Kam-Puăn: Playing with words….swapping syllables around…making new sound!

By Jang

Kam-Puăn is a style of playing with Thai words by swapping the vowels and final sounds of the first syllable with the last syllable. This will create a new word which might not have a meaning but the sounds of the word will rhyme with the original word. Kam-Puăn is practically used with 2 or 3 syllable-words because it is easier to swap the positions of vowels and final sounds.

Ø Kam-Puăn with 2 syllable-word can be done by swapping the vowel of the first syllable with the vowel of the second syllable by keeping the initial consonants in their own places.

Examples:

Original Kam-Puăn

Doern-nam เดินนำ à dam-noern ดำเนิน

Hĭw-kaâo หิวข้าว à haăo-kîw หาวขิ้ว

Kaăi-naâ ขายหน้า à kaâ-naăi ข้าหนาย

Mòd-dtua หมดตัว à mua-dtòd มัวตด

Glûm-jai กลุ้มใจ à glai-jûm ใกลจุ้ม

Ø Kam-Puăn with 3 syllable-word can be done by swapping the position of the second syllable with the third syllable by:

1. Replacing the vowel of the third syllable with the vowel of the second syllable

2. Replacing the vowel of the second syllable with the vowel of the third syllable

3. Replacing the final sound (final letter) of the third syllable with the final sound (final letter) of second syllable

4. Replacing the final sound (final letter) of the second syllable with the final sound (final letter) of the third syllable

5. Keep the first syllable in its own place. There is no need to change anything

Examples:

Original Kam-Puăn

สวัสดี (สะ-หวัด-ดี) sà-wàd-dee à สวีดัด (สะ-วี-ดัด) sà-wee-dàd

ข้าวเหนียวดำ kaaô-niăw-dam à ข้าวหนำเดียว kaaô-năm-diaw

ต้มยำกุ้ง dtôm-yam-gûng à ต้มยุงก้ำ dtôm-yung-gâm

มะม่วงเปรี้ยว má-muâng-bpriâw à มะเมี่ยวปร้วง má-miâw-bpruâng

**The other way of making ‘kam-puăn’ of the 3-syllable-word can be done by:

1. Replacing the vowel of the first syllable with the vowel of the third syllable

2. Replacing the vowel of the third syllable with the vowel of the first syllable

3. Replacing the final sound (final letter) of the first syllable with the final sound (final letter) of third syllable

4. Replacing the final sound (final letter) of the third syllable with the final sound (final letter) of the first syllable

5. Keep the second syllable in its own place, there is no need to change anything.

Examples:

Original Kam-Puăn

ไม่รักคุณ maî-rák-khun à มุ่นรักไค mûn-rák-khai

ไปโรงเรียน bpai-rong-rian à เปียนโรงไร bpian-rong-rai

ภาษาไทย paa-saă-thai à ไภยษาทา pai-saa-taa

บ้านผีสิง baân-peĕ-sĭng à บิ๋งผีส้าน bĭng-peĕ-saân

ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ guăy-dtiăw-ruer à เกื๋อเตี๋ยวรวย guĕr-dtiăw-ruay

This might sound complicated and difficult but once you know how to do it you will enjoy teasing Thai friends or your Thai teacher at your Thai Language School with Kam-Puăn.

Kru MulanJ

Want to learn more Thai….then come to have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

Learn to speak Thai fluently : How to use classifiers?

By may

It is a little strange how to use Thai noun classifiers in Thai Language such as “lêm/เล่ม” (a book = năng-sŭh-nùng-lêm/ หนังสือหนึ่งเล่ม , or a notebook = sà-mùt-nóht-nùng-lêm/ สมุดโน๊ตหนึ่งเล่ม, but a candle = tien- nùng-lêm/ เทียนหนึ่งเล่ม , and also a knife = mêet-nùng-lêm/ มีดหนึ่งเล่ม ), “toor/ตัว” ( a table = tó-nùng-toor/ โต๊ะหนึ่งตัว, or a cat = maew-nùng-toor/ แมวหนึ่งตัว ), “tâeng/แท่ง” ( a pencil = din-săw-nùng-tâeng/ ดินสอหนึ่งแท่ง, or a gold brick = thong-kham-tâeng-nùng-tâeng/ ทองคำแท่งหนึ่งแท่ง), etc.

