Ket Chop

Seen in the restaurant of a nice hotel in Udon Thani:

Click on the image for a larger one

- Is it because there is no official transliteration in Thai language and because one can write Thai words phonetically in Latin alphabet, that some people think they can do the same in English?

- Is it a wordplay with the word “Chop” that in Thai means “to like” (but not for food)?

- Or is it a good idea to preserve the local culture and the local language by transforming foreign words into new Thai words?

We’ll never know… (I don’t care, I had mustard instead!).

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson38 – How much/How Many (Quantity)?

Here is a useful word: Gii = How much/How many.
Easy to remember, easy to pronounce, easy to understand.

Vocabulary:

Gii Khrang?= How many times?

Gii Chua Mohng? = How many hours?

Gii Mohng?= What time is it?

Gii Pii? = How many years?

Gii Khon? = How many people?

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson37 – How long have you been here?

This is a question you will have each time you will start and speak a few words of Thai: How long have you been here? (How long have you been living in Thailand?).

Better you get used to it.

Vocabulary:

Yuu Thii… + location = to be somewhere (see lesson 35)
Gii = How much, How many
Pii = Year (see lesson 36)

Question:

Khun Yuu Thii Muang Thai Gii Pii Laew? = How long have you been living in Thailand (You Stay Country Thai How Many Years Already?)

Answer:

Phom/Dichan Yuu Thii Muang Thai 2 Pii/Deuan/Aathit Laew = I’ve been living here 2 years/months/week.

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson36 – Today, Yesterday, Tomorrow, Last Month, Next Year…

The meeting was yesterday, my plane is tomorrow, I’m checking out today. How to say that?

Well, with a bit of vocabulary to learn:

- Wan = Day (see lesson 15, the days of the week)
- Wan Nii = Today (This Day)

- Meuawaannii = Yesterday
- Phrungnii = Tomorrow
- Kheun = Night (Night time)
- Kheun Nii = Tonight
- Meuakheunnii = Last Night
- Kheunphrungnii = Tomorrow Night

- Aathit = Week
- Deuan = Month
- Pii = Year

- … Gawn = Last…
- Aathit Gawn = Last Week

- … Naa = Next…
- Deuan Naa = Next Month

- … Nii = This…
- Pii Nii = This Year

Now learn!

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson35 – Where is…?

Today’s lesson is about to find out where something or someone is.

Vocabulary:
…Yuu Thiinai? = Where is…?
… Yuu Thii…+ location = … is at + location
Hong = Room
Hong Naam = Toilet (Room Water)
Baan = Home

Question:
Hong Naam Yuu Thiinai? = Where is the toilet?

Answer:
Hong Naam Yuu Thii… = The toilet is…

Question:
Khun Yuu Thiinai? = Where are you?

Answer:
Phom/Dichan Yuu Thii Baan = I am at home.

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson34 – Where are you from?

That’s the next question: Where are you from?

Vocabulary:

Where = Thiinai
Come, Coming = Maa
From = Jaak
Country = Pratheht
What = Arai
Person = Khon
English, England = Angrit
Japanese, Japan = Yiipun
French, France = Farangseht
Chinese, China = Jiin

Question:

As in English, There are different ways to say “Where are you from?”:

- “Khun Maa Jaak Thiinai?” or “Khun Maa Jaak Nai?” = Where do you come from?
- “Khun Maa Jaak Pratheht Arai?” = What Country do you come from?
- “Khun Pen Khon Pratheht Arai?” = What Country are you (someone) from?

Answer:

- “Phom/Dichan Maa Jaak Angrit” = I come from England
- “Phom/Dichan Pen Khon Angrit” = I am British

Note that the first question “Khun Maa Jaak Thiinai?” can also be used with a Thai person to know from what part of the country she’s from.

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson33 – What’s your name?

Now that you know how to say “hello” and “nice to meet you“, the next one is “what’s your name”. That’s an easy one.

Vocabulary:

Cheu = Name

Question:
Khun Cheu Arai Khrap? – What’s your name? (You Name What Please)

Answer:
Phom Cheu Bart Khrap – My name is Bart (for a boy)
Dichan Cheu Ann Khaa – My name is Ann (for a girl)

The only difficulty is to clearly pronounce Cheu (something like Shoe but with an almost French “u”), but usually in the context (a first meeting), they understand you!

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson32 – Additional Phrases for Taxi

We have learned the basic Taxi indications in Lesson 24. Here are additional useful phrases when you’re in a Taxi.

Jort Thinii khrap = park here please
Yut Thinii khrap = stop here please

Tang Sai khrap = on the left side (of the road) or the left lane please
Tang Khwaa khrap = on the right side (of the road) or the right lane please

Vocabulary:

Reduce = Lot (if you remember from lesson 30 about the price)
Air Con = Air (they use the English word Air for Air Con)

Air Lot Noi Dai Mai Khrap = Can you please reduce the air con? (it’s freezing in here!)

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson31 – Nice to meet you

Ok now you start to know a few things in Thai language, but do you know the basics?

“Nice to meet you“. Can you say that in Thai? If not, today’s short lesson is for you (if yes, go somewhere else).

Vocabulary

Yindii = To be pleased with, you’re welcome, my pleasure
Ruujak = To know (someone or a place)

Nice to meet you in Thai is: Yindii Thii Dai Ruujak (Please That Can Know)

So, you will say:

- Yindii Thii Dai Ruujak

And the other person should say:

- Yindii Thii Dai Ruujak

Easy, isn’t it?

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More thai lessons here.

Learning Thai with Bart: Lesson30 – That’s Expensive!

In Lesson 29 they gave you a price. Now you find it a bit expensive. Let’s negotiate.

Vocabulary:

- Expensive = Paeng
- Reduce = Lot
- A lot, very = Maak Maak

You want to express that the price is too high:

- “Paeng Maak Maak”  – “It’s very expensive”
or if you want to look like a local:
- “Paeng Pai Noi” (that I don’t really know how to translate but means the same as above)
And then you will ask for a discount:
- “Lot Noi Dai Mai Khap?” (“Reduce a bit you can?”)

From there 2 options:

- The seller agrees to reduce the price: “Ok, 30,000 baht khap”
- He refuses to reduce the price: “Mai Paeng khap” (Not expensive), Lot Noi Mai Dai (I can’t discount)”

Either you buy or your leave. For the second option you will say:

- “Taa Khun Lot Noi Mai Dai, Phom Mai Aow” – “If you can’t discount, I don’t want it”.

End of the negotiation.

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More thai lessons here.