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[Thai Language] Basics of conversation

Here, let's start from the basics of conversation. :)



The polite word

  •  Krab/Ka
    There are words that reflect the gender of the speaker. Men end a sentence with " krab "; women with " ka " in a polite way to speak. (as the same of Japanese language)
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
polite way to say
(male)
Krab
ครับ
polite way to say
(female)
Ka
ค่ะ
Put them in the end of the sentence for a polite conversation.
Looks like, people in Thailand speak with them even to their parents, brothers, sisters and younger people.

For example, when you want to say "Thank you";
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
Thank you.
(male)
Khob khun krab
ขอบคุณครับ
Thank you.
(female)
Khob khun ka
ขอบคุณค่ะ
memo: "Krab"
In fact, they pronounce "krap" as "Kap" in conversation.

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Reply (Yes/No)

  • Krab/Ka
     "Krab" or "Ka" (you saw above) is used for a simple reply "Yes".
     "Chai"(ใช่) is used to mean "Yes, you are right".
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
Yes. Krap / Ka
ครับ / ค่ะ
Yes, you are right. Chai Krap/Ka
ใช่ ครับ / ค่ะ

  • Mai
    " Mai " is used to say "No".
    If you say only " Mai ", it sounds blunt. In this case, use with " Chai "(ใช่) like below.
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
No. Mai Chai Krap/Ka
ไม่ใช่ ครับ / ค่ะ

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Negative, Question sentence

  • Denial: Mai
    As you saw in the "Reply"chapter above, " Mai "(ไม่) is used for a negative sentence.
    For example, " Pai " is used for "Go" and the negative sentence of this is " Mai Pai ".
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
I'll go. Pai Krap/Ka
ไป ครับ/ค่ะ
I won't go. Mai Pai Krap/Ka
ไม่ ไป ครับ/ค่ะ

  • Question: Mai/Rue
    " Mai "(ไหม) or " Rue "(หรือ) is used at the end in question sentences.
    The difference between " Mai " and " Rue " is, " Mai " is used for just a question and " Rue " is with some emotion of the speaker. Actually, I don't know well.... :-D

    - " Mai " for a denial has a stress on " a ".
    - " Mai " for a question has a stress on " i ".
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
How are you doing ? Sabai Dee Mai Krap/Ka
สบาย ดี ไหม ครับ/คะ
How are you doing ? Sabai Dee Rue Krap/Ka
สบาย ดี หรือ ครับ/คะ
I have never used the first sentence, always use the second one. I don't know why...


  • " Ka ? " for questions for female
    " Ka " is a little changed when it's used for question sentences.
    (The dot of the letter is not necessary.)

    - Question (with no dot): คะ
      (rising sound, as in a question spoken in English )
    - Normal (with a dot): ค่ะ
      (falling sound)

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Basic word order

 The word order of Thai language is same to English basically, like, "I like you.", "This food is delicious."

  • I like you. = Subject + Verb + Object

The Subject " I " in English is different btwn men and women in Thai language as the same to Japanese.

  • I (Male): Pom
  • I (Female): Dichan

meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
I like you. Pom/Dichan chorb kun Krab/Ka
ผม/ดิฉัน ชอบ คุณ ครับ/ค่ะ
I write a letter. Pom/Dichan Kien Jodmaay Krab/Ka
ผม/ดิฉัน เขียน จดหมาย ครับ/ค่ะ
  • like: chorb
  • letter: jodmaay
  • write: kien

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Modifier

Modifiers such as "beautiful" and "spicy" comes after modificands (modified words) in Thai language. (Hmmm, different from English. I'll be confused. ....)

  • modificand + modifier
    • Beautiful lady = lady + beautiful in Thai.
    • Spicy food = food + spicy in Thai.
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
Beautiful lady Phuuying Suay
ผู้หญิง สวย
Spicy food Arharn Ped
อาหาร เผ็ด
  • beautiful: suay
  • lady: phuuying
  • spicy: ped
  • food: arharn

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Conjunction

Now, how about conjunctions such as "And", "But" and "Because" ?
How do you say in Thai ?


  • And: " Lae "
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
Inexpensive and delicious Tuuk Lae Aroi Krab/Ka
ถูก และ อร่อย ครับ/ค่ะ
  • inexpensive: tuuk
  • and: lae
  • delicious: aroi


  • But: " Teaa "
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
Spicy but delicious Ped Teaa Aroi Krab/Ka
เผ็ด แต่ อร่อย ครับ/ค่ะ
This " Teaa " is really difficult for me to pronounce.

  • spicy: ped
  • delicious: aroi
  • but: taair


  • Because: " Prowaa "
meaning Thai Language (Green:stress / Blue:male / Pink:female)
I was late because of a traffic jam. Maa Saai Prowaa Rot Tid Krab/Ka
มาสาย เพราะว่า รถติด ครับ/ค่ะ
I'm (very) sleepy because (very) tired. Nguang Norn (Mark) Prowaa Nuai (Mark) Krab/Ka
ง่วงนอน มาก เพราะว่า เหนื่อย มาก ครับ/ค่ะ
  • Maa: come
  • Saai: late
  • Rot Tid: traffic jam

  • Nguang Norn: sleepy
  • Nuey: tired
  • Mark: very

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