If we talk about vehicles, we call them differently; a car = rót-nùng-khan ( รถหนึ่งคัน ) , a bicycle = jàg-grà-yaan-nùng-khan ( จักรยานหนึ่งคัน ), but a boat = rueh-nùng-lam ( เรือหนึ่งลำ), or an airplane = krûehng-bin-nùng-lam ( เครื่องบินหนึ่งลำ ).

Then Thai noun classifiers for fruits are “phŏn (ผล)”, or “bai (ใบ)”, or “lôog (ลูก)”; 10 mangos = má-mûang-sìb- phŏn/ bai/ lôog ( มะม่วงสิบผล/ใบ/ลูก), 10 durians = thú-rien-sìb- phŏn/ bai/ lôog ( ทุเรียนสิบผล/ใบ/ลูก). We also use “lôog (ลูก)” when we mention those round things such as footballs (10 footballs = lôog-fút-bohn- sìb-lôog/ ลูกฟุตบอลสิบลูก ), bowling balls (10 bowling balls = lôog-boe-lîng-sìb-lôog/ ลูกโบว์ลิ่งสิบลูก ), etc. Then “bai (ใบ)” is Thai noun classifier for bags (10 bags = grà-păo-sìb-bai/กระเป๋าสิบใบ ), banknotes (20 baht banknotes = Thà-nà-bàt-bai-lá-yêe-sìb-bàat-lăai-bai/ ธนบัตรใบละยี่สิบบาทหลายใบ ), etc.

Now someother things such as a bar of soap = sà-bùh-nùng-gôhn (สบู่หนึ่งก้อน ), one sugar-cube = nám-taan-gôhn-nùng-gôhn ( น้ำตาลก้อนหนึ่งก้อน ) , a stone = gôhn-hĭn-nùng-gôhn ( ก้อนหินหนึ่งก้อน ), but a diamond = pét-nùng-mét ( เพชรหนึ่งเม็ด ), or a basket = tà-grâa-nùng-bai ( ตะกร้าหนึ่งใบ ) , or a flute = klùi-nùng-lao ( ขลุ่ยหนึ่งเลา ), or a fiddle = saw-nùng-khan ( ซอหนึ่งคัน ), etc. We have a lot of fun learning and practising these in our Thai Language School.

Do not panic because even Thai people do not remember all of Thai noun classifiers!!!

Khru May Thai Language Teacher!!!
Want to learn more Thai Language …then come have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

Learn Thai with Thai prepositions…They may seem similar but they are different…

By may

I know from my own experiences as a Thai Language Teacher that whenever we start learning other languages, sometimes it is easy to get confused with the detail creating some confusion ….to ourselves and to those we are speaking to!

I am showing you some Thai sentences that may help you get the picture and something you may miss inside that picture:

I make some coffee because of you ( Chăn-chong-gaa-fae-pró-ther/ฉันชงกาแฟเพราะเธอ ) = You are the reason why I make some coffee (Ther-bpen-tón-hèt-hâi- chăn-chong-gaa-fae/เธอเป็นต้นเหตุให้ฉันชงกาแฟ )

I make some more coffee for you ( Chăn- chong-gaa-fae-phùe- ther/ฉันชงกาแฟเผื่อเธอ ) = I make some more coffee and keep it for you (Chăn-chong-gaa-fae-wái-mâag-nòy-láew-gèb- wái- hâi-ther-dûay/ฉันชงกาแฟไว้มากหน่อยแล้วเก็บไว้ให้เธอด้วย )

I make some coffee for you ( Chăn-chong-gaa-fae-phûe- ther/ฉันชงกาแฟเพื่อเธอ ) = I make some coffee to please you ( Pró-hĕn-gàe-ther-chăn- jung-chong-gaa-fae/เพราะเห็นแก่เธอฉันจึงชงกาแฟ )

I make some coffee just for you ( Chăn- chong-gaa-fae-săm-ràb- ther/ ฉันชงกาแฟสำหรับเธอ ) = I make some coffee for you, not others ( Chăn- chong-gaa-fae- hâi- ther-mâi-châi-khon-ùhn/(ฉันชงกาแฟให้เธอไม่ใช่คนอื่น )

I make some coffee for you ( Chăn- chong-gaa-fae-hâi- ther/ ฉันชงกาแฟให้เธอ ) = I make some coffee for you, you don’t have to do it ( Chăn- chong-gaa-fae- hâi- ther-eng-ther-mâi-thôhng-tham/(ฉันชงกาแฟให้เธอเอง เธอไม่ต้องทำ )

When we think we know our languages we still misunderstand something…agree? Sometimes the devil is in the detail!

