun Thai Slang
To speak like a Thai, knowing some fun Thai slang not only makes you enjoy the conversation but it might also impress local people you are talking to as well. Here is a collection of fun Thai slang videos I created. Hope you learn something new and find it enjoyable. (You can click the name of each video to read full dialogue of the lesson and see further explanation) 1. … [Read more...] about VIDEO: A Collection of Fun Thai Slang
VIDEO: Useful Phrases to Show You Care
Songkran long holiday has officially started today and many Thai people are traveling to celebrate the Thai New Year and see their families. Songkran is also the period when road accidents are occurring at the highest rate and this period between 9th – 15th April is referred by the police as the ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ of the New Year. Most accidents are caused by drunk driving … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Useful Phrases to Show You Care
VIDEO: How to Forbid & Give Warning
Songkran or Thai New Year is coming in a couple days. Besides all the major fun that is about to go on with the water fight, there are also some tips that have been given to the festival participants for their safety. We are going to talk about useful words that are used to make a command NOT to do something. :) 1. ห้าม hâam (forbid, prohibit) Pattern 1: " Someone … [Read more...] about VIDEO: How to Forbid & Give Warning
VIDEO: 10 Most Popular Thai Slang of the Year!
[1] ฟิน /fin/ This word is derived from English word ‘finale’, in English this means the last part of an event, and it is usually ‘the best part’ and epic, right? So Thai people use ‘ฟิน FIN’ for describing a feeling that is ‘GREAT’ , or feeling awesome! [2] อิน in is also derived from English word ‘inner’ but Thai people use it as VERB means ‘feel emotional by … [Read more...] about VIDEO: 10 Most Popular Thai Slang of the Year!
VIDEO: Basic Comparisons
When forming a comparative sentence like A is bigger than B, we use this pattern: subject 1 + adjective/adverb + กว่า gwàa + subject 2 Script of the Role Play: Pear: เย็นนี้กินอะไรดี yen-níi gin à-rai dii? What shall we eat this evening? Mod: ไม่รู้อ่ะ mâi rúu à I don't know. Pear: อาหารญี่ปุ่่นดีมั้ย aa-hăan yîi-bpùn dii mái? Is Japanese food … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Basic Comparisons
VIDEO: Learn Thai – Restaurant Conversation
The basic word that is used when you place an order in Thai is เอา /ao/. Some people say the word ขอ /kŏr/ is more polite to use when ordering food, but I don't think it matters. Important note: As the fact that we use เอา /ao/ to place order, so it can ONLY be followed by a noun or noun phrase. Read more about the right way to use เอา … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Learn Thai – Restaurant Conversation
VIDEO: Thai Future Tense
Sawatdee ka, Actions that occur in the future (will/going to + verb/verb phrase) can be phrased using the pattern : subject + จะ jà + verb / verb phrase Example: พรุ่งนี้เขาจะทำอาหาร prûng-níi káo jà tam aa-hăan Tomorrow she will cook. พรุ่งนี้เขาจะไม่มาทำงาน prûng-níi káo jà mâi maa tam-ngaan Tomorrow he will not come to … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Thai Future Tense
VIDEO: Friendly Talk
แล้ว léao (already) When we want to tell that something has happened already, this pattern is used: Subject + verb + “แล้ว léaw” แล้ว / léaw/ means ‘already’ Example: I had breakfast already. ผมกินข้าวเช้าแล้ว pŏm gin kâao-cháao léaw. He has gone back to Australia already. เค้ากลับออสเตรเลียแล้ว káo glàp … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Friendly Talk
VIDEO: Classifiers is Essential to Speak Like a Thai
Classifier or unit count (คำลักษณนาม) is essential when you count something in Thai language, so if you would like to speak like a Thai knowing how to use unit count is a must. The pattern is noun (something you are counting) + amount + classifier For example; two women ผู้หญิง 2 คน pûu-yĭng 2 kon five bottles of beer เบียร์ … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Classifiers is Essential to Speak Like a Thai
VIDEO: Thai Swear Words
This video clip has gone viral among Thai social media users. It is about a foriegn guy got cursed the first time by a Thai. In the video, he told us almost ten swear words in Thai. Below are words spoken in the clip; Do you know ควย /kuoy/ ? ควย /kuoay/ means ‘dick’ He said he knew many curse words such as: ไอสัตว์ / i sàt/ animal ไอเหี้ย /i … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Thai Swear Words
VIDEO Lesson 16 : Verb to Want & Placing Order
This lesson I would like to talk about a very basic verb but important that is often mistakenly used, verb to "want" = อยาก [yàak] The reason that makes many people confused when using this word is that in English you can say I want 'something' [ verb to want + object], but in Thai language VERB to WANT can only be followed by VERB only!! not a noun. For … [Read more...] about VIDEO Lesson 16 : Verb to Want & Placing Order
VIDEO: Thai Love Phrases
1. รักแรกพบ /rák râek pób/ Love at first sight รัก /rák/ love แรก /râek/ first พบ /pób/ meet (formal term) , in spoken Thai we use the word เจอ /jer/ 2. รักแท้ /rák táe/ แท้ /táe/ real, authentic ผม/ฉันอยากเจอรักแท้ pŏm/chán yàak jer rák táe (I want to find true love.) ผมผม/ฉันกำลังตามหารักแท้ pŏm/chán gam-lang dtaam hăa rák … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Thai Love Phrases
VIDEO: Going to the Movies
This lesson we are taking you to a cinema in Bangkok. You will learn words and expressions related to watching movies. Hope you will enjoy this lesson as much as we enjoyed making it for you. : ) แกอยากดูหนังมั้ย? gae yak duu năng mái? Do you want to watch a movie? แกอยากดูเรื่องไรอ่ะ? gae yàak duu rûeng rai … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Going to the Movies
Thai Expression of the Day : Peanut Eyes
The other day my friend said she admired a Thai singer so much because he was so charming and handsome, then the other friend expressed her disagreement and called her “ตาถั่ว dtaa-tùa”! I was laughing at them and thought I had to write about this interesting expression. “ตาถั่ว dtaa-tùa” peanut eyes is Thai expression used in two different situations; ตา /dtaa/ means … [Read more...] about Thai Expression of the Day : Peanut Eyes