Khru May Thai Language Teacher!!!

Want to learn more Thai Language …then come have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

Let’s enjoy learning Thai with compound words about “water” or “nám”…

By may

I like languages and the beauty of them. I speak more than 2 languages myself, and sometimes I do analyze language similarity. I think you may have some fun with learning Thai language and it will be more fun if you will be learning to speak like a Thai ….yes I’m a Thai language teacher!

Now you are about to see some Thai compound nouns:

Waterfall = nám-tòk (น้ำตก); this word could be a waterfall or a spicy Thai food of the northeast

Sugar = nám-taan (น้ำตาล); this word could mean sugar or brown

Consecrated Water = nám-prá-pí-phát-sàt-tà-yaa (น้ำพระพิพัฒน์สัตยา); Consecrated Water is used to purify sacred space, ritual tools, and in any spell/working that called for water

Honey = nám-pûeng (น้ำผึ้ง)

Fountain = nám-phú (น้ำพุ)

Ice = nám-khăeng (น้ำแข็ง)

Dew = nám-kháang (น้ำค้าง)

Whirlpool = nám-won (น้ำวน)

Tear = nám-taa (น้ำตา)

Oil = nám-man (น้ำมัน)

Weight = nám-nàg (น้ำหนัก)

Syrup = nám-chûehm (น้ำเชื่อม)

Juice = nám-phŏn-la-mái (น้ำผลไม้)

Sauce = nám-jîm (น้ำจิ้ม)

Bottle Gourd = nám-tâo (น้ำเต้า)

Brine = nám-khem (น้ำเค็ม)

Acid = nám-gròt (น้ำกรด)

Soldering flux = nám-prà-săan (น้ำประสาน)

I think you can make your Thai friends or your Thai Teacher pleasantly surprised. Yeah!!!

Khru May Thai Language Teacher!!!

Want to learn more Thai Language …then come have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

Let’s Enjoy Learning Thai with “heart” or “jai” in several interesting words

By may

My students at my Thai Language School remarked that there are many words in Thai language concerning the word “jai” and I heard a lot of my foreign friends say that Thai people are generous (khon-thai-mee-náam-jai/คนไทยมีน้ำใจ) or Thais are kind (khon-thai-jai-dee/คนไทยใจดี).

Here are some of Thai interesting words about “jai”:

This poem is impressive = Bòt-glohn-née-gin-jai (บทกลอนนี้กินใจ)

I like catchy music = Chăn(phŏm)-chôb-don-dtree-thêe-jàb-jai (ฉัน(ผม)ชอบดนตรีที่จับใจ)

Everyone feels discontented = Thúg-khon-rúh-sùg-káb-không-jai (ทุกคนรู้สึกคับข้องใจ)

Your answer irritated him = Kham-tòb-khŏng-ther-tham-hâi-khăo-khueng-jai (คำตอบของเธอทำให้เขาเคืองใจ)

He is sincere = Khăo-jing-jai (เขาจริงใจ)

Most of Thai people were outraged because of that incident = Khon-thai-sùan-yài-kháen-jai-phró-hèt-gaan-nán (คนไทยส่วนใหญ่แค้นใจเพราะเหตุการณ์นั้น)

She is narrow-minded = Lòhn-jai-khâeb (หล่อนใจแคบ)

There are always mean-spirited people everywhere = Mee-khon-jai-tàm-yòo-thúg-hŏn-thúg-hàeng-sà-mĕuh (มีคนใจต่ำอยู่ทุกหนทุกแห่งเสมอ)

Is this man cheating on his wife? = Phôo-chaai-khon-née-gam-lang-nôrg-jai- mia-toir-eng-rĕuh (ผู้ชายคนนี้กำลังนอกใจเมียตัวเองเหรอ)

I feel utterly weary = Chăn(phŏm)-rúh-sùg-òhn-òg-òhn-jai (ฉัน(ผม)รู้สึกอ่อนอกอ่อนใจ)

Well, I hope you get some ideas to express your feelings now!!!

Khru May Thai Language Teacher!!!

Want to learn more Thai Language …then come have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

Learning Thai Opposite Words…something useful…let’s practice!!

By may

As far as I know many tourists want to know how to communicate with Thai people, especially Thai vendors and Thai staff at service counters. Unfortunately whereas most Thai people might understand some English, they might not answer your questions in English! And if you have problems such as robbery, directions, pick-pockets, etc., and you have tried to get help, let me see if Kru May Thai Language Teacher can help you on this!!!

Here are some useful Thai phrases they normally use on the street:

Thai vendors say “Get inside and have a look = Khào-maa-khâang-nai-lûehg-doo-lûehg-chohm-gan-dâi-loey (kâ/kráb) (เข้ามาข้างในเลือกดูเลือกชมกันได้เลย (ค่ะ/ครับ)”, then they say “On sales, very cheap = Lóahd-gan-bpai-loey-khăai-gan-thùhg-thùhg-pêe (ลดกันไปเลย ขายกันถูก ถูกพี่)”

***cheap = thùhg (ถูก), expensive = phaeng (แพง)

You may ask “How much is it? = Raa-khaa-thào-rài (ราคาเท่าไหร่)”, then they tell you the price “only 50 baht = hâa-sìp-ehng (ห้าสิบเอง)”, you may say “not expensive = Khôrr-mâi-phaeng-ná (ก็ไม่แพงนะ)” or “quite expensive = Khôrr-phaeng-yòo-ná (ก็แพงอยู่นะ)”. If you want to bargain, just tell them to discount “Can you give me lower price? = Chûay-lóahd-nòi-dâi-mái (ช่วยลดหน่อยได้มั๊ย)”, if they respond “not too expensive = Mâi-phaeng-láew-ná (ไม่แพงแล้วนะ)”, or “I cannot discount more = Lóahd-èeg-mâi-dâi-láew (kâ/kráb) (ลดอีกไม่ได้แล้ว (ค่ะ/ครับ)”

If you say “My camera was stolen, where can I report that? = Glông-thùhg-khaa-mohy-jâeng-kwaam-thêe-năi (กล้องถูกขโมย ต้องแจ้งความที่ไหน)”, they might ask “Where did it happened? = hèt-gèrd- thêe-năi (เหตุเกิดที่ไหน)”, if you reply “At the lobby = Thêe-lóhb-bêe (ที่ล็อบบี้)”, or “I lost my wallet = Krà-păo-ngern-hăai (กระเป๋าเงินหาย)”, “Where did you lose it? = hăai-thêe-năi (หายที่ไหน)”, “At the restaurant = thêe-ráan-ah-hăan (หายที่ร้านอาหาร)”, “Where will I report it? = Jà-bpai-jâeng-hăai-dâi- thêe-năi (จะไปแจ้งหายได้ที่ไหน)”, “Go to Lost & Found counter = Bpai-thêe-pha-nàeg-khŏng-hăai (ไปที่แผนกของหาย)”.

***lost = hăai/lŏhng-thaang (หาย/หลงทาง), found = hăa/ hăajeu (หา/หาเจอ)

When you get lost, you may ask “Excuse me, I got lost, can you tell me where I am? = Khŏrr-thôt-kâ/kráb-chăn(phŏhm)- lŏhng-thaang –chûay-bòrg-thee-wâa-chăn(phŏhm)-yòo-thêe-năi (ขอโทษค่ะ/ครับ ฉัน(ผม)หลงทาง ช่วยบอกทีว่าฉัน(ผม)อยู่ที่ไหน)”, or “Where can I find a nice hotel? = Jà-hăa-rohng-raem-dee-dee-dâi-thêe-năi (จะหาโรงแรมดี ดี ได้ที่ไหน), or “I couldn’t find my suitcase = hăa-krà-păo-dern-thaang-mâi-jeu (หากระเป๋าเดินทางไม่เจอ)”, “Where did you put it? = Ther-oa-bpai-waang-wái-thêe-năi (เธอเอาไปว่างไว้ที่ไหน).

Khru May Thai Language Teacher!!!
Want to learn more Thai Language …then come have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

Thai Family: How to address people in family

By Jang

Thai families are often  big family and the way we address each person in family is based on father side, mother side and seniority. For many foreign students at my Thai Language School find it complicated and hard to understand The table below will help you to address each person in Thai family better. Check it out!

It might look complicated…just take your time! Thai language is not that difficult. Now you can talk with your Thai friends about their families…..

Hope you enjoyed speaking Thai!!

Kru Mulan J (Thai Language Teacher)

Want to learn more Thai…then come to have a look at our Thai Language School at www.thailanguagehut.com